In the Book

Blogging about life's adventures and books...

Adventures past, present, or future. And my books--then and now. 

RELEASE DAY OCTOBER 15, 2024

It took me three years to get around to it, but I finally compiled the short stories with a Christmas theme into a book, Have Yourself a Quirky Little Christmas. I've been so busy writing full length books in my series, I kept putting off getting the Christmas stories edited and polished. At last!

I had fun with these. They aren't typical, hence the name of the book. These stories are not meant for children, but adults and young adults can enjoy the quirky tales.

Six quirky Christmas stories sure to brighten your holiday lights. 

An Elfin Secret

Candy Cane has never actually seen her father. Could he be Santa Claus? Did her mother have an elf romance? What happens if she’s right? 

On the Way to the Snow Ball

Nicholas Claus could be delusional, or he might be the sanest person in the elevator. Christmas miracles come when you least expect. 

Never Alone on Christmas

After decades of dancing his way from woman to woman, Jonathan Jay Somefun now finds variety-is-the-spice-of-life tasteless. Will this be the Christmas he finds his new style and ends his lonely days? 

Love in the Vault

A kiss under the mistletoe, a gun in her ribs, and a lockup in the company vault. If her best friend Cricket arranged this joke, Eleanor will never speak to her again. Or is it a joke? 

A Tropical Holiday

Fresh off divorce, Yuma Camry is winging it alone in unreasonably cold Mexico. Whether she’s wandering through ghostly Mayan ruins under a cloudy sky or lying on a chilly beach in the bikini she paid too much for, can a stranger with even stranger ideas help her reconnect with herself this Christmas? 

No Room at the Inn

Sadi Anne hates Christmas. Volunteering to work through the holiday season is the only way to keep her mind off that heartbreak Christmas three years earlier. But when the hotel loses her reservation, a truck smashes her parked car, and three wisemen come to the rescue, this may be one Christmas she won’t want to forget. And neither will the man who broke her heart.

Available in eBook and print:

CLICK HERE TO ORDER ON AMAZON

Why Write a Kid's Book by Brenda Whiteside

Today is the worldwide release of my first children's book. A children's book? Yep. A genre I'd never considered. But then my granddaughter got a rescue puppy who was some sort of bully breed. At eight years old, she's a pretty smart little gal, and she'd heard about the reputation of these dogs. Of course, if her parents didn't buy into it, she didn't either. So she knew all about her puppy. And she knows I write books...

The birth of a children's chapter book...

One morning, on the way into town to get donuts, Sadi expounded to me about how special her new puppy was, a blue nose Pit Bull, although he might be a blue Staffy. She also related her knowledge of the bad rap these dogs receive and why. An idea popped, and she was soon bouncing on her seat while chewing her chocolate iced donut. We could write a book about Max and all his wonderful characteristics. 

As the months marched on, the idea took shape, expanding and twisting with imaginative tales. This is the first of those stories. I have no idea how many there will be—that depends on Sadi. She’s growing up, evolving, and although her passionate love for dogs will never change, the amount of time she’ll spend with Nana weaving stories might. We’ll see. 

I learned a great deal about pit bulls, which by the way isn't an actual breed of dog but more a description of how certain dogs look. Their history is fascinating. Sadi would like me to tell everyone to do your research. These are two sites you might want to check:

World Animal Foundation:

Nanny Dogs: Debunking Myths In The Debate About Pit Bulls https://worldanimalfoundation.org/dogs/nanny-dog/

American Kennel Club:

https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-staffordshire-terrier/

BLURB:

Eight-year-old Sadi wants to find a puppy under the Christmas tree this year. She loves her two old dogs, but they don’t run and play anymore. How can she convince her parents she’s old enough to care for her own doggy? When they surprise her with a trip to the rescue home of Talia Wagger, it’s puppy love at first sight. She gets the best present in the entire world—Max. 

Max wants to be one of the lucky puppies who gets adopted. He cuddles up to his sister in the playpen to stay warm in the cold garage waiting for the humans to visit and hopefully choose him. When he sees the little human, he knows his wish has come true for the best home in the entire world—with Sadi. 

A car ride, missing his sister, meeting Sadi’s friends, learning what no means, and finding a way to get along with the two old dogs are only some of the adventures this puppy has once he’s in his new home. But when he listens to Mom, who laughs all the time, and Dad, who likes to tease, and his little human Sadi, who gives him hugs and kisses, he understands—he’s the luckiest puppy in the entire world.

sadi and max Have the Best Christmas in the Entire World

BUY LINK Black and White Illustrated Edition

BUY LINK Full Color Illustrated Edition

Christmas in July, Free Books, Great Reads

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Christmas in July is wicked fun, and you could score a $75 gift card in addition to scoping out some cool holiday reads. Take your mind off this hot summer! Hurry and take advantage of the Christmas in July Fete!

CLICK HERE FOR CHRISTMAS IN JULY

There are also two OTHER GREAT Promotions 

going on right now that are wicked good.

This event has a cozy mystery for you. Grab a cup and cuddle up with some mystery. 

CLICK HERE 

And you can get free reads here that will knock your socks off. CLICK HERE

 

#Romance, History, and #Mystery By Donna Schlachter #giveaway

MUSE MONDAY

The holidays are coming at us lightspeed. So, this Muse Monday is fun and will get us in the mood. And in the spirit of giving, Donna has a giveaway, so read on, have fun, and maybe win!

When I sat down to write A Mistletoe Mystery, I asked myself, as I often do: “What was I thinking?” I had the parameters of the story—contemporary or historical mystery for a Christmas anthology “Merry Little Mysteries”. Clean and sweet. Apart from that, authors could write what they liked.

I decided a historical would be good, because I had just finished a contemporary, and I like to keep things fresh. That said, what time period? Setting? Plot?

I love writing in the late 1800s, so I did some research on what was going on in Colorado, and found an article about apples in Boulder. Sounded good, but not Christmas-y. More research led me to Christmas Tree farms, and I had my setting and period—1883.

Since this was meant to be a fun mystery and not too serious, I named my heroine—actually, I have two—Holly and Ivy. Christmas. They own a tree farm. And when their trees are sabotaged, they blame the brothers who live next door and also have a tree farm.

Turns out they have history—from grade school—with these boys. Stolen kisses, it seems. Once I sat to write, their stories came alive for me. And wouldn’t you know it? Each character has hopes and dreams that collide with their sibling’s but matches with another character. The set-up for a Happily Ever After.

What follows is a typical mystery in that the four band together and follow the clues, ask questions, narrow down the list to a few suspects, and trigger a meeting of the bad guys by putting pressure on a weak link.

While they’re doing this, they’re also spending time with each other. Figuring out they like how the other person has turned out. Wonder why they ever stopped talking to each other. And—well—love blossoms, as it should, in any good romantic mystery.

You can purchase the ebook or print book at: https://mybook.to/MerryLittleMysteries 

Giveaway: Leave a comment and we will randomly choose one lucky winner to win an ebook copy of “Merry Little Mysteries” anthology. Cleverly disguise your email address so the bots don’t find you. For example: donna AT livebytheword DOT com 

A Sneak Peek:

Holly & Ivy Christmas Tree Farm, Boulder, Colorado 

Chapter 1

December 3^rd, 1883 

Holly Christmas froze in her tracks. Not because the temperature hovered around ten degrees—although it did. Not because she’d tromped around her thousand-acre Norway Spruce tree farm for almost three hours—although she had. And not because the sun only now cast a blush on the Rocky Mountains as it peeked over the horizon—although it was.

No, Miss Holly emulated a statue because of what hung from the branches of the prime specimen before her. A tree destined to decorate the grand ballroom of the governor’s mansion in six days’ time. Already paid for. Already marked with a red flag for cutting and shipping tomorrow.

She tore her gaze from that monster of a spruce and scanned the next in line. This one, a foot shorter than its neighbor’s fourteen feet, for the mayor of Kansas City. Again, due for cutting next week.

Holly pushed her spectacles higher on her nose. Didn’t change what she saw.

Her heart pounded in her ears at the sight before her. And at its ramifications.

Mistletoe.

Dwarf, to be exact, if she knew her botany.

Native to Colorado. Usually found in stands of spruce and pine that suffered from disease, or overpopulation, or overgrowth.

Never in her tree farm.

Not before today, that is. 

About A Mistletoe Mystery in “Merry Little Mysteries”:

Boulder Colorado 1883: Two sisters living next door to two brothers. When bad stuff starts happening, who is behind it? If not a neighbor, then who? Can the two ranches, competing in the Christmas Tree Market, cooperate enough to save their land? Or are they doomed to lose all? 

About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 50 times in books; is a member of several writers groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; ghostwrites; edits; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. 

www.DonnaSchlachter.com Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

www.DonnaSchlachter.com/blog

Check out previous blog posts at www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com and www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-schlachter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=donna+schlachter

Ready to Travel! by Vicki Batman #FearlessFriday #travel #HolidayFiction

FEARLESS FRIDAY

Traveling has been a fearless endeavor ever since COVID made the scene. Vicki's family finally took the plunge.

Munich

After three years of Covid fear, our three-time postponed trip was back on. First, we traveled to Munich, Germany. With family members, we visited Octoberfest. Expecting excessive partying, we were hesitant about going, but we’re glad we did. The grounds were so colorful! And the beer halls were decorated differently. Lots of fun food stands and thrilling rides were situated outside. The event reminded us of our State Fair with an exception—no fried food. LOL. 

Next, we were bused to Oberammergau for the Passion Play which was held every ten years, but rescheduled because of the virus. The actors spoke and sang in German which was a bit challenging; however, all was beautifully done. 

Vienna

In Vienna, we were able to see the Lippizaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School. This has been a dream for me ever since I read Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart. That night, we attended a Strauss concert.

In Krumlov, we explored a Medieval castle, ate lunch, and shopped. I found a handmade shop where I indulged in Christmas gifts for the family. Our trip ended in Budapest. We loved it there. Our hotel sat on the ruins of a former monastery and next door to a cathedral. We walked tons of miles to many great places and ate yummy food. 

The past three years put the world’s lives on hold. We’re glad we could make our trip finally happen. 

Are you traveling for the holidays? 

In between your holiday activities, curl up with these holiday stories:

Love blossoms in the small town of Sommerville in these heartwarming holiday tales, filled with fun and forever possibilities. 

The Great Fruitcake Bake-off: When a five-time baking champion teams up with her new neighbor for The Great Fruitcake Bake-off, they discover baking a prize-winning entry is complicated, bad guys are plotting to take the crown, and first prize isn't just about a ribbon. 

Christmas Romeo: When two feuding co-workers win Christmas river cruises at the company holiday party, they discover each other isn't so bad after all. 

Twinkle Lights: When the owner of a Christmas tree stand has a heart attack, a do-gooder and a reformed high school delinquent-turned-lawyer meet the challenges of running the establishment; yet, when revenue goes missing, fingers are pointed. 

Find the fun at:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JQN19L6/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1125179 

Funny, sweet, and quirky, Vicki Batman's stories are full of her hallmark humor and romance and will delight all readers. She has sold many romantic comedy works to magazines, several publishers, and most recently, three humorous romantic mysteries. Along the way, she has picked up awards and bestsellers. Avid Jazzerciser. Handbag lover. Mahjong player. Yoga practitioner. Movie fan. Book devourer. Chocaholic. Best Mom ever. And adores Handsome Hubby. 

Website & Newsletter: http://vickibatman.blogspot.com/p/more-about-me.html/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vicki-Batman-sassy-writer-133506590074451/ 

Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/vickibatman/   

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/vicki-batman/ 

Krumlov Castle

Budapest

War and Christmas: Inspiration by Anne Krist #MuseMonday

MUSE MONDAY

War can inspire all kinds of literature. Join Anne today to see how it inspired her Christmas story.

It might seem strange to use war as a muse, but that is what Jan Selbourne and I did in our duo book Finding a Christmas Miracle. In Jan's A Miracle in the Outback, an Australian soldier on his way back to camp stops to help a woman who is not only in great need but also in danger. In my story, The Miracle of Coming Home, it takes a paranormal experience for PFC Tom Stabler to find himself when he comes home for a week at Christmas. The common point in both our stories is the war in Vietnam.

There's no denying the effect the war had on the lives of everyone living during the 1960s and 70s. Jan was closer to the action by virtue of Australia's location. For those of us in the U.S., the war felt a million miles away. We watched, fascinated and shocked, on the evening news each night. Everywhere we turned, Vietnam slapped us in the face. For years afterward, I tried putting it from my mind. I refused to write about it until I finally broke down and wrote Burning Bridges, which has its root in the time period.

Because the war was, well, what it was, how could any of us write the story of our youth and not pay homage to the place the war had in it?

The Miracle of Coming Home in Finding a Christmas Miracle (Anne Krist and Jan Selbourne)

Blurb
Jan Selbourne lends her award-winning writing talent to A Miracle in the Outback. Nick Saunders helps a woman in desperate need. He doesn’t know it, but he needs her help, too.

In award-winning author Anne Krist’s The Miracle of Coming Home, Army PFC Tom Stabler experiences the paranormal at home for Christmas. Will it help heal him or will he need a miracle to do the trick?

Buy link
Amazon Kindle

Excerpt
Awake now, Tom wondered if he’d ever adjust to the feeling of safety again, ever truly believe it existed. He feared he’d always be peering into shadows for the hidden enemy or listening for the almost silent, deadly snick of a landmine trip.

Falling back on the pillow, he stared at the posters on the opposite wall, illuminated by weak moonlight shining through the window. One was for a rock concert held in Omaha four years ago. He’d wanted to take Susan Swensen, but her father wouldn’t let her go the hundred-plus miles into the city with him. Too far, he’d said in his thick Scandinavian accent. Too much can go wrong with a car. Young people can get stranded. Alone.

The last was said with a long, thoughtful stare right into Tom’s soul. How had the man known of Tom’s evil intentions to fake a car breakdown in order to make time with his daughter? Eventually, when she was accepted into nursing school, Mr. Swensen had let Susan go to Omaha. By then, Tom had gone much farther. All the way to Hell, in fact.

The other poster hailed the Fighting Hawks, his high school football team, on which he’d been the star linebacker. Those were heady days. He’d made a great linebacker at the university, too, but a lousy scholar, which was what put him on academic probation and placed his ass squarely in the middle of that worthless strip of land called Vietnam.

Now he wouldn’t even make a linebacker. He skimmed his hand down his chest and across his stomach. Lean—skinny almost. Where once had been bulk there was sinewy muscle. He could still run, though. Oh, yeah, he got lots of practice running. From firing position to firing position, from cover to transport helicopters—black birds hovering over open kill zones to lift guys out of danger or drop them in—and from helicopter back to cover. Some days it seemed he ran the whole damn time.

It felt that way now. But what the hell was he running from?

About Anne and where to find her
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website (www.nomadauthors.com). Fortunately, Dee’s high school sweetheart is the love of her life and husband to all three ladies! Once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

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Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas

 

December is the Month of #Sharing

What happened to November? And December is zipping away. I loooove December, the sharing month. But there are never enough hours in the day. Shopping is taking longer now that I check the label to see where the item is made and then hunt for something comparable made in the USA. A difficult task, let me tell you. 

I'm desperately trying to write everyday. December is more family than career with the Solstice celebration with our son and his family and then Christmas with my mom and whoever else we can corral. I'm working on two projects, so in the spirit of December, I'll share a little of both which should be published not too far into 2022.

The third book in The MacKenzie Chronicles, Curse of Wolf Falls, is about Elidor, the youngest sibling and the most clairsentient. 

Elidor MacKenzie has a gift she can’t return. Her ability to absorb the energy from people around her, to take on their joy but also their pain and suffering, lies somewhere between a blessing and a curse. In Joshua, her clairsentient abilities are particularly keen which has kept her away from her family and drove her from the only man she ever loved. But Elidor is back. And in spite of a newfound quiet within, the threat she’s running from will stir the energies of Joshua once again.

This first draft of a blurb sounds rather paranormal. The book is romantic suspense with her gift woven in. I'll have to work on that.

Here is the beginning of the book:

Prologue

“Cameron!” Elidor MacKenzie screamed, as the excruciating sound of bones and flesh meeting rock vibrated in her ears. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” she chanted as she slid and clawed her way off the mountain to the flatland below where Cameron lay sprawled, arms and legs flung outward as if he’d just made a snow angel in the dust. 

Dropping to her knees, she bent close to his face. “Can you hear me? Please, please. Cam.” 

His eyelids fluttered but didn’t fully open. “Ellie,” he rasped. “You…were right…should…use r-ropes.” 

“Hush. It doesn’t matter now. Oh, thank the universe, you’re alive.” She touched his face. “I’ve got to get help.” 

“Wait,” he whispered, the words coming as if with great difficulty. “Get…me back…to camp…first.” 

“No, Cam, I have to call for help.” They were a half mile from where they’d pitched tents, in the shade of trees on the other side of a shallow stream. 

“Not here. Can’t…find us…here. Secret.” He rolled a few inches to his side, struggling to rise. His face contorted in pain. 

They agreed to keep the find in the mountain a secret, but she couldn’t do it at his expense. “But—” 

He shoved at her shoulder with more force than she imagined he could muster. 

“Okay. I’ll try.” She positioned herself above his head and shoulders, grabbed him under the arms, and helped him to sit. “This is stupid, just stupid.” His pain jabbed at her back and limbs—he’d cracked the wall of her empathic shell. Then his determination rocked her breathless.

I'm also working with fellow author Joyce Proell on a cozy mystery set in the imaginary town of Wyatt, Arizona. I'm having soooo much fun with this project. Two sisters meet each year on their birthdays at an infamous hotel in Wyatt for a chocolate martini and a weekend of sisterly sharing. This time, there is murder and mayhem. Leave it to the Chocolate Martini Sisters to solve the crime. 

These projects mean I am leaving 2021 on a good note and opening 2022 on an even better note!

 

Cole, Christmas, and a bit of Wicked Weather by Janet Raye Sevens #WickedWednesday #ChristmasRomance

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Love this take on wicked. Enjoy my guest post from Janet Raye Sevens!

I’m from the heart of New England—Massachusetts—where it’s a requirement to use the word “wicked” in a conversation several times a day, as a noun, verb, adjective, adverb and occasionally a preposition. We have a wicked lot of Dunkin’ Donuts shops, the Boston Red Sox are wicked awesome or wicked stinky, depending on how they’re doing this season, and we don’t just have weather, we have wicked weather. 

I’d like to focus on that last wicked for a moment, wicked weather. Snow, in particular. Specifically, snow in the form of a monster blizzard known as a nor’easter. I’ve lived through a ton of these east coast storms, so-called because the wind gusts blow from the northeast. I don’t know whose idea it was to drop a few letters from the word and add the apostrophe, but it gives the word an urgent feel that evokes the whistling rush of the wind and pelting snow. Just hearing the word (pronounced “naweasta” around these parts) makes you want to curl up in a warm spot (preferably by a roaring fire) and read a book. Or write one. 

When I set out to write what would become my sweet and funny holiday romance, Cole for Christmas, I had the premise, a case of mistaken identity, and I had the couple, a hot chef and a feisty event manager who butt heads while working a summer wedding. I had a stressed-out bride and an accident-prone groom. I even had a matchmaking grandma. But something was missing. The story needed a villain. 

That’s when my brain nudged me and said, uh, how about moving the wedding from July to December? How about making it a winter wedding with wicked weather? Aside from the awful alliteration, I thought, hey, good idea. What can be more villainous than a snowstorm, and not just any old snowstorm, but a major blizzard that whips up unexpectedly, threatening to ruin the whole wedding. Though to be fair to Mother Nature, there’s a wicked good chance of a snowstorm on Christmas Eve up in this neck of the woods, so planning a wedding then is kind of a risk. 

I had a lot of fun with my wicked snowstorm. It forced my hero and heroine to work together to keep the event on track and to find ways to keep the bride calm. The nor’easter gave them a common enemy to fight against, to commiserate over, and in one heated moment out in the storm’s chill, to share a fleeting kiss. 

In the end, the snow doesn’t defeat them, but it does bring them together. So maybe it’s not such a wicked villain after all. 

Cole for Christmas Blurb: 

Event coordinator Katy is called in to sub for her perfectionist sister at a Christmas Eve wedding in Portland, Maine. Chef Cole takes over from his temperamental boss for the same event. The problem? Each thinks the other is their prickly counterpart and they expect fireworks when they meet. It's the sparks that fly between them that's unexpected—and unwelcome. Katy's skittish after a bad breakup. Left at the altar, Cole has sworn off women for good. They both vow to just do their job and stay out of each other’s way. 

That plan goes awry as troubles mount. An unexpected nor’easter blows in, making roads slick and forcing wedding guests to stay home. Mix in a stressed-out bride, an accident-prone groom, a power outage, a matchmaking grandma, plus lots and lots of mistletoe, and what's supposed to be a magical Christmas Eve wedding fast becomes a Christmas nightmare.  

Forced to team up to put out the many fires, the blaze between Cole and Katy burns brighter as the evening wears on. Can they ignore their growing attraction and keep their relationship strictly professional? Or will they give in to the mistletoe and say I do to a Christmas kiss that promises more to come in the new year? 

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Cole-Christmas-Janet-Raye-Stevens/dp/1737310333/ref 

Janet Raye Stevens Bio & Social Media Links: 

Meet award-winning author Janet Raye Stevens, mom, reader, tea-drinker (okay, tea guzzler), and weaver of adventurous, occasionally heartbreaking, and stealthily romantic tales.

A Derringer Award nominee, Janet’s work has been recognized multiple times, including the Daphne du Maurier award and RWA's Golden Heart® award for Cole for Christmas. Janet writes mystery, time travel, paranormal, and the occasional Christmas romance with humor, heart, and a dash of suspense.

She lives in New England with her handsome better half and their equally impressive children.

Connect with Janet at: Website: https://janetrayestevens.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetrayestevens/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/janrayestevens

Using Memories When We Write by Judythe Morgan

MUSE MONDAY

So great to have Judythe Morgan as my guest today with a holiday post. I'm ready for the holidays! 

Holidays bring memories. Lots of mine involve participation in holiday programs with watching children and grandchildren or performing myself.

As writers we consciously, or unconsciously, use our memories when we plot our stories. I think every story I’ve written includes a personal memory disguised to fit. None more than When Love Endures, book 3 of the Fitzpatrick Family series.

One of my favorite holiday memories is playing a duet with my daughter at her piano recital. That memory provided the springboard for the plot.

Sarah Fitzpatrick, twin daughter and the family musician, is modeled after my daughter who is a pianist and music teacher. But similarities end there. My daughter did not know my son-in-law when she was in high school. 

In When Love Endures, Sarah meets her high school sweetheart again when his daughter enrolls in her school music class then takes piano lessons. Old feelings return, but Sarah must win the daughter over.

How she wins the daughter (and her dad) involves a Christmas duet. Check the excerpt below.

I hope a fond holiday memory comes to your mind when you read When Love Endures.

When Love Endures BOOK BLURB

Sarah Fitzpatrick, pianist extraordinaire, gave up on true love when her high school boyfriend, Nick Stephens, ran off to marry his pregnant ex-girlfriend. When his daughter shows up in her music class eleven years later, Sarah must find a way to keep the little girl and her widowed father out of her heart. She can’t risk losing everything again.

Nicks Stephens has other plans. Sarah is and always has been the love of his life and he’s back in Burton, TX to prove it. But there are secrets Nick must keep, from Sarah and his daughter, that could destroy everything he hopes to build.

Can their second chance survive new secrets?

Excerpt

When Love Endures

Sarah was good with her decision not to see Nick except on Sundays which loomed long and lonely without him, Rachel, and their afternoons of board games.

Reality became real. And it hurt.

When she spotted the child at school, Rachel would look away. But not before Sarah saw the blame in her eyes. The child believed all the misery in her life was Sarah’s fault. Rachel might never see her mother’s alcohol addiction as the true cause. One day Sarah'd be at peace with all that.

Not today.

Today she missed Nick’s smile. She missed them both. She yearned to call him to see how things were going with Rachel. Was she still playing her baby grand? Had Nick signed off on his merger with the French company?

As much as she wanted to know, she wouldn’t accept his calls the way things were now. After the first few texts with declarations of his love and office party reminders, she’d stopped reading. Rachel had to be on board or being together could never work.

With renewed determination, she refocused on finding a closing for the Christmas program. Playing a Christmas duet with Rachel to surprise Nick had been so perfect.

Becca leaned her shoulder against Sarah’s office doorframe. “Whatcha doing? Every time you disappear, I find you in here digging through old school Christmas programs and notes. Don’t tell me you’re organizing files. Something’s wrong.”

“You mean besides the obvious? I’ve broken it off with Nick. Rachel hates me.” She held her hand up to stop Becca from answering. “My program finale idea isn’t going to work anymore, and I can’t seem to come up with a new one.”

Becca’s arms crossed. “Let me guess. Rachel was going to play.”

Sarah nodded. No point in keeping it a secret now. “We were doing a Christmas duet. It was a surprise for Nick.”

“That’s a major bummer. I see why you’re scrambling. There’s always the old standby of Santa or an elf appearing.”

“The best finales are ones where a student is involved. I have better attendance. Anticipating the surprise always draws everyone in. But another student wouldn’t have enough time to prepare.”

“Maybe Nick or Ms. Lorene could—”

“No.” Sarah shook her head. “I won’t ask them. Even if she agreed, it’d give Nick false hope. I won’t do that. I’ll figure something out.” 

About Your Book  

Title: When Love Endures

Author: Judythe Morgan

Publisher: The Danfield Press

Release Date: February 8, 2021

Genre: Holiday Romance

Series/Stand-Alone: The Fitzpatrick Family Series

Target Audience: PG, Ages 12+ 

Buy links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Love-Endures-Fitzpatrick-Family-ebook/dp/B08W9MP12F/

B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-love-endures-judythe-morgan/1138790688

BOOKBUB    https://www.bookbub.com/books/when-love-endures-fitzpatrick-family-sarah-the-fitzpatrick-family-by-judythe-morgan 

GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57020058-when-love-endures

Author Bio:

Judythe Morgan was an Army brat then Army wife. She’s traveled a lot of this world. She’s been a teacher, an antiques dealer, former mayor's wife, and sometimes-church pianist. Her diverse experiences have made her life full, her characters vivid, and her stories authentic and award-winning. 

Besides fiction, she writes a weekly blog at www.judythewriter.com  Sign up for her free newsletter at www.judythemorgan.com to keep up with her latest news and subscriber-only sneak peeks. 

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Slip of the Tongue by Jo Hiestand

 FEARLESS FRIDAY

Fearless and funny sums up today's post by guest Jo Hiestand. A Fearless trek up many steps, and it ends with a funny conclusion.

You can never be too careful about your word choices when traveling abroad. 

My friends and I were in Edinburgh, Scotland, and had climbed to the top of the Sir Walter Scott monument. It’s a huge Victorian Gothic-style edifice, two hundred feet tall that shelters a statue of Scott, rather like a four-legged hen hovering over her egg.

There are other monuments to people all over the world, of course, but the thing I really like about the Scott Monument is that you can wend your way nearly up to the top of the structure. This is accomplished by staggering up two hundred eighty-seven steps via a spiral staircase in the monument’s core. I think I counted them at the beginning, but soon stopped due to needing to focus on trying to breathe.

Breathing problem aside…you don’t have to trudge up the entire thing in one go. There are numerous viewing platforms at various levels, branching out from the corkscrewing climb. No matter which platform you stop at to gasp for air and subdue your burgeoning vertigo, you get a magnificent view of the city.

In addition to the Victorian chiseled stone curlicues and such adorning the monument, it’s also covered in sixty-eight statues: various Scottish writers, historical people, fictional characters and animals. I didn’t see them all, but they are there if you want to check them off your list.

Anyway, back to the excitement of my adventure… We climbed to the top, which was no mean feat, because the staircase is very narrow. Every time we met someone coming down the steps, we literally pressed our backs against the wall, flattening ourselves as best we could to increase passing space. I figured this could be how bats feel when clinging to such walls.

Back on the ground, I wanted to get some photos of the whimsical stone gargoyles that decorate the monument’s exterior.  To get some close-up shots, I had to change the lens in my camera to a telephoto lens. So, I sat on a bench near the monument and switched lenses.  The area evidently was popular and seemed to be a great place for older folks to sit and talk, perhaps feed the pigeons, and wait for the buses.  My friends were anxious to go to the Castle, situated at the upper end of the Royal Mile, and nagged me to hurry up, take the photos, and come on.  I got up from the bench and turned toward the Monument. This, unfortunately, placed the older adults in front of me. Without thinking, I said, “I just want to take a photo of these old gargoyles.”  I’m probably the first St Louisan who’s been cussed out in Gaelic.

I mention the incident in my US-based amateur sleuth cozy mystery novel Shortbread And Dead, when a town resident talks about a song he’s writing.

Shortbread And Dead: A Cookies And Kilts Cozy Mystery 

It’s two weeks before Christmas. In the small Missouri town of Beaudin Trace, the holiday spirit is revving up: shops are adorned in seasonal decorations and the annual Winter Scavenger Hunt is in full swing. This year, the grand prize for the hunt winner is provided by The Cookie Cutter, a bakery owned by 40-year-old widow Kate Dunbar. It’s her first time to supply the prize since moving to the town several years ago. And she’s thrilled to give Pam, the winner, something Pam loves: a huge basket filled with muffins, scones, jams and hot chocolate mix…and shortbread.

But the thrill doesn’t last long, for an hour later Pam’s found dead outside the bakery—conveniently close to Kate and her employees.

Despite pleas and stern warnings from her friend, Deputy Sheriff Josh Cline, Kate decides to investigate, needing to discover who murdered such a beloved resident, and taking the heat off her and her staff before her business crumbles.

Complicating her inquiry is the string of cookie cutter-style art gallery burglaries in surrounding towns. Are they linked to Pam’s murder? Perhaps Harold—the affable retiree who writes outlandish songs such as “Penguins, Arise!”—has something to do with both incidents: it wouldn’t be the first time beautiful icing has disguised a burnt cookie.

As Kate hunts for the killer, she uncovers secrets that reveal the killer’s identity. The trouble is, that revelation may turn her into victim #2.

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Wickedly Wonderful Acts of Kindness by Jill Piscitello #PayItForward #WickedWednesday

WICKED WEDNESDAY

I have a wonderfully wicked guest post for you today. How about wickedly good? Please welcome, Jill Piscitello, and her great ideas.

A finite list of kind acts doesn’t exist.  Below are a few simple ideas to positively impact another person’s life. 

Extracurricular Activities:

Consider sponsoring an extracurricular activity or donating new or used equipment for a student in need.  Countless benefits impact children who participate in after school activities including team building skills, responsibility, and increased self-confidence.  Sports, dance, gymnastics, theater, and music lessons are just a few options that may have a lasting positive impact.

Senior Living:

Do you have a skill or talent to share? Days can be long and monotonous for long term care residents.  Think about the joy you could bring to someone’s day by playing the piano, guitar, and or singing.  Seniors enjoy crafts such as jewelry making, flower arranging, and other activities that inspire creativity.  Trivia and other games are always welcome.

Perhaps you are not comfortable speaking to a group of people.  Entertainment comes in many forms.  Reading material is often limited.  Consider donating used books, magazine subscriptions, or newspaper subscriptions.  My experience has shown that many residents are not using electronic reading devices.  But newspapers are voraciously read and shared.  Many nursing homes show a movie during the week and welcome donated DVDs.  Add a tray of cookies or pastries and turn an ordinary day into something special. 

Beyond the Holiday Toy Drive:

The holidays bring many toy donations to various charities.  Your local Veteran’s Association and Big Brother Big Sister organizations are wonderful places to send gently used clothing.  Consider the list below when thinking outside the box for donations to homeless shelters, etc.  Your help is needed all year—not only during the month of December when toy drives are publicized.

Character Sheets – A child spending his or her first night in a homeless shelter may find some small measure of comfort in a bed with clean sheets depicting a favorite superhero or cartoon character. 

General Bedding – Blankets, plain sheets, pillows, and pillowcases are in high demand. 

Diapers and Wet Wipes – It goes without saying that diapers are expensive.  A mother with limited cash flow may be forced to ration her baby’s diapers.  Imagine the level of discomfort and resulting rashes. 

Hygiene Products

·        Soap

·        Shampoo

·        Razors

·        Shaving Cream

·        Toothbrushes

·        Toothpaste

·        Deodorant

·        Socks

·        Underwear

·        Feminine Products 

New Hats and Mittens – Secondhand clothes in good condition are gladly accepted by most people regardless of their financial situation.  Your child wore that suit once and now it doesn’t fit?  Sure, we’ll take it!  Used hats and mittens?  Not so much.  By the end of a winter season, hats have been sitting on sweaty heads and gloves/mittens are filthy from their travels.  These items are inexpensive and should be donated with tags still attached.

 Additional Suggestions

·        New pajamas

·        Gently used clothing

·        Snack items bought in bulk (such as boxes of granola bars from Costco)

·        Cleaning supplies

·        Monetary donations

·        Volunteer your time 

Thank you, Jill. Now let's hear about your book, Homemakers' Christmas.

A recent error in judgement has deposited Cricket Williams, her daughter, and a son spiking a high fever into a homeless shelter. A touch of Christmas magic is sprinkled upon her family when an eccentric volunteer invites them into her New England farmhouse. Blindsided with the proposition of a contractual living arrangement, Cricket is seized with renewed hope for her future. 

Boris Glynn is in town visiting his grandmother but harbors a secret that will impact her life and the lives of his dearest friends. Complications arise when he is unable to restrain himself from pursuing his grandmother’s beautiful new neighbor. 

As Cricket begins to succumb to Boris’s attention, her new world is shaken by a series of events that have the potential to destroy her plans for a fresh start. 

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