Happy Holidays to You

 This time of year, with the lowered temperature, short days, threatening snowfall, the world is filled with holidays. Reasons for people to find cheer and keep going (and spending money) even in the most depressing times. The first of November starts things out with the Day of the Dead, All Saints Day, Prime Meridian Day, National Cinnamon Day and World Vegan Day all crowding in together on November 1. 

Holidays like National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day (November 15) and National Homemade Bread Day (November 21) combine to make November and December quite cozy. As a person who suffers from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), I need every excuse to help me look up after Daylight Savings Time ends. 

All these happy holiday and dark days make November the perfect time of year for picking up a cozy mystery, especially one involving food. Let me suggest the newest of member of Cleo Coyles Coffeehouse Mystery series, Bulletproof Barista. 

In the new Coffeehouse Mysery, titled Bulletproof Barista, a film crew has chosen to spotlight a century-old Greenwich Village coffeshop, the manager Clasre Cosi, and its quirky crew of baristas as they film an episode of a popular reality show. Suspicious accidents plague the shoot until a stage gun fires a real bullet, and amateur sleuth Clare is a single mother with a quirky lovelife who who helps the NYPD solve crimes. 

She becomes convinced the "accidents" signal that something sinister is afoot. The murderer lurking in the wings forces her to root out the killer before the lights go out on her.

Author Cleo Coyle is actually a writing team, made up of Alice Alfonsi, and her husband, Marc Cerasini. This is their 20th Coffehouse Mystery book, releasing on November 14, 2023.

We all know about the Mother of All Eating Days, Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in November. And never forget to celebrate November 11, whether we call it Armistice Day, Remembrance Day or Veteran's Day.

Following November, its time to hit the big host of holidays, including:

Dec. 5:      St. Nicholas Eve

Dec. 7-15: Hanukkah - a Jewish holiday

Dec. 8:      Bodhi (enlightenment) Day - a Buddhist holiday

Dec. 21:    Winter Solstice, also known as Yule

Dec. 25:    Christmas, a Christian holiday

Dec. 26:    Kwanzaa

Whether you celebrate only one of these days, or all of them, you should have time to sneak in a great holiday read. My December holiday reading suggestion is A Christmas To Remember by NAACP nominee and USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins, published in October, 2023.

The relationship between Bernadine Brown and diner owner Malachi "Mal" July has had its share of ups and downs. But now they're finally ready to say "I do."

Or are they? 

As wedding preparations go into full swing, and families begin to gather for the festivities, that long awaited walk down the aisle hits a speed bump.

 
Mal and Bernadine's relationship isn't the only one being tested.
Preston Mays aka Brain, loves his girlfriend as much like he loves physics. His heart breaks when she decides being a couple is no longer a good thing. He's ready to try almost anything, including connecting with his bio dad's family, to help ease his pain. 

Meanwhile, Reverend Paula Grant has been patiently waiting for God to send her someone to share her life. When a charming new chef arrives in town, she wonders if he could be the one. 

And then there's former mayor Riley Curry who throws a parade with his hog Cletus!  Really, is there even a hope that all ill end well in the small town of Henry Adams, Kansas?

I hope you find at least one of these stories stories enjoyable for the Holiday season. And if you have anything you enjoy and want to share, please add it in the comments. 

Holiday Reads 2022 by Lynn Lovegreen

 Some people love holiday books. Whether it’s Winter Solstice, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve, there are plenty of opportunities for holiday magic and romance this time of year. Here are a few holiday books by my Alaskan writing friends:

 

If you’re into Winter Solstice, try Elizabeth Allyn Dean’s paranormal romance A Kiss for Solstice

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074Z52GTK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Or go Head Over Heels for the Holidays with Jenny Bernard’s Alaskan sizzling romance with a touch of suspense:

http://JenniferBernard.net/head-over-heels-for-the-holidays

Elva Birch’s short lesbian Christmas Eve story, Memories of Magic, features a tiny winged horse,:

https://books2read.com/memoriesofmagic

Zoe Chant has several fun holiday romances with shifters:

Dragon of Glass - https://books2read.com/dragonofglass/?store=amazon

 

Tropical Holiday Tails - https://books2read.com/tropicalholidaytails/?store=amazon

 

A Green Valley Christmoose Disaster!

 https://books2read.com/greenvalleychristmoosedisaster/?store=amazon

Erin McLellan’s So Over the Holidays series features steamy, fun contemporary stories like

Stocking Stuffers 

https://www.erinmclellan.com/stocking-stuffers/

 

and Party Favors

https://www.erinmclellan.com/party-favors/

Last but not least, Mercy Zephyr’s sweet Christmas novella Unveiling Ms. Claus has a trans heroine:

https://www.amazon.com/Unveiling-Ms-Claus-Mercy-Zephyr-ebook/dp/B07M5RJRJX

Whatever your holidays hold this year, I hope you find a great book to read!

 

Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for most of her life. After twenty years in the classroom, she retired to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering for her local library. Her young adult historical romance is set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com. 

Holiday Romances – Part Two (*) ...Delsora Lowe

Stories have taken me away from all the stresses of the world this holiday season.

I did download way too many holiday books this year, so I’ve also listed the ones I won’t get to until after this blog posts. As you can see, I plan to hibernate and bury my head in —no— not sand, but romance books until 2021 ushers its way in. And yes, too many books to read, so while the snow flies in January, February, and March, I’ll still be reading holiday stories as I edit my own Christmas story for next season.

I wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday season, even if it means spending time with family and friends on ZOOM…or whatever media you plan to use.

I’ll see you in January 2021 with prayers and wishes for a MUCH better year! Hope is on the horizon in so many ways. So, keep your hearts open to the joys of the season, and your minds occupied in whatever way brings you peace and happiness. For me, it is keeping in touch with family and friends and writing groups, and watching uplifting movies and reading books filled with love, joy, hope, and the holiday spirit.

Whatever holidays you celebrate, I send you and your loved ones peace, joy, optimism, courage, love, and good health. And...raise a glass of eggnog.

Books Read This Month – * see November 17 blog for another list of holiday books.

An Aspen Ridge Christmas by Jill Haymaker (Oct 2020) An unrequited romance finally blooms between a sixty-years plus couple. A sweet story where two who have never been married finally find their happily-ever-after together—proving it’s never too late to find love.

A Very Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer (2015) Two books in one. The first is a second chance for a seasoned couple as they celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple. A little family interference among the stress of planning a perfect first Christmas with a new love, plus a sweet little boy and a lost puppy, add drama to the sweet story. I’m saving the second story until after I read my long list of books.

Harmony’s Embrace by Amber Daulton (2020) One of The Wild Rose Press Deerbourne Inn series, this story unites high school sweethearts, who have both had traumatic relationships. Throw in a bit of suspense, two cute kids, and a good dose of lust, two people who were set on going in opposite directions, realize they are right where they need to be.

Mistletoe and Moonglow by Deborah Garner An old-fashioned Christmas that brings a mixture of people, each with their own story, to a small inn. A sweet story with holiday detail and delicious food that will make you feel like you are a part of the story. This is more of a woman’s fiction with hints of romance to come.

A Convenient Christmas Proposal by CJ Carmichael A tragic accident brings together the officer who answered the call and the uncle of the children left without a father. Together they bring back the joy of Christmas for the children and as a result, their own hearts melt as they learn to accept the joy of the holidays and family.

Time After Time by Melody Grace (2020) Unrequited teen love gets a second chance for a single mom and powerful business man who has fallen from the ranks of the successful. Throw in a big family with patriarch grandfather, a town of busybodies, and friends who can’t help matchmaking, and you have a happily-ever-after that ends at the raucous Thanksgiving table. This is a stand-alone, but part of a series that each highlight one of the couples who make repeat appearances in each book.

His Holiday Prayer (Hearts of Oklahoma) by Tina Radcliffe (Dec 2020) Two best friends since college and now business partners at a Veterinarians clinic in small town Oklahoma, finally admit they belong together. A sweet, inspirational, small-town book 3 in a family-filled Oklahoma ranching series.

Secret-Santa Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson Book 6 of The Buckskin Brotherhood series – a fun, light-hearted, sexy series with a cast of quirky characters, strong heroines, and cowboys who meet their match. Each a stand-alone, but each does have the same cast of characters, highlighting the love story of one Buckskin “Brother” in each book.

The Convenient Christmas Date by Barbara Wallace (November 2019) An ex-footballer with a sullied reputation hooks up with an heiress who is not taken seriously in her family business for a fake relationship to restore both their reputations. Christmas turns out to be what they each least expect, as they each bring both strengths and emotional baggage to counterbalance the other. A phony relationship turns into a match made for the holidays.

Mistletoe in Paradise (The Wildstone Series) by Jill Shalvis (Dec 2020) Two friends since grade school, meet again years after a quick affair. Both have issues to resolve, and with the help of their long-ago best friend, they are able to overcome and learn to love again. The heat from sailing on a yacht in the Caribbean is not the only heat in this Christmas time novella.

The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish (2017) An angsty M/M story filled with beautiful imagery, description, and riveting, heart and soul, relationship building as each character comes into their own during the Thanksgiving into Chanukah season.

Cowgirl Christmas by Donna Alward (2020) The heavy weight of responsibility is on the heroine rancher as she tries to take care of her ailing grandmother and help her single-mom sister, all while keeping the ranch afloat. Volunteering to cook Christmas dinner, she has no clue how to do it. But high school classmate and celebrity chef moves back to town and volunteers to give her cooking lessons, sparks fly. And not only with the burnt puff pastry appetizers.

Sweet Adventure (The Klaus Brothers series) by Penny Watson (2014) An adventurous and magical journey to the north pole to spend time with one of the BIG GUY’s sons, where the heroine recovers her soul, the hero finds his calling, and both find love with their soul mates.



Books I haven’t yet read:

Christmas at Saltwater Cove by Amelia Adler (October 2020)
A Tree, Mistletoe & A Sunset (A Swan Harbor Story) by Sophie Bartow (2020)
Covent Garden in the Snow by Jules Wake (2017)
The Snow Man by Diana Palmer (2018)
The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber (2017)
The Christmas Wish by Melinda Curtis (2019)
Christmas In Silver Springs by Brenda Novak (October 2019)
Coming Home for Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne (September 2019)
‘Tis the Season for Love: A Charity Box Set by Maggie Dallen, Victoria Anders, Ria Zen, Ginna Azzi, Michelle MacQueen, Lacy Andersen, Emma St. Claire, Stephanie Scott, Jordan Ford, Britney. M. Mills, Christina Benjamin, Ann Maree Craven (2020)
Christmas Comes to Dickens by Nancy Fraser, Maddie James, Caroline Clemmons, Bonnie Edwards, Liz Flaherty, Kathryn Hills, Peggy Jaeger, Kathleen Lawless, Lucinda Race, Jan Scarbrough (October 2020)
Merry Me by Amanda Siegrist (December 2016)
Let it Snow by Debbie Macomber (reissued classic 2020)
Once Upon a Twelfth Night by Christina Alexandra, Clair Brett, Sofie Darling, A.S. Fenichel, Carrie Lomax, Erica Taylor, Tanya Wilde
Under the Kissing Ball by Susan Carlisle (2020)
Christmas Actually by Teri Wilson, Shirley Jump, Caro Carson, Stefanie London, Nancy Naigle, Lacey Baker, Lindsay Emory, Tif Marcelo, Victoria Schade, Sasha Summers, Sariah Wilson (2020)
The Code Breakers Series (Holiday Books 2, 7, and 8) by Jacki Delecki
Romancing The Holidays (First Coast Romance Writers Holiday Anthology) (Sept 2020) by Alyssa Day, C.L. Thomas, Debby Grahl, P.K. Brent, Melody Johnson, Leah Miles, Karen Renee, Lia Davis, Gloria Ferguson, Maggie Fitz Roy, Sara Walker, Vickey Wollan
The Christmas Contest by Scarlet Wilson (Oct 2019)
Snowbound with Mr. Wrong by Barbara White Daille (2016)
A Perfect Christmas Wish by Lori Wilde (2019)
A Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe (2016)
A Timeless Christmas by Alexis Stanton (2018)


What kind of books are you drawn to during the holidays?

My Holiday Books:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Come-Dance-Me-Serenity-Starlight-ebook/dp/B074N95RGK/
Books2Read books2read.com/u/bMrQva


My latest release ~ a fall wedding reunion with a Thanksgiving resolution

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Love-Left-Behind-Hartford-Estate-ebook/dp/B08L5N5DS9/
Books2Read books2read.com/u/mglVqK

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~
Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet 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 new novella, The Love Left Behind, will release in late fall, 2020.

Social MediaLinks:

Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Author FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor
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

Ah, The Life of a Writer!

 

By: Kathleen Lawless

AMAZON | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

The life of a writer is a very solitary one.  We work away, just us and the computer screen and our imagination, creating worlds and characters and stories that we hope will enhance the reading pleasure of many.

 

I have never written a Christmas story, so when the call came to join with nine other writers and create the perfect New England Christmas town, I was ready for the fun.  Emails flew back and forth, fast and furious.  The Town Square, known as the Common was created.  A date agreed upon for the annual Christmas Tree Light Up Festivities.  Hot chocolate?  Of course.  Sleigh rides?  Absolutely!  Snowman building competition?  You bet! 

 

Shops and shopkeepers and their locations were shared and pinpointed.  A Christmas tree farm here.  A frozen skating pond there.  And what about a B&B, described in detail and given a prime location in our perfect town?

 

Once the setting was nailed down, each author gave birth to her story.  And thus, we presented to the world, CHRISTMAS COMES TO DICKENS.  WE hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing our stories in this unique setting.  https://books2read.com/DickensChristmas 

My Story, HOLLY’S WISH, was inspired by my favorite childhood Christmas book, The Story of Holly and Ivy.  I still read it every year during the holidays.  Because with Christmas magic in the air, anything is possible.

Excerpt from HOLLY’S WISH By Kathleen Lawless

“You should never underestimate the power of wishing for what you want. It always worked for me,” Kris said.

“Oh, I do,” Holly said blithely. “Every shooting star, new moon, and birthday candle.  You name it, I send my wish out there. It’s not my fault no one seems to be listening.”

“Your time will come,” Kris said.

As Kris spoke, the shop door opened with a tinkle of overhead bells. Holly looked over to see a tall, dark-hair man stamping snow off his feet. She took a second look, because, truthfully there weren’t a lot of good-looking men in town. Something about him seemed familiar, but before Holly could get a good look he turned away. She was left with an impression of a square jaw, pronounced cheekbones, with a straight, masculine nose nicely balanced above full lips. Maybe she had taken his photo at some point.

When he passed her in the aisle without a second look, she figured she must be mistaken. She paused at the door for one last look, but his back was toward her.  Typical man, doing his Christmas shopping at the last minute.

I hope you fall in love with every one of our Christmas stories and Dickens.

MILLIE’S AWESOME HOLIDAY MIRACLE by Top 100 Author Nancy Fraser - Can one little girl fill the holiday season with enough miracles for everyone? This story will warm your heart.

MIRACLE AT HOLLY HILL INN by Top 100 Author Maddie James - Ariana is looking for the perfect Christmas. Instead, she finds a Scrooge. Will two days snowbound at Holly Hill Inn bring them together?

HOLIDAY HEARTS by Top 100 Author Caroline Clemmons - Laura is funny, beautiful, and smart. She’s not about to date her boss. Can Ward convince her he’s not just looking for a holiday fling?

THE TINSEL TANGO by Best Selling Author Bonnie Edwards - She needs R&R. He teaches Tango. Or does he? Can love survive secrets & hidden agendas when a dance teacher is exposed as a wealthy tycoon?

WISDOM OF THE HEART by USA Today Best Selling Author Liz Flaherty - Best friends fell in love in high school. But life, families & distance happened along the way. Could they still be in love?

OPERATION SNOWBALL by Best Selling Author Kathryn Hills - Returning home to Dickens is hard for Army veteran, John Gridley. The last thing he expects to find is love with a pretty widow.

ANGEL KISSES AND HOLIDAY WISHES by Best Selling Author Peggy Jaeger - Sage left years ago, leaving Keith's heart in tatters. She's back as his grandmother’s doctor. Is there hope for them?

HOLLY’S WISH by Top 100 Author Kathleen Lawless - What if the girl who got away is standing right in front of you? Years ago, they shared one magical Christmas Eve. Is it too late for them now?

HOLIDAY HEART WISHES by Best Selling Author Lucinda Race - Vera picks up Tony, a stranded motorist, on her way back to Dickens. Will they discover their heart wishes can come true at Christmas?

SANTA’S WISH by Best Selling Author Jan Scarbrough - Will Christmas magic help them overcome the obstacles of her dashed career ambitions and his grief so they can find a second chance at love?

Since writing makes us hungry, we also compiled some of our favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes in IT’S A DICKENS OF A COOKIE.  Yours to download FREE.  https://books2read.com/dickens-cookie        Happy Thanksgiving All!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steamy or sweet, as long as there’s a romance, an alpha male or a cowboy Kathleen reads and writes them all One of her heroes, Steele, is a modern-day cowboy, so when she was dating on-line and met a man called Steel— Well, he’s not a cowboy but his is an alpha male and her forever hero. Which is why all of her stories end Happily Ever After. Not that she can ever stick to just one genre. So many stories to tell—never enough time. With close to 30 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, erotic romance, romantic suspense, women’s fiction and stories for young adults. Something for everyone!

A Holiday Rom Com about family, food, and finding a dead body in the freezer

 I know...not the way you were expecting that title to go, right? Hee Hee

I love a good Holiday romance book. I'd much rather read than watch the never ending holiday movies on Hallmark, and now Lifetime and Netflix. Those are all pretty generic and look and sound the same to me. I much prefer losing myself in a good holiday romcom or a women's fiction story about the holidays and family.

So, because I love to read Holiday RomComs so much, I tend to pen a new one every year or so. Scheduling and contracts prevent me from doing one a year - which is what I'd love to do. This year's entry, MISTLETOE, MOBSTERS, & MOZZARELLA,  is another San Valentino family Christmas story concerning the Gracie and Louie branch of the family tree. These two lovebirds have been together over 40 years, have weathered medical and financial crises together and still look at one another as if the other hung the moon.

Don't you just love that?? I know I do.

They have 6 kids - 5 obnoxious boys and 1 daughter, the eldest child, Madonna. Donna, as everyone calls her, is her father's rock in so many ways. She manages the deli he owns, she's a calming influence for her mother's sometimes crazy behavior, and she practically raised all her younger brothers.

Donna has dreams and aspirations that, unfortunately, don't fit into her family's needs or desires. But a girl can dream...and dream Donna does.

One morning a few weeks before Christmas, she opens the store for the day and finds the dead body of one the employees stored in the freezer. This starts a string of events, not the least of which is the arrival on the scene of the one guy Donna has never been able to get out of her mind. Tony Roma is the investigating detective in the murder case and the moment she sees him she's transported back to the time they were teenagers.

Tony is assigned to work undercover in the deli to ferret out the killer and Madonna is quickly losing her mind - and heart. The story evolves into a tale about forgiveness, moving forward, and clinging to family when you need them the most, but breaking free to be your own person.

Now, some of that may sound like a heavy read, but believe me - MISTLETOE, MOBSTERS, & MOZZARELLA is anything but heavy!!! 

I released the book in October because I wanted to get a jump on holiday sales - and reading. There's nothing better than opening your ereader after a day of working or frantic holiday shopping, making a cup of tea, and taking a break for an hour to lose yourself in a witty, charming and satisfying book.

I've got another post on 11/27 about Holiday romance books I like to recommend ( not, necessarily my own, Heehee) so check back then and see what I'm reading this year.

Toodles for now and happy reading - Holiday and otherwise.

Looking for me? I'm here: follow me

My “Science” Behind the Art of Producing ... by Delsora Lowe

Right up front I will admit I am a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type of writer. I have a pie-in-the-sky outlook on what I want to accomplish, but until I set goals, not much happens. Because I am also a non-competitive, procrastinator, who needs to plan out life. So how do I reconcile those two different “personalities”?

In all my years of gathering wisdom, some about myself and my habits, I’ve figured out that I am not competitive with others, but I am very competitive with me. And in order to manifest that, I have to have spread sheets and charts and written goals broken down from annual to quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily. I’m not one of those types, you say with the back of your hand plastered against your forehead. I HATE Spreadsheets, you say. No worries. I am the least mathematical, spread-sheet type queen to ever grace this earth. Excel is my enemy. But I do know how to set up a horizontal topic line and a vertical date line. That’s it, folks. Nothing else to see. Oh, except to find the little SUM icon that looks like a weird E.

The one thing I do know how to do is schmooze and learn from other writers. One of those things that has come up in group after group, not only in writing, but any profession I’ve been in, is the importance of setting goals and having ways to measure them.

So, over the years, I developed ways that work for me. I report in daily to one group. That is where I set up my daily goals, such as I want to finish chapter three, or today I’m going to update my website. By saying them “out loud,” it helps me to actually do them. Well, most of them. There are days when something on one list gets transferred to the next day’s list. But the fact I’ve told someone makes the self-competitive gene kick in, and it’s enough to make me try to stay on track.
 

Every Sunday, I report my weekly word count goal to another group. We have all set up our annual word count goal and project goals. For example, I want to send in between 4 and 6 short romances to Woman’s World magazine. To date, I have submitted 5 and I have one in draft form, so I am well in to making the high-end of my goal and possibly exceeding it. Each week our administrator, who does know ALL about spreadsheets, sends back our spreadsheet with weekly totals that show where we are, percentage-wise, in meeting our annual goals. At the bottom of the page is each of our annual task goals, so I can easily check that and highlight what I’ve done to check off the annual list. It’s a painless way (because someone else figured out the spreadsheet 😊 ) of keeping me on track.

As we near the end of 2019 and stroll into 2020, I will assess my achievements and set up goals for 2020. This system has kept me on track for several years now. Each of you can come up with your own system. Whatever works for you. But writing it down and telling others, does make you more accountable to yourself.

 What do you do to set goals for the year? Month? Day?

We’d love to hear more ways authors and readers stay organized.

Now on to more fun things. The thing I do AFTER I’ve accomplished my daily goals. READING! So, here is a list of more Christmas reads. I’ve made it through a few more books since my November holiday read blog. The rest, I will wallow through this month, now that I finished first round of edits on my own Vermont Inn Christmas book, due out in late 2020.


Holiday Reads: Already Read

·         Wedding at Mistletoe Chalet by Dani Collins

·         Once Upon a Christmas by Sarah Morgan (an anthology of 3 medical-based novellas)

·         Waiting for a Miracle by Jennifer Wilck (a Hanukkah novella)

·         Winter Wishes: A Regency Holiday Romance Novella by 11 authors

·         Merry Wild West Christmas by Wanda Ann Thomas (a member of my MaineRW group)

·         The Heart of Christmas by Jill Monroe (a holiday romance from Hallmark publishers)

·         Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne

·         Merry Christmas, Darling by Donna Alward

·         Holly Pointe & Candy Canes by Cindy Kirk

·         A Cowboy’s Homecoming by Vicki Lewis Thompson

·         The Ring Series by Marcia King-Gamble

Holiday Reads in the TBR Pile:

·         A Coldwater Christmas by Delores Fossen

·         Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisey Yates

·         The Christmas Town by Donna VanLiere (Hallmark movie based on this book)

·         Mutts & Mistletoe by Natalie Cox (Recommended on RTG in November)

·         The Christmas Club by Barbara Hinske (Hallmark movie based on this book)

·         Spirit of the Season by Heather Graham

·         A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

·         Unforgettable Christmas Dreams by 11 authors

·         Spirit of the Season by Heather Graham

·         A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

·         Unforgettable Christmas Dreams by 11 authors

And...My Holiday Book:

·         Come Dance with Me by Delsora Lowe

Come Dance with Me (Oct 2017) – my own holiday story
Improvisational jazz musician meets buttoned up English teacher—will the Christmas lights sparkle or shatter before the dance ends?
Amazon
http://amzn.to/2Ev2rHc
D2D
https://www.books2read.com/u/bMrQva

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet 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.

Social Media Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Author FaceBook page: fb.me/delsoraloweauthor
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

Photo Credit - Clip Art

https://making-the-web.com/sites/default/files/clipart/135005/goals-cliparts-135005-7644519.png

Ring in the New Year with a Good Read!

By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia,com

I’m starting out 2019 with a shout out to all the readers and writers of contemporary romance, especially those that have pushed the limits, and dealt with issues readers face in their everyday life.

Back in the day, contemporary romance authors were restricted as to what they could write. It was feared that readers would be turned off by reading about serious issues like date rape, autism, abuse, substance dependency etc. It was a constant fight to even have those kinds of stories read by an editor or agent. You would receive an abrupt, “No, thank you,” if there was even an allusion of anything involving the above.

While most of us read to escape, readers engage better given some aspects of realism remain in the story.  It took some time, and probably Indie sales statistic for publishers to realize that they better join the modern age. While readers want to be carried away, they also want relatable reading material. And so, the flawed hero and heroine came to be. Apropos actually, because aren’t love stories about people overcoming all odds to find love? And aren’t these stories about heroes and heroines who change and grow?

Lucky for us, we had talented authors like Jodi Picoult, Helen Hoang and Kati Gardner willing to push the boundaries and tackle these sensitive issues. Of course, Grand Dame, La Nora also pioneered these efforts. Yes, that would be bestselling author, Nora Robert and ,her groundbreaking novel, Dance Upon the Air, released in 2001.

I’ve always been a fan of the contemporary novel, it’s what I grew up on, and in fact it’s what I write. Growing up, the heroes, heroines, and settings of the Mills and Boon novel, opened up a whole new world to me.  Through the decades, I followed the evolution of the alpha male and the virginal female.  I watched the male become a little softer and a lot more beta. I watched his lady love become more assertive,  and a lot more independent. Over time, heroes and heroines of contemporary romance grew and evolved to match readers in the real world.    

    

As a writer, I have always chosen to tell stories that have depth to them. Come Fall, one of my earlier novels  is about a woman accused of sexual harassment who  goes off to Venice to find her self and  heal.  Jade, one of my bigger books has a heroine who takes off to Vietnam in search of her real mother after she discovers that her father is a Vietnam vet who impregnated a local woman.

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Flash forward to 2018 and book 5 in the Eighty-Eight Mississippi series, titled Magnolia Moments. This story features heroine, Danielle Lewis who leaves her job to come to Eighty-Eight when her father becomes ill. She temporarily takes over running an inn where executive recruiter, Bryce Maynard is staying, Bryce is in Eighty-Eight in search of the mother who gave him away.    Here is an excerpt from Magnolia Moments: https://amzn.to/2F7u9d4

“Morgan’s waiting. Won’t want to keep her, now,” Dani said, sniffing.
“She can wait. Let’s get one thing straight. I have absolutely no interest in that woman beyond getting the information I need. Now give me a kiss.”
Dani initially seemed reluctant to even get close. Eventually she relaxed in his arms. And as usual, what was meant to be a meeting of the lips, segued into a heart-shattering kiss of mega proportions. Bryce felt as if he’d been zapped by lightening. He was actually shaking. His inclination was to take Dani to bed right there and then, but the teacher was waiting downstairs, and he would have to put passion on hold. “We’re not done,” he said, putting Dani away from him. 

Rounding out the year was my most recent release, Ringing in the Holidays.  A story about the bad boy who gets his dream girl after years of feeling not good enough. For many years Stefan Davis fought to overcome a speech impediment. Stefan, now a successful investment banker, is back in town on business. Except his business might mean his dream girl loses her job. Here is an excerpt from Ringing in the Holidays. https://amzn.to/2BVngs4

“How did you find this place?” Rianna asked, gazing through the gauze netting at what looked to be several well-heeled clientele. She’d spotted the politically incorrect fur jackets draped over the backs of chairs, and the ladies’ necks draped in expensive pearls and diamonds. 
“A friend recommended it,” Stefan said. “I told him I needed a special place with lots of holiday spirit to take a very special lady.”
Rianna felt her cheeks heat up. She managed a mumbled, “Thank you,” and swept off her tam, shaking out her curls. Stefan swept a wisp of escaping hair out of her eyes.
Things were moving way faster than she was comfortable with. She was just starting to process her feelings for her best friend’s brother, and trying to figure out whether the growing attraction could be attributed to a holiday season when no one wanted to be alone. Were these genuine feelings or brought on by nostalgia? For so much of her young life she had resented him. How could she want him so badly now that he’d become an adult?

  About Marcia King-Gamble

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 travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

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

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