Sure, a beer in the backyard on a hot summer afternoon is wonderful, but there’s something extra speacial about a warm drink on a chilly day.

This week on the Blog Hop, we’re sharing our favourite cold weather drink. I’m even providing the recipe. 😊

Mr. C and I love to walk in the winter. The air is crisp and clear,  there are no bugs...and the bears are sleeping! We often pack a snack and find a handy log so we can sit and enjoy it. Our favourite drink to bring along is a hot toddy.

There are many ways to make hot toddies, but this is our recipe. Mr. C is a master at it.

2 oz rye whiskey
.5 tsp honey
1/3 cinnamon stick
Slice of lemon
Hot water to fill mug

Enjoy!

Now hop over to Leslie Hachtel to discover her favourite cold weather drink!

​LOVING BETWEEN THE LINES
​
A one-night stand neither will forget.
She wanted a final fling before choosing science to make her a single mom. He needed an escape from the regret grinding him into dust. Her baby isn’t his…but maybe family is more than DNA.

Get the sexy bonus prologue when you sign up for my newsletter!

This week’s question is:

How do you approach creating conflict in a romance novel without losing the emotional connection between characters?

Conflict comes in many forms. It can be subtle or overt. It can be physical or mental. One thing is for sure – the people that can hurt us the most are the people we love.

That means, for me, that conflict in a romance novel is directly related to the depth of the character’s emotions. So, the question answers itself. Conflict should be designed to increase the emotional connection, not sever it.

When a new character pops into my head, I immediately begin to imagine the worst person for them to fall in love with. Here’s a  example from Crossroads Corner. Camryn needs to save her grandfather’s construction company from a hostile takeover. Her love interest? Will, the man responsible for completing the deal – and if he doesn’t do it, he could lose his job. To add even more complexity, Camryn is a career woman who never considered having children. Will is a single dad whose daughter is blind.

All that leads to conflict that Camryn and Will have to work their way through to achieve their happy ending. But it is in dealing with the difficulties that they forge a relationship the reader believes will last.
​
Now I invite you to hop over to Jenna Da Sie for her thoughts on this!

Does Crossroads Corner sound interesting to you? It's third story about the Bendixon Sisters - which you can get in the Taking His Measure box set today!

Three steamy, open-door, full-length contemporary romances with all your favourite tropes. Second Chance, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers
 
Allegro Court
 
Determined to save her beloved construction company, Mattie Bendixon makes a reckless wager with Marcus Temple. All he has to do is stay in his hated hometown for one month. All she has to risk is her heart.
 
Gateway Crescent
 
Neither flighty Jo Bendixon nor steadfast Luke Donwell prophesies the temptation flaring hot and bright between them. It might scorch them to the heart…or spark a match made in heaven.
 
Crossroad Corner
 
Will Danson can't stop thinking about his captivating business rival. Camryn Bendixon won't be distracted by the sexy single dad standing in her way. They are competing for construction bids and career-making contracts—but it is her battered heart that he truly wants to win.

Okay, let's settle this! Pumpkin Spice - yea or nay?

I enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie and appreciate a pumpkin spice scented candle. But I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to get a latte, and I am just as happy with lemon meringue pie and prefer vanilla-scented candles. So, I guess I fall into the “nay” category.

What about you? Do you love it, leave it, or simply don’t care either way?
Comment below, then head over to PG Forte to cointinue your hop!

SECRETS UNDER THE COVERS
Start the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series for FREE!

Two long-time friends…one impulsive seduction…zero percent chance their lives will ever be the same again.
​
🧡55-year-old widow & widower
🧡cancer threat
🧡tattoo artist
🧡strong, creative heroine
🧡caring, supportive hero
🧡steamy open-door sex
🧡standalone read
🧡friends-to-lovers
🧡she seduces him

We’re talking about tropes on this week’s blog hop. Specifically, the second chance trope.

Would you rather read (or write) about a rekindled flame or a brand-new passion? Is your choice influenced by the age of the characters?

I love reading about rekindled flames. A story that brings two characters together who’ve totally screwed up once and helps them heal, then shows them love is still there, is so much fun.

As for the second part of our topic question this week, my choice is influenced by the age of the characters. If the characters are younger than thirty, I have a little trouble buying a second chance romance between them. Not that it’s impossible, but I feel older characters are better suited for that trope, because they’ve seen what life can throw at them and understand how precious love is.

That being said, I think I’ve only written two second chance romances. And to be completely honest, one of them, Allegro Court, isn’t a true second chance, because only one of the characters thought their first relationship was long-term to start with. (Intrigued? Find out more here.)

But Turn the Next Page is true to the trope and features older characters. It also has one of my favourite mini-mysteries. You can find out more about it below!

Now hope over to Leslie Hachtel for her take on this topic.

Turn the Next Page

High school sweethearts, their marriage was shattered by tragedy. Thirty years later, a startling confession reignites long banked embers.

You can read an excerpt here! 

On the outside, politician Aubrey Windt is assured and assertive. On the inside, she’s a confused tangle of nerves and regrets. A lost election is the perfect opportunity to reset her life, and she’s going to take it, no matter what anyone says. This time, she means it.
 
Everything’s fine with Philip Church. Just fine. His second divorce was amicable, his twin sons are grown, and his landscape business runs itself. The fineness is driving him crazy. But reconnecting with his first love provokes an upheaval more potent than he’s ever imagined.
 
When Aubrey and Phillip learn a startling fact that will forever link their lives, they set out to find the brother Aubrey didn’t know she had. To do so, they must forge a new path, unexpectedly abetted by a stray cat and the eclectic members of a unique book club.

(Book Three in the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series but can be read as a standalone. Aubrey is 52 and Phillip 53.)

As much as I enjoy the freedom and adventure of summer, I love routines. I am a planner, and a week where everything is laid out neatly is my golden time. That being said:

What do you do in September to reset yourself after the crazy days of summer? What routines do you restart?

From January to April this year, I took part in a weight-lifting program at a local sports centre. I enjoyed it immensely, so I’ve re-enrolled for the fall. We had our first two classes last week, and I’m looking forward to gaining confidence and strength as to weeks rolls on.

I’ve also started setting an alarm again. I enjoy getting up and doing some author/writing work while my husband sleeps a little longer. Then we have our coffee together and move on with our day.

This is bear season where I live. As they fatten up for winter hibernation, we see them a lot more often on our dog walks. We’re keeping to the wide open trails and neighbourhood streets for now, but as soon as the cold and snow hits we’ll be able to restart our routine of long afternoon walks in the woods.
​
Now hop over to Jill Haymaker to find out how she treats September.

LOVING BETWEEN THE LINESbooks2read.com/LovingBetweenTheLines

A one-night stand neither will forget.
She wanted a final fling before choosing science to make her a single mom. He needed an escape from the regret grinding him into dust. Her baby isn’t his…but maybe family is more than DNA.

❤ single older first-time mom ❤ hockey player now coach ❤ found family ❤ older woman younger man (five-year age gap) ❤ steamy, open-door, slow burn

(Book Two in the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series. Lynn 40, Benjamin 35. Can be read as a standalone.)

MONTANA PINES SEARCH FOR LOVE
 
Lacey Westwood has given up on finding love in her small Montana home town. That is, until cowboy Tuf Brody happens into her bar. He’s not her type, and she doesn’t date strangers, but maybe he isn’t a stranger after all. Tuf is looking for his long lost brother, not true love which he doesn’t believe exists. But when these two find each other, they may find so much more.​

I really want to read your comments on this week’s blog hop. I think the topic is fascinating.

Do you think romance novels have a unique ability to explore emotions and relationships that other genres don’t?

For me, the answer is a resounding yes! Because the romance genre is all about the relationship between the main characters, it is expected to delve into all the nooks and crannies of what makes people tick. But what is unique about it is the expectation that there will be a happy ending.

Most fiction is about relationships. Even genres like mystery and fantasy are rooted in how people interact with each other. But there isn’t necessarily going to be a satisfactory resolution to those relationships in any genre but romance. And that’s what makes me come back for more.

I doubt you’re going to find a dissenting voice among all the other blog-hoppers, but be sure to continue on with PG Forte.

He's a concert cellist. She's a construction worker. When sparks fly between them, all bets are off.

ALLEGRO COURT, Book One in the Bendixon Sisters Series, is available FREE!

Seeking solace in his music, Marcus Temple fled his stifling small town to become a world-class cellist. Any lingering longings and regrets are safely buried beneath his successful career—until a family crisis compels him to return and brings him face-to-face with the woman whose heart he broke when he left.

More comfortable in overalls than orchestra seats, Mattie Bendixon has done her best to forget the boy who shattered her teenage dreams. She keeps busy and fulfilled as a carpenter with her grandfather’s construction company. But now a big city rival threatens his legacy.

Determined to save her beloved business, Mattie makes a reckless wager with Marcus. All he has to do is stay in his hated hometown for one month. All she has to risk is her heart.

This week on the blog hop, we’ve been asked:
What's your favourite season, both in real life and in your writing?
The easiest way for me to answer this is to tell you that spring is my least favourite. That may seem odd to those of you who know I live where cold, snowy winters are the norm. But spring is a terrible tease here. The days warm up enough that the snow melts (which reveals months worth of grime and garbage) but the nights are still too cold to plant until late May. The best thing about spring is that summer comes next, LOL! 
We had an up and down summer this year. We’d have a couple days of warm weather followed by a couple days of rain. The gardens loved it (apples, berries, and tomatoes are thriving!) but it wasn’t until the last week or so that we had a good long stretch of hot, sunny days. Still, we’ve camped, gone boating, swum in lakes, and done our best to enjoy every moment.
Fall here is wonderful, with crisp dry Septembers and Octobers. The weather patterns have changed over the years, as it was common for us to have snow (that was here to stay) by Halloween, but that happens rarely now. And cold winter days are fabulous. Our favourite dog-walking days are in the depths of winter, when the bears are sleeping. We pack drinks and snacks and find a place to sit in the snow and appreciate the wonder of having four seasons!
My books span all the seasons. Loving Between the Lines spans almost a full year (as it occurs during hockey season). Strictly By the Book, When Time Falls Still, and Suspect Attraction happen over winter months as well. And, of course, so does The Promise of Frost, which is my December holiday novella.
What about you? What’s your favourite season? And do you prefer books written in a one or the other? Let me know in the comments, then hop to Leslie Hachtel for her take on this topic!

An adventurous, go-with-the-flow historian…a scrupulous, stick-to-the-rules scientist…an attraction so wrong it’s absolutely right.

Strictly by the Book (Book Four in the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series. Can be read as a standalone. Natalie 36, Rafe 42)

Natalie Minton’s cheerful exterior hides desperation. She’s been out of work for months when her estranged sister appears on her doorstep pleading for help. An offer to write the biography of a local political legend couldn’t come at a better time.

Rafe Talbot rejected family tradition and chose medicine over politics. When he stumbles upon evidence of a hidden scandal, his only recourse is to work alongside—and stay one step ahead of—the vivacious scholar hired to chronicle his mother’s career.

Natalie’s exuberance strikes sparks off Rafe’s steely severity, luring them to ignore the secrets shadowing their pasts…until the glare of the present exposes intolerable truths.

This week's topic on the Blog Hop:

​How do you create memorable, lovable protagonists and their love interests?

This is a question I ask myself each time I sit down to write. How do I make the reader care about these characters? What reasons can I give the reader to turn the page?

Luckily, reader tastes range far and wide. What one loves another will hate. So in the end, the question I ask myself is – what would I like to read?

I’m a huge fan of competent characters doing their best under unusual circumstances. My failing is I make them too competent sometimes, and they fix their issues too easily. That’s not interesting for anyone, LOL! I have to remind myself that readers want characters to have flaws and foibles. No one loves a goody-two-shoes, right?

When it comes to their love interest, I try to imagine the absolutely worst person for them. Not worst as in bad or evil. But worst as in the person who challenges them, forces them to confront tough issues, stretches their patience, that sort of thing. Since the end of a romance is a foregone conclusion, the conflict lies in how the characters come to terms with their new relationship. That’s where the fun is!

Two of my favourite characters to write were Claudia and Titus from Richly Deserved. Claudia made a new life for herself and her daughter when she escaped an abusive marriage. Titus looks like an MMA fighter but is an artist of imagination and skill. Together these two spark!

What kind of characters do you like to read? What makes one more memorable than another? I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

Now head over to Jill Haymaker for her take on this topic.

RICHLY DESERVED

More than twenty years ago, Claudia Aronson escaped an abusive marriage. She built a secure, stable life, and is now only weeks away from realizing a long-held dream—opening her own art gallery. But her well-ordered world is threatened by the compelling, abrasive man essential to bringing her new venture into the spotlight.

Artist Titus Wilcox is reclusive, nomadic, and passionate. His solitary, drifting habits have fed his creative soul, but played hell with his love life. Soon after he meets the statuesque, seemingly-serene Claudia, however, he feels a compulsion to paint a new reality—with her.

When an antique painting reveals mysterious documents concealed behind its frame, Titus and Claudia unite in a hunt for lost riches—a pursuit that takes them into the remote hills surrounding the fabled gold rush town of Barkerville.

To these two skeptics, true love is as phony as fool’s gold. But this improbable search for buried treasure could lead to their hearts’ hidden desires.

Read an exerpt here!

Pre-order now! Montana Pines Search for Love.

After his mom passes, Tuf Brody comes to Pine Meadows looking for his long lost brother. What he finds is so much more and maybe even a chance at love with sexy bartender, Lacey Westwood. Lacey has always guarded her heart, but there’s just something about this newcomer that makes her want to take a chance. Can they find their way to romance while solving the mysteries that have haunted them for years?

Readers love romance in part because they know how the story will end. No matter what trials and tribulations the main characters go through, the reader can expect a positive, satisfying resolution. But that doesn’t mean readers don’t want something fresh and new. This week on the Blog Hop, we’ve been asked:

How do you keep your romance plots fresh and exciting, especially when writing a series?

The answer to this question is rather similar to the “Where do you get your ideas” question. I am often inspired by real stories, either that I am told or that I read about. Every couple has a unique meet-cute. Some may be more unusual than others, but all are personal and distinctive.

Whether in a series or with a standalone novel, I love to turn tropes on their heads when possible. She’s grumpy, he’s sunshine. He’s the moody artiste, she’s the cool-headed agent. He falls fast, she’s not ready to settle down. It doesn’t have to be a huge switch to make a story feel fresh and new. Sometimes just a little bit of spice is enough to flavour it in a whole other way.

Now I invite you to hop over to Jenna Da Sie for her take on this topic!

Talking about turning tropes on their heads...what about a romance novel based on a real diary? Discover AFTER WORDS!

A mysterious diary ignites a shared quest…and an unexpected romance.
 
My inspiration for After Words was the diary of William Henry Smith. I found a transcription online and was immediately determined to work it into a romance somehow. Each chapter begins with an entry from that diary. These excerpts, in William’s own words, tell a heartbreaking story on their own. Here is a sample of what I included in the book.
 
July 21st, 1941
The journey starts here. I don’t know if I’ll be able to record everything about it but I’ll try. My mother made me promise that I write in this journal as often as possible. She believes that writing your thoughts in journals keeps you sane. So I promised her, to comfort her. I’ve left home. We left today at noon from Halifax. It was difficult seeing the coast slowly shrink as we left. I hope this trip won’t be too long, I don’t want to get seasick.
June 23rd, 1942
Me and Rodney just got back from London, we had a great time. We went dancing and met lots of girls. There was this really nice girl that I met. Her name was Daphne. We chatted together for a while and I bought her a few drinks. She’s a little shorter than I am and her hair is beautiful. She wants me to come and see her again.
July 3rd, 1942
Got a letter from mom today. Everything’s fine. Maureen and David are fine also. I’m trying to get a pass to have the whole weekend off so I can spend it with Daphne in London.
September 5th, 1942
I got a letter back from mom today. I wrote to her about Daphne and she doesn’t seem very pleased. She doesn’t want me to see her anymore because she wants me to marry a Canadian girl. I didn’t know she felt that way. She’s a thousand miles away so she won’t know if I’m seeing Daphne or not. Thank the Lord for England.
September 15th, 1942
It’s over between me and Daphne.
December 18th, 1942
We’re constantly training on beaches on the Isle of Wight or near Norway. I’m guessing that we’re going to be landing on enemy beaches. This isn’t too comforting. They checked our feet two days ago after marching over forty-five miles and climbing cliffs and later enemy planes tried to bomb our camp as you can see we are a busy bunch.
June 5th, 1944
They’ve brought us to the ports and boarded us in these massive ships. This is it, we’re leaving tonight.

It is expected to be hot, HOT, HOT this week, so we’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors in the shade. We like to listen to music in our backyard, so this week’s topic is fun for me!

What songs are on your summer playlist?

This tradition has fallen by the wayside in recent years, but for several in a row, the music we would listen to on the first sunny day was The Gypsy Kings. There’s something about this upbeat, vibrant, danceable music that just yells summer! 

Recent soundtracks are leaning toward country. There are so many great summer country songs. New ones we enjoy are “Bottle Rockets” by Scotty McCreary /Hootie and the Blowfish and “Good Times and Tan Lines” by Zach Top. Every once in a while we go old school, with the Beach Boys, Otis Redding, and the Lovin’ Spoonful.

Our grandkids love music, too. Papa Mike has a playlist just for them. Top of that list is “Cadillac Ranch” (Nitty Gritty version), “4x4xU” (Lainey Wilson), “Am I Okay” (Megan Moroney) and “Witch Doctor” (Cartoons).

What music do you listen to when the weather is hot and sunny? I'd love to read your comments. Then hop over to Leslie Hachtel for the sounds of her summer!

Start the Silverberry Series for FREE!

Two long-time friends…one impulsive seduction…zero percent chance their lives will ever be the same again.

The peace Helen Mansfield struggled to achieve after the death of her husband is threatened when she discovers a lump in her breast. Shielding her loved ones is a lifelong habit, so she keeps the alarming news to herself. But Nathan Spieth suspects she has a secret.

After standing by his wife while she fought and ultimately lost her battle with cancer, Nathan has devoted his energy to rebuilding the career he neglected during her final years. Now, all his hard work is about to pay off. Until Helen makes him an offer he can’t refuse.

As neighbours and friends, Helen and Nathan’s lives have been woven together for more than twenty years. One impetuous, impassioned night might destroy everything they share—or prove to this fiercely independent woman and determinedly solitary man that love is always worth the risk.