Romancing the Genres: western historical romance

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Sweet Americana Sweethearts Presents: GRANDMA'S WEDDING QUILTS

What do you get when eleven authors band together to create a series based on one common character--and her gift of heirloom quilts to her 11 grandchildren, upon the occasion of their weddings?

The obvious answer: A multi-author series.

Another obvious answer: A dozen sweet romances.

Sweet Romances = no sexual content, no offensive language, and no gratuitous violence.

Less-obvious answers:

12 different quilts to entwine in stories, in keeping with The Prequel (contemporary setting)
12 different (but similar) approaches to Grandma Mary
Two sisters, both with an urgency to leave home...
...and one who's desperate to return
Cousin rivalry and sweetheart kisses
Talented young ladies straining society's limits (Kizzie, Gloria, Monica, Josie, and Pleasance)
A mystery or two...or three
Music and song
Suspense
Ladies in big trouble, and ladies who are trouble
Men with hearts as big as the western territories (Tad, Jesse, Zebulon, Leander, Luke, William, Gabriel, Jacob, Morgan, Callum, Chase, and Colin.)
Mail-order brides from England, New York, Colorado (via Paris, France), and Iowa
Second chances here, and second chances there (don't you enjoy reading another chance at love?)
A doctor, and onewho doesn't want to be...
Love in the least likely places
Quilts celebrating love of family, the ties connecting generations, and marriages in simpler times and places
A new book club!

Grandma's Wedding QuiltSeries, THE PREQUEL, by KateCambridge, January 1
Kizzie'sKisses by Zina Abbott, January 9
Jesse'sBargain by KayP. Dawson, January 10
Meredith'sMistake by AmeliaC. Adams, January 11
Monica'sMystery by KateCambridge, January 12
Pleasance's First Love by Kristin Holt, January 13
Zebulon's Bride by PatriciaPacJac Carroll, January 14
Ione'sDilemma by Linda Carroll-Brad, January 16
Josie'sDream by AngelaRaines, January 17
Chase'sStory by P.A.Estelle, January 18
Gloria'sSong by KathrynAlbright, January 19
Tad'sTreasure by Shanna Hatfield, January 20

So, what's where's "the funny thing that happened on the way..."?

I'll leave the discovery of the 11 brands of humor--some subtle, some abundant--in each of these twelve stories. That, perhaps, is the best part of a multi-author series. Different flavors, styles, and focus. Some authors' writing will make you laugh, others will make you smile. We hope all the stories in this series are "keepers" to those who prefer a sweeter read.

Hi! I'm Kristin Holt, USA Today Bestselling Author.

I write frequent articles (or view recent posts easily on my Home Page, scroll down) about the nineteenth century American West–every subject of possible interest to readers, amateur historians, authors…as all of these tidbits surfaced while researching for my books. I also blog monthly at Sweet Romance Reads, Sweet Americana Sweethearts, and Romancing the Genres.

I love to hear from readers! Please drop me a note. Or find me on Facebook.

SweetRomance Appropriate for All Audiences

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Romancing Christmas

by Kristin Holt

Christmas, to me, is a family-centered holiday season (so much more than a single day) brimming with expressions of love, faith, family, giving, nostalgic traditions, new commitments, and so much more. I think that's partly why I'm drawn to read Christmas romances all year long; I want to hold onto those special, heart-warming sensations always.

I've read so many truly outstanding Christmas-themed romances during my decades-long romance-reading addiction, that when I made the leap from reader to writer, I knew I wanted to write at least book set at Christmastime. Instead, I've written at least one holiday-setting book each year.

Somewhere along the way, #4 hopped in line before #3, causing plenty of confusion and impatience for U.S. Marshal turned small town Sheriff August "Gus" Rose to finally see his own happily ever after. Gus faces more angst, physical danger, and heartache on his journey than do most of my characters. His story was originally titled A Christmas Courtship, but that ended up not being powerful enough to reflect Gus's story. Thus A Christmas Courtship became The Marshal's Surrender. Gus's story debuts next month, December 2016.

THE MARSHAL'S SURRENDER

He’ll surrender his tattered heart. And his life…

Colorado, 1900

Sheriff August (Gus) Rose is a one-woman man. Too bad the only gal he’s ever loved is married… again. Even if he were ready to court someone new—which he’s not—Noelle Finlay would be his last choice. After all, her brother stole Gus’s bride-to-be last Christmas.

The holiday season evokes unwelcome memories and he’s almost glad an unruly gang provides a distraction. But petty vandalism rapidly escalates to hanging crimes—and the marauding bandits have targeted Noelle.

With his reputation as a lawman under fire and his tattered heart tangled up in Noelle, he discovers he’s not only capable of loving her… he’ll willingly die to save her.

THIS NOELLE

Christmas Eve, Colorado 1881

A Surprise Delivery…

Caroline Finlay never knew losing a child so soon after his birth would wreak damage on her heart and her marriage. She’s coping, barely, until she learns her husband, Phil, has a secret that could shatter their future… a secret suddenly made very public.

A Christmas Baby…

Phil Finlay thought he’d never have to confess his greatest mistake… until a young man shows up on the church steps, the Sunday before Christmas with a newborn baby girl, and announces Phil’s her father. It’s snowing. The baby is in desperate need of care. Whether it’s his or not—and she might well be—he’s out of time and has no choice but to confess he sought solace in the arms of another woman.

How dare he burden his heartbroken wife with the care of a baby… his baby… born of an illicit affair?

…A Season of Miracles.

Is it possible for marriage, strained by the loss of a newborn son, to survive the appearance of an illegitimate daughter?

What would you do?

Together with the novella-length title This Noelle, my GIFT to my newsletter subscribers (December 2016), this series will contain five books, with many more to come. My recent release, Courting Miss Cartwright is an-unnumbered tie-in to the Holidays in Mountain Home Series, as it takes place in the same fictitious town in 19th century Colorado. Some of the series's characters show up as secondary characters in Courting Miss Cartwright.

Happy Holidays! I hope your choice of reading material enriches your enjoyment of the season.

Hi! I'm Kristin Holt, USA Today Bestselling Author.

I write frequent articles (or view recent posts easily on my Home Page, scroll down) about the nineteenth century American west–every subject of possible interest to readers, amateur historians, authors…as all of these tidbits surfaced while researching for my books. I also blog monthly at Sweet Americana Sweethearts (first Friday of each month) and Romancing the Genres (third Tuesday of each Month).

I love to hear from readers! Please drop me a note. Or find me on Facebook.

Sweet Romance Appropriate for All Audiences