Stories to Snuggle With by Paty Jager

 November heralds the beginning of the holiday season. 

The Christmas movies on Hallmark and Family channel have already begun. Not to mention all the Christmas decorations and aisles marked "Gifts" in the stores and online. And staged shelves of Christmas baking items in the grocery stores.  

The one thing that makes me feel the holidays are upon us is when you start seeing Christmas books and novellas advertised. Last year I had a short holiday story in the Windtree Press Anthology Crime Never Takes a Holiday. 

A cornucopia of ten cozy mystery stories that are perpetrated during holidays from New Years to Christmas. This collection explores unexplained disturbances, college pranks gone wrong, and almost always one or more murders around a holiday. Solve these spooky crimes that lurk beneath celebratory parties and help search for the murderers. Kick off your shoes, grab a warm drink, and snuggle into a blanket before you get lured onto the sparkling snow for the next crime spree.

Crime Never Takes a Holiday

A Body on the 13th Floor by Paty Jager

Dead Ladies Don’t Dance by Robin Weaver

Took Nothing Left Nothing by Pamela Cowan

Busted for Bones by Dari LaRoche

Yuletide Firebug by Kathy Coatney

Starry Night Murder by Mary Vine

The Twelfth Night Murder by Ann Chaney

Blue Christmas by Melissa Yi

Two Turtle Doves by Maggie Lynch

Five Golden Rings by Kimila Kay

Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/u/b6zYgp

This year I have a Christmas Novella. It is set in my Shandra Higheagle Mystery world.

Christmas Chaos takes up the lives of my characters Shandra Higheagle, her husband Ryan Greer, and their adopted twins ten years after the series ends. I also made sure several of the characters whom the readers met throughout the series were mentioned. 

Christmas Chaos

A Shandra Higheagle Mystery

Novella

Check out a super-special Christmas surprise— a continuation of the Shandra Higheagle Mystery series. Ten years later the twins are at college but there’s trouble brewing.

Shandra Higheagle Greer is anxiously awaiting a visit from her twins as they head home from college for Christmas break. After a ten-year absence, her deceased grandmother is back in her dreams and the message seems clear. The twins are in trouble. After giving a young woman a ride to a nearby town, they become suspects in her murder.

Even though he's been removed from the case, Shandra and her husband, Weippe County Sheriff Ryan Greer, continue to investigate, determined to dig up proof that the twins had nothing to do with the homicide. Even if that means putting one of the twins in danger to uncover the truth.

https://books2read.com/u/47dKjq

You can be sure I'll find a new to me Christmas story to read as the days grow shorter and I spend more time snuggled up in my chair with a blanket. 

Evaluating my Year by Paty Jager

It's that time of year to start evaluating if I need to change up my goals or if I'm on track with what I'd decided in December of last year. 

First here is a list of the goals I'd set for 2023. 

Professional: 

Release 2 Hawke books- Bear Stalker is written, will write #11 Damning Firefly

Release 2 Spotted Pony Casino Books = The Squeeze and The Pinch 

Hawke ebook box set of books 7-9

Spotted Pony Casino box set of books 1-3 

Get caught up on the Hawke large print books

Catch up on the Shandra Higheagle audiobooks. 

working on promoting my audiobooks. 

Personal: 

Continue walking 5 days a week 

Watch my carb and fat intake 

Travel 

Keep up my personal blog 

Do more horseback riding

Here is where I am at:

Professional: 

I released Bear Stalker and will release Damning Firefly on September 15th. 

The Squeeze was published, and I still need to write The Pinch.

Both the Gabriel Hawke and Spotted Pony Casino ebook box sets have been released.

I am caught up on large print books for the Gabriel Hawke series.

We are working on 14th audiobook in the Shandra Higheagle Mysteries, with only one more to go to finish the series. 

Promoting audiobooks, I've done horrid at. I can't seem to find the time to dig in and get out the ads and schmooze with audiobook listeners. I REALLY need to work on this harder going forward. 

Personal: 

Most weeks I do get in at least 5 days of walking, more times than not I get in 6-7 days. 

I am on the keto diet and have lost 12 pounds. I'd like to lose 10 more to feel at my best. 

I have traveled some this year and have a trip set for this month to Hawaii. I'm going with one of my best friends and we are going to chill and relax and enjoy. We went to Alaska for a week for our Grandson's graduation and wedding. And I have attended a powwow and gone on a couple of research trips. You can find out about those at my blog Writing into the Sunset.

This brings me to keeping up my personal blog. I have been doing a pretty good job. I post twice a month with all different types of things. Some writing related and some my life. 

My gelding Jan (John in Dutch)

As for horseback riding...my gelding didn't come out of the winter in good shape. I've been slowly getting him to look like he can carry me for a ride. A granddaughter used him for a 4-H horse camp and I plan to get on him before you read this post. 

I believe I'm on track to attain my goals. I did slip in a short story for the Windtree Press anthology releasing in October and I decided to write a Christmas novella to give my readers closure on the Shandra Higheagle Mystery series. My goal is to have that finished by the end of August and get started on The Pinch, book 5, in the Spotted Pony Casino series. 

And in between all of that, I have my trip to Hawaii, two several-day events I'll be working at the NIWA booth, and I'm attending a conference in November to help me do better at marketing. i.e., get those audiobooks selling. 

My evaluation is I am not nearly as behind this year as I have been the past two years. This makes me happy because I'm hoping to put together a month-long trip next year and want to make sure I can do it without messing up too much of my output. More on that in another post. 

 

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 54 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it. This is what Books a Plenty Book Reviews has to say about the Gabriel Hawke series: "The blend of nature tracking, clues, and the animals makes for a fascinating mystery that is hard to put down."

Blog / Website / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Pinterest   / Bookbub / Instagram / TikTok

My Life and Numbers

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, soul nourishing romantic women’s fiction with light paranormal elements. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where, with this support, you make choices to overcome the darkest nights and choose love and light.

I’m writing this post on my son’s 60^th birthday. At the time, it was not my favorite day. Sixty years ago I’d been in labor about 30 hours and I still had 3+ more to go. When you read this, my son will be 60 years and 2 days old. We will have celebrated with his favorite meal from the nearby Chinese restaurant and he’ll have spent time with his daughters and grandchildren on Zoom. Oh, and he’ll have a store of his favorite snack - shelled pistachios!

My comments on Ann Chaney’s Wednesday post are about numbers that consistently show up in my life: 2, 4, 8 and I’ll add to that 19 (both my dad and I were born on that day).

Actually I’ve lived long enough and have had a varied enough career that I can think of something special that is attached to just about any number.

Here are a few:

Children - 1

Grands and Great Grans - 2 of each

Siblings – 2 although only 1 is still alive

Best Birthday Ever! – my 80^th – my 3 circle sisters treated me to a long weekend at the Oregon Coast

Number of years I’ve lived in my house – 47

Number of moves before I bought my house – too many to keep track

Number of years I’ve been officially involved in the work of Dr. William Glasser – 45

Number of home studies I’ve written for adoption families - 300+ home over almost 30 years

I’m also a published author.

Published:

8 fictions novels (The Sacred Women’s Circle series and Visions of Happiness)

1 non-fiction (Staying Sane in a Crazy World)

Website:

This, my 3^rd one, is my favorite.

What I realize in writing this is that there are many areas of my life where I’ve not kept track of how often or how many. I know I’ve made virtual friends around the world through writing and Romancing The Genres.

I’ve written numerous blog posts. My rough guess is I’m well over 200. Not sure I've reached 300 yet.

I also know that most of the above would not have been possible without my very best friend, Michele. 

None of the Glasser work would have been possible without my friend, Marty. 

None of my writing adventures would have been possible without the support of Maggie Lynch, Paty Jager and the other authors at Windtree Press.

And as for being here celebrating Romancing The Genres’ 12^th Blog-O-Versary? Well, without Co-BQ (Blog Queen) Sarah McDermed, there wouldn’t even be an RTG.

Do share our celebration by signing up for our Mega-Giveaway drawing. The link is at the top of the page. You’ll be added to the mailing lists of the Genre-istas who have contributed to the Giveaway. Do give them a chance before you unsubscribe.

You can find all of my books at your favorite e-book vendor. Be sure to ask your local library if you’d prefer to read my books through that resource.

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshleyRomance.com

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2023 Judith Ashley

Freedom and Independence to Follow My Dreams

by Diana McCollum

(This first appeared as a blog on Windtree Press)

I live in a country the, USA, where I can enjoy the freedom and independence to follow my dreams.

My dream is to write and publish stories that I love for others to enjoy.

The job of writing is an independent job. I don’t have a ‘boss’ or a time clock or a paycheck! Once I sell a book to a publisher, I will have a boss, a deadline for revisions and a paycheck!

For now I am my own boss, which is fine with me. Except for the fact my boss is sometimes lax in cracking the whip and getting my butt in the chair and fingers on the keyboard.

My beginning art class

As an independent writer I can pursue writing courses, business courses and learning as much as I can about publicity from sites such as Canva. I can enjoy my other artistic pursuits which includes, but is not limited to, acrylic painting on canvas.

I am immensely thankful that I worked for a company who took care of their employees. Not only in the present day, but thinking ahead to the employee’s retirement. Because of the retirement investments of 22 years being employed by the same company, I am in a comfortable spot in life. Not wealthy, but not worried about finances. Comfortable.

When I retired from MCM Construction my husband and I were able to move to OR and take care of my mom. I started following  my dream of publishing books. I took classes. POV Author Services offers beginning and advanced writing classes, also classes on the business side of writing. I met with writer friends and went to conferences.

Then the pandemic hit and everything moved to online, Zoom ,or Facetime. I learned a whole other way of learning and visiting. Of course, no more meeting at the tea or coffee house with friends. Instead, once in a while we met in smaller groups on front porches or backyards.

Along the way I’ve found out a lot about myself. Writing does that for you. I encourage one and all to write in a journal. Every day, once a week, you choose. Believe me you will find out things about yourself you never knew.

Maybe you will find you have a story in you that is waiting to be put to paper, or typed into the computer. Ideas for stories can come from anywhere. Newspaper and magazine articles are a good source for ideas. Special events which happened in your own life or the life of someone you know. Or an interest in a certain subject. Or a picture of my old chair could surely stimulate the imagination.

With me it was paranormal, witches and magic.  My Pennsylvania grandmothers both had superstitions they lived by. Having lived their whole lives in PA, sometimes in PA Dutch country, and the superstitions abound in Dutch country.

One grandma believed to cure warts you only had to find a tree stump with rain water in it. On a full moon collect some of the stump water to douse your wart and it would kill it.

Both grandmothers and my mom believed things came in threes: death, accidents, good fortune, found money, etc.

There were lots of sayings about brooms. Jumping over a broom stick with your intended seals the marriage, a broom stick across the doorway keeps evil and bad luck out, a broom in the corner is for sweeping away bad juju. And on and on it goes.

My mother’s grandfather and her uncles made brooms. My mom and her sister had to take the straw to the creek and tie it in bundles and walk on it in the water to soften it for processing.

Listening to my mom and aunt talk about broom making got me thinking. Where do witches get their brooms? And so my first idea for a story was born. That specific story is yet to be written, although it is outlined. H-m-m? Maybe I’ll start that one next!

In the meantime, I do have a few books and short stories for you to enjoy.  For more information check out my website.

Thankful For So Many Things

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic women’s fiction with light paranormal elements. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where, with this support, you make choices to overcome the darkest nights and choose love and light.

I’ve so many things for which I’m thankful including being a part of Romancing The Genres, a WindtreePress author and a great grandmama. I’m celebrating all three today and a little bit more by writing this post, spending time with my great grands (so post may be shorter than usual) and introducing you to my fellow authors at Windtree Press and sharing with you links to a couple of authors I really love to read. An added bonus is talking a bit about my favorite independent book store, Jan’s Paperbacks, Beaverton, OR.

My great grands are 6 and 4 years old. Unfortunately they live 5 hours away so I do not see them as often as I’d like. When I learned I was to be a great grandmother, I thought that a bit of a mouthful. I didn’t care for Nana (reminded me of the dog in Peter Pan). I know there are other monikers for grandma, etc. but I decided I’d be Grandmama (two ma’s instead of one). I’ve no idea what we’ll do when they come visit. That’s always a surprise.

I joined Windtree Press, an author cooperative, in 2014. We now have over 20 authors and 200 titles. Check out our website and learn more about the variety of authors that make up Windtree Press. One of my favorites is Paty Jager, who published her 50^th title in May. Another one of my favorites is Maggie Lynch, one of the founders of WP. Maggie not only writes books that speak to life’s challenges, she does it in a variety of genres!

Jan’s Paperbacks has, as far as I know, always supported romance authors. Here is the link to see if an Indie Book Store in your area is involved in the Indie Bookstore Romance Day event. And those authors I love to read? While I am a longtime fan of both Paty Jager and Maggie Lynch, new on my list is Eleri Grace. 

Perhaps because I had an uncle who was a bombardier during WWII stationed in England so flying over Europe including Germany, I’ve found her books fascinating and thus another window into that part of my uncle’s life. Ms. Grace’s Red Cross Clubmobile Girls series is so well researched, I found myself slogging through the mud, ice, snow in Europe (Courage To Be Counted) and dealing with bugs, snakes and the tropical jungle in Carry a Crusading Spirit.  

I’ll be at Jan’s on Saturday, August 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. I’ll have copies of my The Sacred Women’s Circle series available as well as free gift to anyone who stops by whether they purchase a book or not. Authors involved in Romance Bookstore day are donating to at least one basket.

If you are in the area, I’d love to meet you. After this past year, I’m excited to be able to reconnect in person with people. We will be outdoors and appropriately spaced.

And if you can’t stop by and are not yet on my mailing list, you can sign up for Choices here. I’ve created a new free offering that includes the novella Sarah’s Ankh along with the first chapter of Lily: The Dragon and The Great Horned Owl. I hope you enjoy them.

Look for my next non-fiction Yes, You Can Create The Life You Love this fall.

All of my books are available at your favorite e-book vendor. Be sure to ask your local library if you’d prefer to read my books through that resource.

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series on her website JudithAshley.net

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on Facebook!

© 2021 Judith Ashley

What Touches My Heart?

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic women’s fiction that honors pagan spiritual practices that nourish the soul. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where you do overcome obstacles and find your happily-ever-after.

What touches my heart? Many things.

The beloved faces of friends and family.

The exited greetings from my great grandchildren.

The characters in my books who show up in dreams and visions until I write their stories down.

The unconditional support I receive within my circle of writer friends, especially my #FTB, Windtree Press writing buddies and the Genre-istas.

A smile automatically pops up and my heart lightens when I see babies, dogs and kittens. There is something about their exuberance, their joy as they interact with the world that resonates in my heart.

In addition to the above list, the wonders, the glories I see around me in the natural world gladden my heart, bring a sense of wonder even after more than seven decades of bearing witness.

As I write this second draft of this blog post which you will be reading in less than 24 hours, I have a light on as it is still dark outside. However, as I shuffled into my office, hot cup of tea in hand, I caught a glimpse of Grandmother Moon…just a sliver. I put my tea down and turned off the light.

Standing and watching that sliver of light, the world, my world anyway, righted itself. Tension I was holding in my body eased. Scrambling thoughts running through my brain stopped. In that quiet time of only a few minutes, peace settled over me.

Even though I’ll go through my day with only five hours of sleep, I’ll manage better because of the moments I shared with Grandmother Moon.

Where in the natural world do you find peace?

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshleyRomance.com

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2019 Judith Ashley

The Gift of Christmas

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual practices that nourish the soul and celebrates the journey from relationship to romance.

My usual writing process is a story starts appearing in my night and day dreams. I see the characters in various settings. I hear them talk to each other. So when I sit down to write, the story just flows. However, there have been a couple of times when I’ve veered from that process.

First Love is a short story in The Gift of Christmas Windtree Press anthology. Of course I knew the history of Ashley Ann Carlyle, who becomes the heroine of her own story in The Sacred Women’s Circle series. And originally Christmas didn’t figure into it at all.

However, I really wanted to be in this anthology which is why I deviated from my process.

What did I do?

I’d already written a rough draft of how Ashley and Art Kenner met, her family dynamics and their courtship including her stance on her voice being heard and respected and being a partner in the relationship. Since in the original story Art proposes in the spring, obviously not suitable for The Gift of Christmas theme, I rearranged the story line so that Art proposes on Christmas Eve.

However, First Love turns out to be a “Happily For Now” story. When you read Ashley, Book Four in The Sacred Women’s Circle series, you learn those promises Art made that Christmas Eve were not kept.

While First Love is about the promise of a future of love and laughter.

Ashley: Dragonflies and Dreams is about her journey to accept and love her physical self in a new way. And to learn to trust that the new her with inner and outer scars is lovable and deserves a future of love and laughter.

The Gift of Christmas contains 12 short stories by 12 different authors. Anthologies in general and The Gift of Christmas in particular are excellent ways to get to know a new-to-you author. It is available at all major e-retailers. Your local book store and library can also order a print copy for you.

Ashley: Dragonflies and Dreams is also available at all major e-retailers. And, yes, your local books story and library can also order print copies for you.

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshleyRomance.com

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2018 Judith Ashley

The Gift of Christmas

by Diana McCollum

“The Gift of Christmas” is an anthology of short stories set around Christmas time. This book came out a few years ago, but is worth reading today.

All the contributing authors are multi-published. The stories are from all different genres.

One in particular touched my heart, The Cancer Christmas by Melissa Yuan, Melissa reveals how, when her father was diagnosed with a brain tumor, she dreaded the upcoming holiday season. But her father, along with her infant son, taught her the most important Christmas lesson of all.”

The stories are filled with miracles, mystery and magic!

The only children’s story:  Metro’s Mountain Cabin by Susie Slanina, “Metro the dog spends a snowy Christmas with friends in a mountain cabin. As with all the Metro books, some events are true and some are imagined. For children ages 7-12 and the young at heart.”

Christmas Miracles by Pamela Cowan, “an Heirloom box of foreign coins presents a series of odd twists of fate . . . bringing a struggling family some luck—good and bad—and maybe even a miracle.”

The Nest by Courtney Pierce, “Estate sales can be magical. For baby boomers Jean and Spence Collins, the purchase of a once-cherished ornament transforms their Christmas holiday from routine to extraordinary.”

Isabella’s Christmas Box by Paty Jager, “Anthropologist Isabella Mumphrey must unlock the secrets of the Mayan Puzzle Box in time to celebrate Christmas with DEA Agent Tino Constantine.”

The Mermaid’s Treasure by Anna Brentwood, “Will the discovery of an antique brooch, hidden for decades in an old trunk, bring a young woman closer to her deceased father? Or will it cause her to question everything she’s ever believed in?”

Don’t Forget the Mistletoe by Christy Carlyle, “Two people may love each other deeply but the timing isn’t right. Allowing the mistletoe to serve as a message between Amelia and Benedict may give them a second chance for love.”

First Love by Judith Ashley, “Falling in love is easy for everyone—except Ashley. Her past has left her with distrust, hesitation, and a fear that she will never be married or have children. Join Ashley on her journey to finding and accepting love.”

Christmas with You by Jane Killick, “Sylvie is thrilled when her airline pilot husband is able to change his work schedule to spend Christmas with her and their young son, but all is not as it seems in this story of a family Christmas overshadowed by fate.”

Career Conundrum Christmas by Jamie Brazil, Caught between past and present, fine art appraiser, Sara, wants to honor her father’s decorative arts legacy while forging her own future. But will the career opportunity of a lifetime dry up like her overcooked holiday turkey if she accept Ben’s marriage proposal?”

The Hogmanay Stranger by Maggie Jaimeson, “The Sweetwater Canyon family celebrates Hogmanay in Scotland with Rachel’s father, Gavin Cullen. Clearing the cobwebs of the past year in order to begin anew is a tradition with special meaning. Will a stranger help them all to remember what is most important in life and thus free them from the past?”

A Marine’s Christmas Proposal by Susan Lute, “Celebrating Christmas is the last thing on his mind when David Randal leaves behind his military life to take care of his orphaned nephew. But finding work in a depressed economy is tough: and job-hunting in December is nothing short of an act of desperation. So when a temp job casts him as ‘Girl Friday’ to a notorious workaholic lady boss, even this Marine knows the greatest risk might lead to the greatest reward of all.”

All these great stories are in the anthology 

"The Gifts of Christmas", so buy your copy, grab a hot cup of coco or tea, maybe some popcorn, and read a short story or two to relax during this busy time of year! You won't be disappointed!

Do you have a favorite Christmas novel or anthology?

Leave a comment to be entered into a Christmas drawing for an Amazon card!!!
Drawing open till December 4th!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Ashley's First Love

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women's Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

The Gift of Christmas Anthology, published by Windtree Press, contains one of my short stories “First Love”. The story of Ashley Carlyle’s romance  with Arthur Kenner. “First Love” is also the prequel to “Ashley” the fourth book in my Sacred Women’s Circle Series.

Spoiler alert: Art and Ashley do not live happily ever after.

What is it that happens in relationships that have such promise?

Why are life’s bumps in the road so challenging that some people no longer honor their wedding vows?

I wish I had THE answer.

What I do know is that it depends on many things. In Ashley’s case, when she has a recurrence of breast cancer, Art is unable or unwilling to stay.

Why do I say unable or unwilling? Because for me there is truth in those words. Some of life’s events are such that we are unwilling to hang in there and others are so overwhelming we aren’t able.

There is a belief that God never gives us more than we can handle.

There is a belief that all is happening as it is meant to.

Both are beliefs that can carry us through the darkness that is a part of everyone’s life.

Art decides the “in sickness and in health” part of his wedding vows did not include two bouts with breast cancer.

Some of you may read that and think that’s awful. Not that I’m defending his choices but I do know that there are many Arts out there. I know this because when I talk to readers about my books, some women just walk away, some stiffen and nod in acknowledgement. Some women have said “Been there, done that” or “This hits too close to home.”

Ashley has the support of The Circle as she battles recurrent breast cancer and a bitter custodial battle. How could anyone ever truly love someone like her – no longer beautiful, no longer young and with three young children? Since I write romance, you know there is someone who can and does but the other side of the issue is Ashley, herself. What does she have to learn in order to accept the unconditional love offered to her?

The first five books of The Sacred Women’s Circle series are available at major e-retailers.

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook