This week's Blog Hop challenge:

Choose a photo that you’ve taken and that you love. Tell the story behind the photo.

Hi. I’m Brenda, and I’m a photo-aholic.

Even before cameras in phones, I took a lot of photos. But the digital age makes it SO EASY to go overboard, LOL! On our recent trip to Spain, I took about 300 photos a week. That’s more than 70 a day.
​
Yes. I have a problem. But I don’t mind going through all those photos and choosing the best ones to put in an album (or publish in a photo book, which is what I’ve done recently). So it’s no one concern but mine how many photos I take!
​
It made this week’s challenge particularly difficult, though. How can I possibly choose just one?

In this end, I went with the above image from Palm Sunday in Málaga. And I couldn’t resist sneaking in a second one as well.​

Hey! I’m back…finally. We had a wonderful three week holiday in March, but then I caught a nasty head cold and am just getting back to whatever normal is these days.

Which means I’m back for the Blog Hop!

This week’s topic:

What common mistakes or misunderstandings do readers have about authors? What myths or half-truths do you find yourself hearing again and again?

What non-author/writers often don’t understand is that I have to write the story I can—and want to—write. Everyone once in a while, someone says to me “You should write XYZ story. I would definitely read that.” And they are often right – their idea would be a good story. But it isn’t a story that speaks to me, so I just nod and smile.
​
I think another misconception is all the hard work is done once the book is written. Let me tell you, for me at least, that’s just when things are getting started. I often do three or four drafts of a story, based on my own opinions and those of my beta readers and critique partners. And that’s just the writing part. I’m not even talking about cover design and formatting and promoting and marketing and all those other “non-writing” things an independent author needs to do.

Now hop on over to PG Forte to discover what myths she has encountered!

Are you familiar with KOBO PLUS? It's a subscription service where you can find more than 1.5 million ebooks (and audio books if you're want). For a low monthly fee (and by low, I mean less than most traditionally published ebooks) you have unlimited access to all the title you want to read!

And that includes all of my books, too! If you want to check it out, just click here.

This week’s question is a double-edge one:

Scent is important. What is your favorite and does it help in your work?

It’s possible this question is asking if scent helps me write. Do I light a candle or need fresh coffee beside me? In that case, the answer is no. I don’t find scent stimulates me to write.

But if we are talking about using scent in my writing to help set the scene and engage the reader, then, yes, I do. Scent can be strongly evocative and it can really help a reader feel as if they are in the scene when used properly.

Taking His Measure: The Complete Bendixon Sisters Series
Now Available!
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.

Anyone else hear The Lovin’ Spoonful in their head when they read the title? 😊

That’s this week’s topic on the Blog Hop:

Do you believe in magic? Tell us why or why not.

So here’s the thing. I worked in television for many years so I know some of the camera tricks that can be used. But I’ve been to LIVE magic shows. I’ve seen David Copperfield disappear from the stage and reappear seconds later in the seats. I’ve seen Penn and Teller do card tricks that make no sense at all.

They drive me crazy.

I know there has to be a logical explanation. I know they are tricks that I could understand if I was let in on the secret. But I can never figure them out, and while I am in awe of the magic, it makes me more than a little frustrated.

I prefer the magic that happens when black squiggles on a white page transport me to other worlds and into other people lives. Reading is the magic I love best.

So yes, I believe in magic. Because magic is when the unexplainable happens before your eyes.
 
Find out if Jill Haymaker believes when you hop to her blog next!

Have you got your copy yet?

Taking His Measure: The Complete Bendixon Sisters Series

A sizzling second chance between a carpenter and the cello player who got away, a swoony forbidden love with a virgin hero and his best friend’s younger sister, and a sexy single dad who falls for his career-driven business rival.

​This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, we’re taking a trip!

If you could live in another country, which one would you choose and why?

I don’t think I could ever permanently move away from Canada. We have our problems, but it is home. That being said, I have always wanted to live in another country for an extended period of time—long enough to feel like a resident, not a tourist.

There are so many places it would be exciting to live, but if I have to narrow it down to one I think I would choose the south of France. We spent a week near Avignon in 2017 and I fell in love with the area. Roman amphitheatres still in use, sparkling rivers, walled villages, castles on every corner…and still all the modern amenities to hand. I don’t speak French, but I am familiar enough with it that I think I could bumble along until I’d been immersed long enough to give it a try.

Now Available!
Taking His Measure: The Complete Bendixon Sisters Series
 
Three steamy, open-door, full-length contemporary romances with all your favourite tropes!
 
* Second Chance * Grumpy/Sunshine * Forced Proximity * Best Friend’s Younger Sister * Virgin Hero * Forbidden Love * He Falls First * Enemies to Lovers * Single Dad * Starting Over

Get it today!

February is often the worst month of the winter. It is too soon to look forward to spring, and the weather is usually dreary and cold. This is a very odd year, as we currently have NO SNOW when we should have several feet. In a way that makes it worse, because it looks like we should be able to work in the garden but we know winter has more punches to throw.

This is the long way around to this week’s blog topic:

Do you have a favourite board or card game you like to play?

​We play games all year long, but they certainly help us pass the long winter nights. At the moment, we are playing a lot of Stupid Rummy. It’s kind of a blend of Canasta and Rummy, with a few very stupid rules thrown in just to complicate things. But it’s great with three to six players so perfect for our family.

Have you read my very first published novel? Mountain Fire is a romantic suspense set in the mountains of Northern British Columbia. You can read an excerpt here.
​
Natural resources student June Brandt climbs Longworth Mountain for some alone time. But when Conservation Officer Alex Weaver arrives to look into the death of a grizzly bear, June is caught up in the investigation—and fascinated by Alex. 

Alex is attracted by June's competence and coolness under fire—as well as her lithe body and honey-blonde hair. Although their mutual interest in protecting the natural wonders of the area brings them together, they soon realize they view love from very different angles. He offers passion and pleasure, but June wants more. 
​
When one of Alex’s colleagues is murdered, June and Alex must work together to find the poacher before other lives are lost. And Alex must look deep inside to discover if he can give June what she deserves.

Get it today!

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER
The Boy in the Pink Convertible

What secrets does a photograph hold?

The dusty old photograph of Megan Forrester and a little boy in a pink Barbie car sparks a nostalgic feeling within her. But as she cleans out her late parents' home, the image begins to consume her thoughts. Why can't she find someone who looks at her with the same adoration as the little boy in the photo?

Lost and unsure of her future now that she's no longer a caretaker, Megan becomes fixated on finding the boy from the photo. With the help of a private detective, she uncovers five possible candidates scattered across the country. But as she travels from state to state, she realizes that her journey is more about self-discovery than finding a long-lost love.

Just as she's ready to give up, the final name on her list catches her attention. But he's not the one she had been searching for. Has she been chasing the wrong person all this time? Join Megan on a journey to find purpose and maybe even love. Can one small photo change the course of her life?

​If you enjoy emotional journeys, you'll love this heartwarming tale of self-discovery and love. ​

This week’s topic:

How has your writing journey changed over time?

There are so many ways to approach this subject. Craft, discipline, organization, marketing…all of these bits and pieces of my author life have changed dramatically over the years, and continue to do so.

My first several books were written in my living room, sitting on my couch, 500 words a day. I was working full-time, had children at home, and after dinner and chores were done was when I carved out my writing space. Now I get up at six each morning to get the little tasks done. After breakfast (around eight o’clock) I settle in to write the words (I’ve upped my daily quota to 1000) or do the editing, depending on where my current project is. I’m generally done by eleven, and may come back to do other authory things in the afternoon or evening if I need to.

A forbidden love, workplace romance. Think Iron Chef meets The Bachelor...

​All Jemma Hedge wants to do is care for her ailing grandmother, and a job behind-the-scenes on the reality show Reservations for Two is the perfect opportunity. There's one rule—no fraternizing with the cast. Easy enough, until she meets the show's sexy bachelor, Paul Almeida, the smouldering restaurateur she's already had the displeasure of meeting.

Paul risked more than money when he opened his dream restaurant. To give his fantasy a fighting chance he accepts the role of Chef d'Amour on a brand new reality show. Flirting with the women vying for his heart should keep him too busy to worry about overstepping boundaries with the crew, until he spots Jemma.
​
The ingredients for love are at hand. Can Jemma and Paul create the perfect blend?

​(Jemma 25, Paul 30)

Get it here!

Here’s this week’s topic:

What food couldn't you live without?

I can’t help being cheeky and saying “all of them.” LOL! But I know what we’re supposed to answer, so I’ll stick to the main point.

I am not a picky eater. I love all kinds of food, so deciding which one to live without is both easy and hard. Easy because I have lots of choice. Hard because I don’t really have a favourite.
​
The one food I could give up is potatoes. I know they are super versatile and I like them well enough, but if they vanished from my diet I don’t think I would miss them.

Escape the January blahs with No Life But This.

Abigail Garsson feels trapped in her safe, boring, conventional life. Desperate to escape, she signs up for an adventure vacation on the Portuguese island of São Miguel.

Santos Carregado enjoys introducing tourists to his tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic. At first he barely notices the unassuming Abigail. He soon finds her meek exterior hides a vibrant woman who teases his senses and ignites his passion.

Abigail is stunned to discover the handsome, confident Santos is attracted to her, but his fiery kisses and searing caresses convince her to accept a sensuous invitation.

Will the realities of life shatter Abigail's holiday daydream? Or can the shifting sands of a short-term fling become the rock on which a life-long relationship is built?

(Abigail and Santos both 29)​​​

January is a popular month for reflecting, as well as goal setting. This week on the blog hop, we’re doing a bit of both:

How many books (stories) do you plan to write in 2024? Is this the same or different from previous years?

First off, I want to clarify that how many books I plan to write in no way reflects how many books I plan to release this year. Those are two very different things, LOL!

The last couple of years, I’ve released at least two books a year, which means I’ve written at least that many, as the writing and releasing process leapfrog each other. For me, this is a lot, and I’m feeling the need to slow down a little.
That being said, I am only a few thousand words away from completing the first draft of a manuscript I started in October. I’ll let it sit for a week or so when it’s done before starting the second draft, but intend to have it to my beta readers and critique partners by the end of February. Then I will take a hefty chunk of time off (Mr. C and I are going to Spain! So excited!) before deciding what comes next.

A winter read that is sure to heat you up!

When Time Falls Still

​Justice Cooper abandoned his professional hockey career to put family first. Now divorced with a young son, he has no time to indulge the chemistry sparking with a brainy and beautiful academic. Especially with a vicious stalker wreaking havoc on his campus.

Professor Charlotte Girardet is focused on one thing—earning tenure at a prestigious university. She’ll do anything to keep her career on track, which includes ignoring her unwanted attraction to the rough and rugged security guard who insists on protecting her.
 
Struggling to balance her ambitions and a growing passion, Charlotte trusts Justice with her deepest secret, and discovers she’s not the only one haunted by the past. But their uncertain future becomes even more precarious when the assailant strikes much too close to home.

​(Charlotte 33, Justice 29)

Welcome to 2024! I’m glad you’re on this journey with me.

I’m not a big believer in resolutions. Don’t get me wrong—I like the idea. I just think most people (including myself) set goals that are unrealistic and doomed to fail. But I do like the trend of choosing a yearly affirmation, which leads me to this week’s topic:

Pick a one-word affirmation for this year. Tell us why you chose it.

I am totally stealing my word from my author friend, Ev Bishop. She sent out her first newsletter of the year recently and I immediately glommed onto it.

MORE.