 In a lot of ways, September feels more like the start of a new year than January. I’m sure it has to do with the decades of years either going to school or shepherding my children off to their new classrooms. Even without kids at home, though, the end of summer and the start of cooler nights signals a “back to normal” vibe that hasn’t faded. Which is what makes this week’s topic on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop rather appropriate, I thought, since the beginning of a new year often means setting goals and resolutions. What are your goals for the next six or even 12 months? What books are you working on? What's next for you? At first, I thought I’d have only a couple things to mention in answer to this question. I’m not currently writing anything, which is where I usually focus my goals. But while my brain seems to have declared it is taking a writing sabbatical, I’ve realized I still have a lot on the go for the next several months. Here the (not comprehensive, because I’m sure I’ve forgotten something) list…
Then hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see what she has lined up in her future!
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 Sorry I’ve been MIA in September. This is my first blog of the month. To be honest, I’ve lost a little bit of my writing mojo, so I’m hoping this week’s challenge will kickstart me. It’s Flash Fiction time! A.S. Fenichel says… Let's celebrate the equinox. Write a scene set in autumn using the words leaf, water, and coffee. Try to keep it to 500 words. Here we go… Fog draped the golds and oranges of the birches in the park across the street. She stood at the window and sipped her coffee. The quiet of the house still rang with the echoes of the kids banging and bickering their way out the door as her husband shepherded them to the van. He would drop them off at school on his way to work. As much as she enjoyed the unstructured, spontaneous days of summer, getting back to regular routines in September was its own delight. Despite the misty morning, the sun was supposed to shine this afternoon and the temperatures reach an unseasonable high. Many of the baskets and containers she’d planted in the spring had already been composted, but a few were clinging to life, and she should water them if she wanted the enjoy their blooms a little while longer. It seemed pointless, though. Hard frosts weren’t far off, and the first snowflakes would appear soon after. With a sigh, she headed to her home office. She always felt a little melancholy in the autumn. In the spring, the lengthening days held the promise of summer wonders. In the fall, the dark drew in earlier and earlier, mourning the end of yet another year. Maybe not by the calendar, but by the rhythm of her life. At her desk, she pushed aside her laptop. She didn’t feel up to staring at a fierce white screen and blinking cursor this morning. Instead, she opened her journal and turned a leaf over to a new page. After a few moments chewing on the end of her pen, she set the nib to paper, and began to write. “The fog draped the golds and oranges…” *** I’d love to hear what you think! Leave me a comment below. Then hop over to Jill Haymaker to see what she wrote about fall.
 Ugh. This isn’t a pleasant topic this week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, though it is timely for me. How do you handle it when your work is rejected? I have submitted different manuscripts at different times to different publishers and agents, and been told no every time. Those rejections, while disappointing, are to be expected in the grand scheme of things. I often think it is as likely as being struck by lightning as to have a manuscript picked up by a publisher when there are so many stories being submitted every day. I’ve been lucky not too have too many “bad” reviews. Sure, not everyone loves my stories, and I’m okay with that. But in the last couple of months I’ve had more two- and one-star reviews on my recent releases than I was expecting. I tell myself that is the downside to getting my stories into more hands. The more people that read them, the greater likelihood one will not resonate with a reader and cause them to leave a negative review. The only thing to do is shrug it off and keep going. After all, the alternative is to quit entirely, and I’m not there yet LOL! There are plenty of books that I did not enjoy reading, and while I would never leave a public review for one of those, absolute strangers who read my books are under no obligation to protect my feelings. What about you? Do you get rejected in your line of work? How do you handle it? Let me know, and then hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see how she handles rejection.
 Smell is an extremely evocative sense. I need to remember to use it more often in my writing. This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, here’s our topic: Tell us about your favorite scent and what it evokes for you. I have so many that I don’t think I can pick a favourite. But here are several. Which of them resonates with you? I’d love to read your comments. Coconut and pineapple remind me of hot summer days and tropical vacations. It was the scent of the suntan lotion my mother used to buy. Mothballs and damp earth take me back to my grandparent’s cellar, which was dark and spooky but had a small bedroom tucked away in one corner that held shelves and shelves of books. Crayons are the scent of when my kids were young. Burnt sugar and turkey are Christmas. It seems inevitable that a pie will bubble over as it is being baked in the oven, and the sugar scent lingers while the turkey is being roasted. I’m also a big fan of lavender, especially in body lotion and soap. It doesn’t have as many memories associated with it, though. I just like it. 😊 Now, hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see what she has to say!
 After two weeks of hot, hot weather, we’ve had three or four of rain and cloud. It was rather refreshing, but I am so glad the sun is again shining in a cloudless blue sky as I write this. I am not ready for summer to be over yet! That’s what make this week’s blog topic so yummy. We’re sharing our favourite recipes for hot summer days. It can be a drink, a dessert, a meal...anything! When I was deciding what to share for this post, I came across a recipe I haven’t made in years but really enjoyed. I think I’m going to have to whip this up soon! Strawberry Margarita Pie Crust: 20 Oreo cookies, crushed. 2 tbsp. butter, melted Mix together and press into pie plate. (Or, you could buy a pre-made crust, of course!) Filling: Blend in mixer: 20 oz. frozen strawberries ¾ c. sugar 1/8 c. tequila 1/8 c. triple sec 1 tbsp. lime juice Add 1 c. whipped cream Spread 2 cups of mixture onto crust. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least two hours. Add remaining mixture and freeze three hours more before serving. Garnish with whipped cream if you like! If you have a favourite summer recipe, feel free to share below! Then hop over to PG Forte and see what recipe she has shared.
 We’re going back…waaaaayyy back…on the Romance Weekly Blog Hop today! Our challenge: Describe your earliest memory. My earliest memories are snippets of scenes, and who knows how valid they are. For example, I “remember” sitting in front of our television watching a tiny, battered capsule fall into the ocean. I would have been less than two at the time of the Apollo 11 mission, so it was more likely a splashdown from a later trip, but I like to think it was the very first one. I also remember staying in hospital where I ate at a tiny table in the hallway and slept in a plastic tent with moist air blowing in with such force I pretended it was an elephant’s trunk. My parents say I had croup often as a very young child but I’ve never asked them if I had to be hospitalized for it. I can date few of my most vivid early memories until I started school. One that may have taken place before kindergarten is sitting on our front porch eating popcorn while watching a terrific thunderstorm. Another is when Santa Claus came to visit our house and I couldn’t believe he was really there—not because I didn’t believe in Santa Claus, but because how could he be in my house!! What about you? What is your earliest memory? Then hop over to Leslie Hachtel to learn about hers!
 It’s time to giggle this week on to Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop. We’ve been invited to tell a joke or share a funny story. Get ready to laugh! I am going to share a story that has gone down in family lore. In fact, it is such a favourite that when my son had to chose a subject for a Grade Eight public speaking assignment, he chose it. I actually found his speech in my files, and thought it would be extra funny to share the story through his eyes. “This story about my Gramma is one so bad we had to make a song about it. Here's how it starts. It was a crisp winter morning and my grandparents decided to go snowshoeing through their trails at Tabor Lake. They walked and walked and then they were walking along side the Old Giscome Highway. My Gramma had always wanted to know what it felt like to have the snow from a snowplow fall on her. Well, it was her chance because a snowplow came barrelling down the highway. The driver blew the horn when he saw my Gramma in the ditch but she was clueless to what might happen. She thought it would just be a little sprinkle but boy was she wrong. Meanwhile my Grandpa who doesn't like snow in his face turned around when the snowplow drove by. When he looked back he saw nothing but snow and the points of snowshoes. Grandpa hurried to dig her out of the pile of snow. As soon as she told us this story my two sisters and I had a great idea. We made a parody of “Gramma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” and converted it to “Gramma Got Blown Over by a Snowplow.” We gave it to her for Christmas in 2007 and it is still framed on her living room table.” My mom’s going to kill me if she ever reads this blog post, but she should be used to it by now, as this is one of the first stories we tell new friends and family. Now it’s time to hop over to PG Forte and see what she has to share that will make you laugh!
 Did you know that authors don’t just want reviews for their books…they need them? Many retailers (especially Amazon) will decide what books to promote based on the number of reviews it has. And reviews don't have to be long...a simple sentence or two saying what you liked is all that's needed! This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, we’ve been asked to share one of our favorite reviews for one of our books. Every review is special, because it means a reader took the time to share their thoughts. Even the less than stellar ones (because every author gets them) mean the reader was moved to express their opinions. It truly is a humbling experience. Choosing my favourite review would be like choosing my favourite food or favourite drink. So I decided to share a few short snippets from early reviews for Loving Between the Lines, which comes out this Friday! “Brenda Margriet has a way with writing about the lives, loves and losses of the more mature relationships. Her stories have a certain quality that leaves you feeling loved and fulfilled.” Fun Under the Covers (Carol Seymour) “Another heartwarming read from this author. The characters are engaging and realistic.” Tracey’s Vampy and Racy Book Blog “The pacing, her style of writing, the characterisation and flow were all lovely. But what I liked most about this story is the people she’s written.” Ankita Kaul, Advance Reader “Both Lynn and Benjamin have the depth of character that keeps you engaged in their story, wanting the best for both!” Kym, Advance Reader “The pacing was excellent, the twists of the plot surprised me and the ending satisfied. I highly recommend this steamy romance!” Diane, Advance Reader Now hop over to Jill Haymaker to read some of her favourite reviews!
 Welcome to another Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop! I’ll be adapting the topic this week LOL! Here it is: Did you celebrate the 4th of July? Care to share a recipe? What's the favorite dish at your celebration and why? And here are my answers: Not the 4th, but the 1st. Sure! And, I don’t have one. Canada Day is July 1st, and there are many similarities between it and the American celebration of the Fourth of July, of course. Picnics, community get-togethers, fireworks…it’s all part of the show, for sure! In my city, our biggest park hosts thousands of visitors for the day. Food vendors are very popular, showcasing Canadian diversity by serving bannock, perogies, souvlaki, samosas, and more. It is also a popular camping weekend here, as it is usually the first weekend elementary school is out. Families flee the city for nearby campgrounds. That was our usual way of celebrating Canada Day when our kids were little. Given all the above, we don’t have a traditional Canada Day dish, but I thought I’d share one of my favourite summer desserts. I hope you give it a try! Strawberry Margarita Pie Crust: 20 Oreo cookies, crushed. 2 tbsp. butter, melted Mix together and press into pie plate. (Or, buy a pre-made Oreo cookie crust, of course!) Filling: Blend in mixer: 20 oz. frozen strawberries ¾ c. sugar 1/8 c. tequila 1/8 c. triple sec 1 tbsp. lime juice Add 1 c. whipped cream Spread 2 cups of mixture onto crust. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least two hours. Add remaining mixture and freeze three hours more before serving. Garnish with whipped cream if you like! Now, hop over to PG Forte and see what she has to share!
 Welcome back to the the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop! Here is this week’s discussion topic: Do you remember the first romance book you read? Tell us about it. Or, tell us about the book that made you want to write romance. When I was about sixteen, the wife of our next-door neighbour passed away, and I was given a large cardboard box filled with Harlequin Presents. As I have always been a voracious reader—I’d read the labels on cereal boxes if there was nothing else available—I whipped through that box pretty quickly. While I can’t remember the title or author (sorry!), I do remember the first romance that made me sit up and think, hmm, maybe I’d like to write something like this someday. I would have read it in the eighties, I’m sure. Romances then featured a lot of heroines who appeared (at least on the surface) to be sitting around waiting to be saved. Not this one - she worked hard to support herself and her child and not be beholden to anyone. I have no memory of the hero—that’s how impressed I was with the heroine. The story must have ended with the expected happily-ever-after, but I’ve always had the feeling that she would have been okay even without him. Before that box of Harlequins, I read mostly mysteries and classics. Anne of Green Gables and Lord of the Rings are treasured favourites – but it is Anne’s relationship with Gilbert and Arwen and Aragorn’s romance that stand out for me in both of these. Dick Francis was my main go-to mystery writer (he is still a frequent re-read) and my favourites of his have, if not a romantic subplot, a strong relationship arc of some sort (Proof involves a widower coming to terms with his wife’s death that is wonderfully done). Robert B. Parker is another favourite, but the stories where Susan is either not present or has a minor role are the ones I re-read the least. Once I put all of the above together, I realized writing romances was something I wanted to give a try. And even if I were to branch out to another genre someday, I am certain there would be a romantic subplot for sure. How about you? Do you remember the first romance you read? Then hop over to PG Forte and see what her memories of reading romance are.
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