Word for the Year - Romance Writers Weekly - #lovechatwrite

Happy 2023, everyone! It’s the start of a brand new year, with new dreams, new plans, new challenges. This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, the topic is:

Did you make a New Years Resolution? Have you stuck to it so far?

Let me just say – if you’ve already given up on your resolution ten days into the year, you have my sympathy, LOL! If I were you, I pretend I never started and begin again.

I don’t do resolutions, but this year I’ve decided to join a growing trend. I chose a word for the year. As you’ve probably guessed, my word is GRATITUDE.

As an author, I find it far too easy to get caught up in comparing myself to others, especially at this time of year. My social media feeds are full of authors revealing how many words they wrote and how many books they published. While I do NOT want to take away from their achievements (those authors have worked hard and given up a lot to reach those goals) I can’t help but feel a wee bit jealous and/or lazy in comparison.

Which brings me to why I chose GRATITUDE. Maybe my career hasn’t travelled the path I thought it would when I started. But when I look at where I am now compared to when I was ten years ago, I have a lot to be thankful for.

• My dream was to finish one book. Not even be published, just finish one damn book. I have now published thirteen.
• People are reading my books! Readers in 66 (yes, 66!!!) countries around the world have downloaded at least one book of mine. I can't express how much that means to me.
• I have discovered a wonderful, supportive community of authors from across the globe.
• I spend time every day doing something I love, yet have found a balance between it and my non-writing life that is healthy and fulfilling. Could I work harder at it? Sure. Do I want to? Not at the expense of less time with my growing family (my grandchildren really are adorable, let me tell you!)

So this year, I’m going to work on being thankful for what I have. And while I may work toward achieving new goals as an author, I’ll do it because it feeds me, not because it defines me.

Happy New Year, to you and yours! Now hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see what her new year has in store!

---

This week is my tenth anniversary as a published author! I am forever grateful to The Wild Rose Press for taking a chance on my very first story, Mountain Fire. I've grown a lot as a writer since then, but I am still over-the-moon proud of this steamy contemporary romantic suspense.

​A mountaintop mystery leads two conservationists to dangerous obsessions and violent passions.

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.

Available in print and ebook here

Once Upon a Tablecloth

His eyes swept the room. Neat tables with white cloths lined up like monotonous little soldiers. No flowers, no candles. Thank heavens no mustard and ketchup, though. The walls were wood paneled and dark but the restaurant was clean–always a plus. Cheap metal chairs with red vinyl seats, some of them torn, sat forlornly, obviously trying to hide their shame under the tablecloths and not succeeding. The wooden floor was uneven and worn raw. The bar set-up was pathetic. The scarred wood counter looked as if it had seen its share of brawls, broken glasses and drunks dancing across it. Too few bottles of liquor on the shelves and none of them great quality. It made him imagine a looting by alcoholic criminals with the good taste to take only the top shelf brands. And the capper was the large framed picture above the bar. Dogs playing poker. Nick just shook his head.

Nick saves restaurants but this will be a challenge, especially when he falls in love with the owner.