This week’s topic really made me think… What was the last NEW thing you tried? Was it a writing in a new genre or tense? It could be skydiving, eating haggis for the first time, meditating at a Buddhist monastery, or really anything at all. Did you learn anything? I am a creature of habit, and the last two years has only solidified the structure and schedule of my days. So the challenge to do something new is a good one for me. It doesn’t do to get too set in your ways - and it's been a long time since I took a true leap into the unknown. It made it difficult to come up with an answer to today’s question. What was the last new thing I tried? One new thing I did recently was I wrote a short story with a retired military officer as the main male character. I don’t write apha males, and have no experience with the military so don’t feel comfortable writing people with that career. But I had chance to submit a story with just such a character to an anthology and thought, what the heck. My alpha male is a bit of a marshmallow, and his military career doesn’t really play into the plot too much, but it was fun to write. If it doesn’t get picked for the anthology, I’ll be releasing it this fall as it is a Christmas story, too. On the non-writing side of things, the last dramatic new thing I did was several years ago when I rappelled into a cenote in Mexico. I really don’t like heights, and am not a huge fan of hanging three stories up in a cave filled with water, but it was an amazing adventure. It was over too quick, actually – I would like to do it again! How about you? Done anything new lately? Let me know below, and then hop over the Andie Fenichel to see what’s she’s been daring to do.
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Last week we looked ahead at what a shiny new year might bring. This week we’re looking back. Our topic is: How did you get to where you are today? Share the story of your professional journey, the roadblocks you encountered along the way, and your strategy for overcoming those obstacles. When I first read this challenge, I was a little deflated. To me, it was directed at someone who had already achieved their goals, had already become a success (as defined by them, not others). But upon reflection, I realized it is also directed at someone like me who is still on the journey. I have what I think is a reasonable goal for my writing career – that each book I publish pays for its own hard costs within a month of release. It is a little disheartening to admit I haven’t achieved that yet. But when I look at where I started, I can see how much I have achieved, and that dollars aren’t the only gauge of success. I’d always wanted to write a book. I was 44 years old when my first romance was released…and now I have 10 published books with 3 waiting in the wings. That is definitely a win! It's amazing what writing 500 words a day can do! I have made wonderful author friends along the way, authors who are generous with their time and talent and advice. I’m not in this crazy business alone. I have learned craft and studied structure and discovered that writing is as much an art as it is a skill. And from day one I’ve had the support of my family. My children tell their friends their mom is a writer, which makes my heart burst. My parents read every single book. My husband bought me my first laptop, reads early drafts of each of my stories, and is a constant source of encouragement. I have cousins and in-laws and friends who read my stories and tell me how much they like them (admittedly, sometimes with surprise in their tone, but I’m okay with that LOL!) I don’t think I’ve experienced any true roadblocks on my journey. I’ve certainly taken detours and occasionally had to backtrack and try again, but I don’t consider those events roadblocks. They are just part of the journey, like take a shortcut that ends up in a totally different place than you’d expect. My strategy from the start has been simple: Write the best book I can. Publish it. Repeat. I’m still enjoying the journey. And I’m so glad you’ve come along for the ride. Be sure to hop over to A.S. Fenichel to learn more of her story. I am thrilled to be included in this upcoming box set. A SEASON FOR LOVE is available to pre order now! Sometimes forever begins after forty. A collection of fiery and passionate contemporary romances featuring characters in their 40’s, 50’s and beyond. These authors don’t close the bedroom door on the good stuff, so be prepared to get hot and bothered in the best of ways. After all, lust has no age limit! From billionaires and alpha military heroes to nerds and single dads, this limited-edition collection of sensual and sexy stories will keep you up all night and daydreaming all day! The one thing they have in common? They’re about to discover it’s never too late to fall in love. Including Stories from: USA Today bestselling authors Stephanie Morris, Phoebe Alexander, Krista Ames, Debra Elise, Dawn Brower, Melonie Johnson As well as: Simone Leigh, Jami Denise, PE Kavanagh, Judy Kentrus, Karen Nappa, Brenda Margriet, Shai August, Lisa Wood, Jordan Elizabeth, PG Forte Jennie Kew, Allyson R Abbott, Mellanie Szereto Congratulations, A.S. Fenichel! Today is VENGEANCE release day! The final book of the Demon Hunter series if finally here. The demon master is out for revenge, and the gates of hell are flung wide. Only the purest love can force him back… After a debilitating injury leaves Brice Lambert in agony, he's relegated to teaching others to hunt demons. He knows all the secrets of the demon war and plans to die for the cause. Never did he expect his dreams of a loving wife and big family to come true, but the very witch who healed his leg is capturing his heart. Abigail Higginbotham's extraordinary power elicits fear and mistrust from the very people who should love her. Instead, they shuffled her around, depriving her of family and coven alike. Joining the Company of demon hunters brings her the closest thing to a family she has ever had. Forbidden to love, she risks losing everything for the man who has loved her for many lifetimes. Together, they must find the key to seal the gates of Hell and lock out the demon master forever. Fail, and mankind is doomed. Succeed, and face death in the pit of Hell. A small price to pay for eternal love. Get it now! Welcome to 2022 and a brand-new year on the RWW Blog Hop. As is traditional, we start the new year with this topic, assigned by Andie Fenichel: Happy New Year! Do you have big plans for 2022? Did you make any resolutions, set goals, or map out a schedule? Tell us all about it. Oh, I have plans all right. 😊 But if the last two years have taught me anything, it’s that plans are merely guidelines, and you have to be flexible. Also, I’m a realist - some may say cynic. I understand with my heart how setting a goal is the first step to achieving it, but my brain has a nasty habit of whispering all my plans will end in failure. Which is why I tend to set small, achievable goals like daily word counts, number of promos joined, social media posts made. Asserting “I’m going to make the New York Times Bestsellers List” just seems like setting myself up for crushing disappointment. That being said, big goals are always in the back of my mind, and all the little goals I set are hopefully leading to that achievement. I just don’t spend all my time staring at the huge, shiny star all the time, preferring to concentrate on the sun peaking out from the clouds as I journey along the road. What about you? What are your dreams for 2022? Comment below, then continue your hop with Caro Kinkead! Caro is celebrating the book birthday of ACCIDENTAL VISCOUNTESS - it is on sale for a limited time! Miss Dorothea Hindley counts herself lucky, as helping with her cousin’s launch into society allows her to enjoy the Season, if only from the sidelines. The re-emergence of an old feud, though, has her managing the damage. She realizes only one person can help lower the temperature. Viscount Abernathy finds himself as eager as Dorothea to end the gossip surrounding the quarrel. Together, they navigate the treacherous waters of London’s Ton, but they become interested in more than solving their mutual dilemma. Being caught in a compromising position was not part of the plan. The families present a united front, but the fires still rage below the surface. Will the truce brokered by Dorothea and Abernathy’s wedding hold? Or flare to life once more, destroying their chance of happiness? Discover contemporary romance books that bring the heat while keeping the sweet!
Includes my own ALLEGRO COURT (Free on all platforms)! Click here to see the entire collection. It’s our last Romance Writers Weekly Hop of the year. We always take a break for the last half of December and will start up again January 4, 2022. A.S. Fenichel says: Post a picture of the best happening in 2021 and tell us a story about it. (Doesn’t have to be true.) LOL Well, I’m going for non-fiction this week. Because the best happening in 2021 was being a gramma! Our first grandchild (on the right) turns one this week, so while she was technically a 2020 gift, due to the pandemic we didn’t really get to know her until 2021. It has been such a joy to see our daughters become loving mommies, our son-in-laws become wonderful daddies, and to explore all the fun of being grandparents. Both babies are on the move which will make this Christmas extra exciting LOL! I hope you had a chance to make cherished memories in 2021 as well, and I look forward to connecting with everyone in 2022! Next on your hop…Clair Brett.
Gratefulness. There’s never a bad time to reflect on everything we have to be thankful for in our lives. This week on the Blog Hop, Andie Fenichel asks: It’s Thanksgiving week in the US. What are you most thankful for this year? I know it’s been a tough one for many people, but there’s always something to feel blessed about. Sometimes feeling thankful is all in the perspective. While I would never consider a pandemic a good thing, and know that many families have been hit by tragedy during these months, it has taught me to appreciate the little things. Big family meals, playing cards and games, dropping in unannounced for a drink…all of sudden, those events became precious. Now we are able to do all that again, I do not take it for granted. Family has always been important, of course. But now that it includes two beautiful new grandbabies, it has become even more blessed. While there have been some health issues with our loved ones over the year, those grandbabies still have all their great-grandparents, and all four generations are able to visit each other as often as we like. While it’s going to be some time before I’m comfortable enough to get on a plane and travel internationally, we live in a beautiful province and country and have the freedom to explore it. I am so grateful we had the chance to visit many wonderful places before, and look forward to more adventures in the future. On a writing note, I am grateful for the readers that took a chance on my books this year, and especially to those who took the time to leave a review. I appreciate that more than I can say! What about you? What are you thankful for? Then hop over to Jenna Da Sie to discover what she's thankful for.
This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, we’re indulging in wishful thinking. 😊 A.S. Fenichel says: Describe a perfect day either in your life or in your imagination. What would it be like? If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel, welcome! I am a firm believer in cherishing what you have, and not angsting over what you have not. By extension of this thinking, I don’t believe you can plan the perfect day. Expectations will colour everything, and humans are easily disappointed. It’s a phenomenon you often see at big celebrations like Christmas or birthdays, especially with small children. They’ve built the day up so much in their head that nothing will be able to match it. That being said, I’ve been lucky enough to have many, many days where I can look back and say “There. That was a near-perfect day.” And if I study those days, they have a few things in common.
As you can see, this list has no specifics on it. It doesn’t say my perfect day MUST have this, that or the other. This leaves me open to experiencing a near-perfect day almost any day. Although a day where I haven't read can NEVER be a near-perfect day LOL! What about you? Does your perfect day require certain things? There are no wrong answers. Leave a comment below, then hop over to A. S. Fenichel's blog to see what she wrote!
This is probably going to be my last blog post of 2020. And what better way to end the year than by sharing some of my Christmas decorations? A.S. Fenichel asks: Are your decorations up? We’d love to see some pictures and if you have an ornament with some special meaning, how about the story? In our house, my husband is the King of Christmas Lights. He makes sure both inside and outside are bright and cheerful—which, given how early it gets dark in Northern British Columbia at this time of year, is wonderful. He is also in charge of putting up the tree, though it is my job to decorate it. This year felt like it needed some extra cheer, so we’ve had everything up and on since November 12 (we like to wait until after Remembrance Day). Speaking of decorating the tree, I found myself needing to buy more ornaments this year. You see, ever since our son was born in 1998, I’ve bought him and his two sisters a Christmas ornament for their stockings. For a few years, I had so many I couldn’t put them all on the tree! But then the girls left home and took their ornaments with them. Then our son moved out this summer, so his ornaments moved, too. All of a sudden, the tree looked very bare! One of my favourite ornaments is made from dough and has five snowmen, one for each of us in the family. Even though we’ve added two sons-in-law and have grandbabies on the way, it is still a wonderful memento of the many Christmases we’ve shared. I also treasure homemade ornaments and decorations, and a special one featuring the Nativity that we were given for our very first Christmas as a married couple.
Sometimes being grateful isn’t a feeling. Sometimes it’s an act of defiance. 2020 has been that kind of year. That’s why this week’s Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop is so important. Leslie Hachtel commands: Tell us what you are most grateful for. If you joined me from Clair Brett, welcome. It will be hard to write this post without being too maudlin. 2020 has had its challenges – COVID and non-COVID related – but in the grand scheme of things, it would be selfish of me to complain. There have been a lot of wonderful things, too, including the announcement of two grandbabies soon to join our family. So what am I most grateful for? The way this year has forced me to realize how much I took for granted. Hugs from family. Face to face visits with friends. The freedom to come and go when and where I please. Days unburdened by anxiety. Once these trying times have passed, it will only be human nature to relax back into the casual acceptance of all these things. But I hope the memory of 2020 will help me take a little extra joy in the ordinary everyday. I’d love to hear what you are most grateful for. Leave a comment below, then be sure to hop over to Caro Kinkead who is next on the list. The Bendixon Sisters Series is on sale this week!ALLEGRO COURT – FREE! (was 99 cents) Mattie thinks she sees a way to save her beloved construction company—if she can convince world-class cellist Marcus Temple, the man who destroyed her dreams once before, to stay in his hated hometown for one month. All she has to risk is her heart. GATEWAY CRESCENT – ONLY 99 CENTS! (was $2.99, will be going up to $3.99 after this week) Jo is flighty and scattered and impulsive – or that’s what her sisters think. Luke Donwell is destined to be a Catholic priest – or that’s what his parents hope for. Neither is prepared for the heat between them. Jo’s heart will break when he leaves her, but how can a girl compete with God? CROSSROADS CORNER - $2.99 (will go up to 3.99 after this week) Nothing will stop Camryn from dragging Bendixon and Sons back to profitability—especially not Will Danson, the sexy single dad who is standing in her way. Soon the two are competing for construction bids and career-making contracts. But it is Camryn’s battered heart that Will truly wants to win. New Release from Caro Kinkaid - To Lure a LordShe must find a husband quickly or be forced into an arranged marriage. But can the man trying to scuttle her efforts be the answer to her prayers? The London season is a ticking clock for Augusta Eastleigh. With her mother’s help, she has a marriage prospect she hopes will satisfy her grandfather, the Earl of Forebridge. But Lord Blair MacDonald, recently returned to London, does not look kindly on her efforts to snare his friend. Nor does he hesitate to make his views known about Augusta and the rumors surrounding her birth. Blair has more than one reason to dislike the girl. With his older brother Hamish critically wounded while fighting on the Peninsula, and his eldest brother refusing to marry, the Marquess of Rutherglen has decided his third son will be the one to carry on the family line. Which means he needs to marry. Now. The girl his father has chosen for Blair? None other than Augusta Eastleigh. The situation pleases neither of them. But with the heads of the families set on the match, can they find common ground together, or will they face an unhappy future? Amazon B&N Apple Kobo Google Play I never considered my self a terribly social creature, but the last few months have shown me that I may have taken for granted the joy of simply sitting and talking with someone face to face. Which makes this week’s blog hop topic a little...unsettling. Leslie Hachtel asks: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three books would you want with you and why? If you joined me from A.S. Fenichel, welcome! I suppose a deserted island would be the ultimate in social distancing, wouldn’t it? 😊 Not very long ago I might have yearned for a chance to read uninterrupted by other human beings, but it doesn’t seem quite as appealing right now. That being said, here’s my list:
I think this week’s Blog Hop is going to be more speculation than fact. I'll try not to be boring. :) Clair Brett asks: What are your hobbies, or what is a hobby you would like to start. Why do these interest you, and how does it make you happy? I really don’t have a hobby. I have lots of interests that may someday turn into hobbies, I suppose. But up until now life was pretty busy with working full-time and writing in the evenings so I haven't really developed anything you might formally call a hobby. As a child I learned how to crochet, and I putzed around with that off and on for awhile, though I never really achieved anything. I also did latch-hooking and macramé (does anyone do those anymore?), as they were less fiddly. I macramed an owl wall-hanging once – I wonder where that ended up…. If I do anything currently that I could see turning into a hobby it would be photography. I love to compose the frame, work with lighting, try different angles. When we go on holidays, I usually take hundreds of shots. The beauty of digital cameras is it doesn’t cost you anything to do that. Then I enjoy going through those shots and choosing the best ones. I would like to find something that I can do while watching TV in the evenings, especially in the winter. Since I now do my writing and publishing in the daytime, I am finding the after-dinner hours wide open. I may have to get back into crocheting this fall. How about you? What kind of hobbies do you have? I love to hear from you in the comments, and I’ll be sure to reply to you. Now, hop over to the instigator of this topic, Clair Brett and see what her hobbies are! Clair's Regency romance, WINN'S FALL, on sale for a limited tie! Click here to find it on your favourite retailer! Lord, Winthrop Burton will die on his own terms. A family curse says that will be by the time he turns thirty years old. He will not leave a young wife and a child behind like his father did to him. When childhood friend Miss Zoe Chase returns to stay with his sister and find a husband, Winn's plans are thrown into chaos. Not only is the once gangly, awkward girl he remembers now everything that tempts him, the accidents that once plagued his life are happening to her. He must keep her safe, but how can he do that when ravaging her is all he can consider? Or perhaps the curse isn't a curse after all. Will Winn die, or will he fall? |