TODAY I’M POSTING something completely different from a regular Friday post. Writing books—romance books—featuring mature couples because I have a book coming up with a mature heroine. I suggest pouring a beverage if you plan to stick around. This is long. I wrote this post at least a month ago to fill in for a Friday post. Today is the day.
If this was a 52-Week Blog Challenge post, the topic this week is: Bucket List Have or Have Not, so it’s a variation of a previous topic. I’ve posted my Bucket List in a previous year.
When I say “couple” as female and male in this post or on my blog, I do so because it is what I write so it fits my blog. We all know romance and falling in love can happen to anyone and everyone no matter who you love.
I’ve been researching the genre called Seasoned Romance. Here’s an example.
Some websites write that the characters in this genre/sub-genre are over forty and up. Some even say thirties.
If thirty is the case, all of my books are Seasoned Romances because none of my main characters have been under thirty except for Natale in Christmas at Love House, A Bittersweet Interlude.
She isn’t really a main character but an important secondary character because the story is partially about her too.
Now, at this point in my multiple series, the heroines and heroes are in their mid-thirties and beyond. My brand-new upcoming series hero in book one is forty. His sister is older than him by two years. There are three younger brothers.
In searching Amazon, numerous books came up under Seasoned Romance. I noticed some “sponsored products” or “advertised products” showed a short description specifying the main characters as forty in those books.
I guess I write seasoned romance. Who knew? Ha-ha.
I’m mentioning this because my upcoming heroine is in her sixty’s. That’s right Double Dutch Ranch readers. Through the progress of the series, Judy Carlson has slipped into a new decade and a few years beyond. She’s far from old. To avoid the idea that she may be lonely, she distracts herself with her grandkids, the horses, and the ranch because she still pines for her first love, Bill Carlson.
Nonetheless, Judy discovers much about herself while rediscovering what she’s missed for well over a decade. This lady is not beyond eyeing a hard body, or a worn ranch foreman’s strong arms from tossing bales of hay for a lifetime, or sexy eyes on a distinguished looking man with salt and pepper hair.
My goodness, she isn’t dead! Once accepting it, she’s thrilled about her new internal and external revelations.
My debacle is in questioning whether I can call this book a Seasoned Romance because my cowboys get a say throughout the story in their POVs.
I can’t write her story, this story, without letting her family talk and share their own thoughts, and they have many. It’s because of their ages and their role in the story, that made me think I couldn’t call this book a Seasoned Romance.
Research has told me it’s okay.
This one is about Judy as the main character, but they all have their own little stories with updates about their lives going on—in their words.
However, I don’t consider my other books to be Seasoned Romance and haven’t promoted them as such. Maybe I should.
A year ago or more, when I mentioned writing this book to a woman some years younger than me, but still a senior, she told me she could never read about an older couple and especially an older couple having sex, so she wouldn’t buy a book in my character’s age group—my sixty-some-year-old heroine. She’s an author of steamy romance, so she isn’t against reading or writing love scenes, but this thing called Seasoned Romance would not appeal to her. I bet she isn’t alone in her thinking.
Let me tell you…
Like Judy, I had become a dating senior woman with two men younger than me, and then I became a wife. Honey, I’m not dead or blind, either.
No, I didn’t date them at the same time! One relationship lasted for five years. The other one I married six months after meeting. I’ve lived through my own seasoned romances.
Regroup. Ah, there we go…
I can’t speak for all, but women in Judy’s age group and older, still crave passion and desire and have a lot to give in that department. Match that up with a lifetime of experience while still having the ability to keep on learning. I learned some new things. Whew! We’ll stop there.
I hope this leaves you–dear Double Dutch Ranch reader and new readers–curious as to how I handled sensuality in the book—referring to Judy, of course. I wondered how I’d write it too. Once I followed the characters wants and needs, I had no problem.
Her sons are still hot-blooded-sexy and their heroines are sexual and sensual even in their late thirties and forties. This doesn’t change in my upcoming book within their POVs. I can’t believe I said “even” in their late thirties and forties. To me, that age group is not…uh, um…for lack of a better word, senior.
I use the words steamy, sexy, sexual, and sensual, but I don’t write erotic romance.
To some, my books are more sensual than they’d like. To others, it isn’t enough. So, I write what is right for me and my characters.
Most of you following my blog don’t read romance, or my romance, I should say. For those of you who do read romance whether sweet, steamy, or anything in between, would you read a romance about a couple in their sixties and beyond? Maybe, like me, you wouldn’t know until you read one.
Any thoughts?
Yes, even though I do LOVE COWBOYS and the whole western environment, I’ll read other books. Most of my Kindle and iPad books are western unless I have purchased books by fellow author friends who write different genres of contemporary romance.
I, as a writer, still need to slip into other worlds now and then.
At the time I read those books, I never gave a thought to writing a seasoned romance until readers asked me to write about older couples. It wasn’t called seasoned then. Maybe mature romance? Unfortunately, in a search for mature romance, what came up wasn’t what I had expected. <eye roll>
You might find this website interesting. It features Author Nan Reinhardt. Is Seasoned Romance a Real Thing? Coincidentally, Jacquie Biggar, hosted Nan Reinhardt on her blog today.
I have read a couple of Nan Reinhardt’s books and thoroughly enjoyed them.
A couple of the authors at these links might be members of Marketing for Romance Writers group, but we’ve never corresponded. I came across these links while searching the topic of seasoned romance and recognized names, but I didn’t post the links because of recognizing them, but because it gave you a couple sites to take a peek at if you’re curious. Maybe you’ll take a chance on reading a seasoned romance with mature couples.
Maybe when Judy’s book comes out, you’ll take a chance on reading one of mine.
I have covers for my other two upcoming books coming in 2019, but I’m not revealing them yet. I don’t have a cover yet for Judy’s book.
Thanks for sitting through this. Enjoy your weekend. 💙
Images from Pixabay.
Howdy! It’s a record-breaking heat wave where I am along with much of the country. 🔥 We’re used to heat but not this high. Stay cool! I don’t remember if I ever experienced 107 degree temps before, but once while visiting Sacramento, CA, it was 104. I noticed! We had a storm roll through last night and many are out of power. They need prayers to get it connected. Another one is expected today. Recently I told my oldest who lives in California that I’d probably move there in a couple years. I guess Mother Nature is breaking me in and preparing me for the summer temps.
THIS MONTH, I’m featuring Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas, a Second Chance Romance—the first book in the Spin Off to the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight. Wow, a featured book I haven’t mentioned yet this month. Shame on me. Bad blogger!
I’ll change that today.
It isn’t necessary to save Whispers of Forever for Christmastime reading because it doesn’t only revolve around the holiday. It revolves around two people and a young boy getting a second chance.
I love this book, but where did I get the idea?
Simple answer. From a song that interrupted that “almost asleep” stage. I grabbed my phone and jotted down the idea, but once I started writing, it went in a different direction.
Who doesn’t deserve a second chance?
Beth and Jake do. Especially when it should’ve been them all along. Against their will, they had been ripped apart from each other. Thirteen years later, Beth moves back to Canyon Junction, our small-town setting. Jake never left, except for those few years after Beth moved—the times he doesn’t like to remember—the times when he attempted to drown himself in a bottle or kill himself as a reckless cowboy with a passion for saddle bronc riding.
The snippet doesn’t feature Beth, but in the book, by now, they had unexpectedly come face-to-face since she had returned. This short piece deals with Jake and his child.
After feeding and watering their horses, they came in from the barn. Trace got a bath. Then Jake took a shower while his boy ate ice cream in front of the TV. He stood at the mirror in the small bathroom downstairs about to put shaving cream on his face.
A shattering scream ripped from Trace’s throat, “Daddy! Daddy? Dad…”
What the hell? Jake dropped his razor and rushed into the living room. “What’s the matter? Why are you watching the news, bud?” He glanced at the screen. Breaking News. “What happened?”
Trace stood in front of the TV pointing. He didn’t say anything more, but his chin dimpled and quivered.
Jake’s feet had been knocked out from under him, and he dropped to the sofa. Blood drained from his face, and it all dropped to his feet. His head spun, and he was unable to believe what he saw. Oh, my God. “Come here, T.J.” He reached out to bring him close, to hold him, to embrace him.
“A plane crash. Is it Austin’s plane?” he asked, close to hysteria. “It is his! Dad?” He read out loud, “Piper PA32,” as information scrolled across the bottom of the report. Trace turned toward his dad, his face wet with tears, his body trembling.
“Here, let’s change the channel.” Jake’s phone rang before he got the remote. He lost all focus, but his gaze couldn’t leave the TV screen. What was left of the plane looked like the one in the picture he had held in his hand earlier, and he let the phone ring.
Trace answered before Jake could grab it, “Mommy, is it you?” He held the phone out to his dad with a terrified blankness in his eyes. “Grandpa Bill wants to talk to you.”
Jake took the phone. Everything moved in slow motion from that point on. “Hello…”
End of excerpt.
Sorry for the cliffhanger ending here. 😁 You’ll never find a cliffhanger ending at the end of one of my books.
Description
What can stand in their way this time?
Second Chance Romance
Rancher Jake Lawton never expects to become a single dad to his nine-year-old overnight. However, one last malicious act his wife had done before leaving them, could affect both he and his son’s lives. By chance, he runs into his high school sweetheart, never expecting the same old yearnings to return with one “How are ya?” embrace. Has their unanticipated meeting arrived at the perfect time, or has years apart put an end to what should’ve been years ago?
Beth Marconi arrives home to help care for her ailing father. In town, she inadvertently runs into her first love—the cowboy she nearly married after graduation. Sparks ignite before they say hello, but how do they start over when life has left them so bruised? When her ex comes to town, she’s forced to explain the secret surrounding her short-lived marriage. Is Jake the kind of man who will understand, or will he revert to the hell-raiser he had become when Beth left thirteen years ago?
Filled with both anguish and hope, a young boy and two lonely hearts pursue a second chance.
Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series
A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin off novel.
Check out this book and the other spin off series books HERE.
Thank you for visiting!
I’m late with posting to the blog hop, but here I am now with a 52-Week Blog Challenge post. Taking part this late means I missed the Linky Sign up deadline.
Let’s begin:
This topic came around a year or two ago, but I can’t find the post referring to it.
No, I don’t put me, the actual person into my stories. Nope. Not as “myself,” but events in my life and more, aspects of my personality, or the way I think about things–negatively and positively, have turned up in many of them.
I admit, some aspects of my personality do come out in my story. How can it not? I know myself so well.
This happened outside of the book and in the interim between books four and five, so readers never experience the event. Readers will find glimpses of the aftermath through the eyes of the Carlson family. I’m sure this will move avid readers of the series and make them ask “why?” Because:
These are some ways I add similarities to events I’ve experienced either first-hand or how I saw it through the eyes of someone else, but I tend to keep a lot of me hidden. To the best of my knowledge, my heroines are more themselves than me, because a girl can’t give away all her secrets.
As always, we can find the other participants at this Linky Link on the main Marketing for Romance Writers Blog. #MFRWauthor
Thanks for reading!
October 2019!
I have the boots in the picture above! That says it all. <wink> As much as I hate to admit it, getting dressed up is more of a chore than a pleasure. I’ve lost weight and have more to lose, so I’d have to buy a new dressy dress outfit. Don’t get me wrong, I love shopping, and yes, I should be prepared for a pop-up night out without running to the store first. Who am I fooling? I’m not good with unexpected proposals to go out.
The dressiest affair I have ever attended was my best friend’s daughter’s summer wedding. Yes, dressier than my own small wedding. I wore a sexy little size six, short red dress and climbed up into my shiny “red” Ram pickup truck–my Lady in Red, while my husband’s mouth watered in the driveway. Haha. He chose not to accompany me. His loss. My first love was there. He noticed and complimented! True story.
Preparing back in the day had been a pleasure. I remember my youngest son, a young man of around eighteen then, taking me aside at the wedding, saying, “Mom, men are checking you out.” He was the one shocked.
As recent as last week, my daughter-in-law came to town for work. She wanted to take me out for my birthday. In this case, I knew it would be fun, and I was happy to see her, so getting somewhat dressed up for this occasion had been a pleasure.
Being a stay-at-home writer, my daily dress is casual. Choosing to dress up to go out now means I have to get away from my characters to do something for myself. Remaining casual has become a habit, so it’s more normal for me to throw on a nice but casual outfit to go out with friends. It’s been ages since I’ve gone to a classy or dressy affair.
The thought of searching for clothing for an extravagant or glitzy outing, is definitely a chore. I wish it was different, but I’ve grown accustom to this lifestyle, and it’s the norm. It’s hard to break out of the habit of dressing casual and comfortable. Loungewear comes on when the sun goes down and never sees the outside.
The last time I went to the opera or symphony, I dressed business-casual and looked nice, but getting ready had been a chore, so I was torn between it being a chore or pleasurable. I glitzed the business aspect of it up a level with jewelry, dressy coat, and more dramatic makeup. As I “came together” that night, I felt great about how I looked.
At the opera and symphony, you see a bit of everything from jeans to long formal dresses. I fit somewhere in between, and it was a pleasure. In my dreams, I’d dress like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman or Cher in Moonstruck and head out the door with my head held high.
In reality, dressing up is a chore these days, but I’m happy to go through the chore of preparing for the 
right occasion. How about you, dear blog readers. Oh, what about men? Is it a chore or a pleasure for you to get dressed up? I’m curious to know. Guys, I have to tell you and this is my opinion, but… Seeing you in a tux never gets old. <grin>
Hop on over to follow this LINK to the other blog hop participants.
Thanks for reading!
Happy belated Canada Day to my Canadian friends across the river from me, and a Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Americans.
I hope none of you were in the earthquake in California.
Be safe everyone.
Sorry to have missed last Friday’s topic about planning a dream wedding. I was too busy planning a fictional wedding. ❤ I did write the post though so maybe one day I’ll post it anyway.
This really isn’t the topic for me though I’ve received the call of acceptance twice. Years ago, when publishing was soooo different, I turned down one call of acceptance. Yes, they actually called. Turns out, they wanted more money for editing than what they’d pay me. Yes, they made money on editing over publishing, though they called themselves a publisher.
LISTEN TO ME if you’re just starting… Stay away from them. They should pay you not the other way around. I’m glad I had enough smarts to walk away.
Another time, well, I can’t say I had a call of acceptance, but an editor at one of the biggest New York publishing companies had requested my complete manuscript. He suggested changes in the manuscript and then to send it back to him. That’s a big deal. It was a big deal!
The way my luck runs, I shouldn’t have been surprised. #WritersLife Hah! I had finished with all his suggestions, and my manuscript had been ready to go, but I learned that he had moved to a different publishing company. OMG. Lickity split. He’d left me. Ha-ha. It felt like he’d left me.
I still sent it to a different editor there and explained my plight, but two years later, after I had contacted them, they sent my manuscript back with a rejection. He or she, I don’t remember now, didn’t like my story as much as the first guy. Sigh.
In the interim of searching for an agent and a publisher, I had received many rejections, requests to read more of my manuscript, and more rejections.
Keyword here: I didn’t give up. Don’t give up.
However, I got another call some YEARS later and should have walked away then too. I didn’t, but it was my opening—my beginning, and how it changed my life. My new beginning wasn’t with them because later, I paid them to get my rights back to two books they’d published. I say it was my beginning because I left them to make my own dream come true.
Did you pay attention? To make my OWN dream come true. Kindle Direct Publishing came around at the perfect time for me. I didn’t know anything about publishing on my own.
Back then, and even now, some turn their noses up at self-published authors. Whether anyone wants to face it or not, it’s true.
So, yes, I’ve received the call a couple times but I don’t like to talk about those times because as I said above: I made my OWN dream come true.
Each of us has to do what works best for us. Me? I’m too old now to wait for others to make decisions about my writing career, and I’ll be even older on Saturday. 🎂
Thanks for stopping by to read another #MFRWauthor post in the blog hop. Find links to the other authors in the hop, HERE.
I’m excited over recent news– My November release has been edited and is with the proofreader now.
A brand-new heartwarming Christmas Novella moments ago came back from my editor and a cover is being made for it. Yay.
And two weeks ago, a frightening call-back to have a test redone freaked me out. It came back fine. How scary and stressful that previous week had been.
Last but not least, my daughter-in-law has been in town this week for work, and she took me out for a birthday dinner last night. How sweet! (They live out of state.)
This month on my website and blog, I’m featuring the Bull Rider Series Boxed Set. Today I’m sharing a short snippet from the third book in the series. These are the new covers for anyone who hasn’t seen them yet. I love the font my designer used for the titles.
Snippet Set Up: Reece (Foley) Wilson was the youngest bull rider on Caulder McCutchen’s team. He appears in each book in the series. Caulder has taken the kid under his wing. Now it’s Christmas and four years after the second book, and Foley is spending the holiday at Caulder’s family ranch in the Snowy Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania. The guys decided to do a practice bull ride.
Caulder and Velia have many family members visiting at Love House for Christmas. They never expected a new love to bloom between two of their guests. Velia’s three younger cousins, Torre, Natale, and Alba are in this scene. Natale recently turned eighteen.
If you haven’t met Velia and Caulder by now, how come? Haha, teasing!
Available at Amazon.
Let’s ride!
“Both you girls, step back,” said Caulder. “Pictures later. You don’t just come up here to take pictures. Did you ever see a bull bucking in the chute for crying out loud? A horn could take you out in a minute. Ask Velia all about it.”
Alba made a face and wrinkled her nose at Caulder. “Okay, bossy.”
Teenagers! He’d give her bossy later. Aiden stood beside Caulder when Foley eased down on the bull. He held tight to Foley’s vest. Torre came over to act as the front safety guy, ready to hold him back if the bull bucked in the chute while Foley rosined his rope.
“Come on, Foley,” said Caulder. “Like you told me on my last ride of the season, ‘you can do this.’”
“Got it.” Getting the bull rope rosined up, he tightened, wrapped, and secured it in his hand. “This feels damn good to be on a bull again with all y’all around.” Once the rope was how he wanted it, he glanced at Natale then nodded to the gate man. “Go!”
Caulder stepped back when the bull bucked out the gate. “Looking good!” This was like old times when Foley had been his teammate, but either way, he held his breath and said a silent prayer. “Come on, hold on, Foley. Hold on to that rage…”
The eight second buzzer rang. He loosened the rope on his hand. The crazy bull gave one last buck. Foley got hung up. He ended up running, or more like being dragged alongside the bull. Natale screamed from the sidelines. One of Aiden’s ranch hands followed with the horse and Jase rode another one.
Foley got his hand free on his own and fell back on his ass. Sitting in the sand, he removed his helmet, got up slowly, and slapped his chest with pride. A flashing smile lit his face as he held his helmet above his head. The first thing he did was seek out Natale.
“Yeah, baby, you did it!” She jumped up and down at the chute shoving her fists into the air.
Baby? Caulder glanced back and forth from Foley to Velia’s cousin. Their gaze stayed connected until Foley came out of the ring. She took two steps down at a time and ran to him the second her foot hit the ground. Caulder shook his head but cheered to himself. Those two reminded him of him and Velia back some years ago when this had all been new to her. Like Velia, Natale had it bad for a cowboy.
He went down the steps and to where they stood to break them up. “All right, all right, let me in here you two. Damn, Foley that was a good ride.” Caulder embraced them both and when he parted, he took both of their shoulders to bring them back together. “Carry on.” He winked at Natale and mussed up Foley’s hair like he was a kid.
Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude #3.
Read a sample.
Thanks for stopping by today!
Here’s a short video showing how to wrap the tail of the bull rope in your hand. Remember, the bull is not standing there waiting for you to take care of business. One of your buddies is standing on the gate pulling the end of your rope tight between wraps. Sometimes, if the rider takes too much time, a judge sets a timer for, I think, sixty-seconds. If you don’t make it out of the chute, you forfeit the ride and points if you would’ve ridden the bull for eight-seconds. Haha, this excites me so much, I could talk about it forever!
Images: Dreamstime.com
Tressa Garnett/Kimber Sinclair
Finding Kimber #2
Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series
A Double Dutch Ranch Spin off Series
Kimber lives with a secret.
Tressa Garnett’s secret began the night she’d intended on turning in her criminal boyfriend to the cops. She’s college educated and an intelligent woman, but she never saw his betrayal coming.
Her plan backfired. His succeeded.
Now, because of him, she has an image behind her eyes she’ll never forget.
The event that night, took her away from everything and everyone she loved.
Due to this betrayal, Tressa Garnett changed her identity and her appearance in order to survive and make a new life as Kimber Kay Sinclair.
Kimber had been employed as a traveling credit union auditor, so she was used to rules. However, her new words to live by are: Tell no one. Trust no one. Follow the rules, follow the rules, follow the damn rules and you’ll survive!
Swept away from Oregon to a rundown ranch in a small town in Arizona, she’s starting over. The only thing making her life bearable is two horses that remained with the ranch, and the quaint little adobe home on the property.
Zach Bryson, the ranch foreman hired to help her, and show her the ropes, so to speak, is nothing more than a hot-headed smartass too handsome for his own good…and too nosy for her liking.
Coming in contact with Zach before her identity change, makes keeping her secrets twice as hard.
Uncomfortable around him, she watches each step she takes, each word, to prevent from triggering his memory of her. Except for that one time…
She lives in fear of being found out, but she’s a fighter. Her life depends on her not being a quitter.
She’s friendly but careful.
Tressa loathes living a lie.
She tries to find Kimber and forces Tressa out of her life.
Kimber wants to be a mom and have her own family one day.
She misses her parents and younger sister so badly and sometimes wants to throw her hands up at this new life and return to them.
Kimber fears anyone she befriends will also become a target if she is found out, so she keeps a tall wall around herself.
However, soon after, and doing her best to acclimate to this new life, the Carlson family from the Double Dutch Ranch befriend her. Kimber’s leery and untrusting at first though she’s willing to give friendship a try.
Against her will, she envies their happy family when she is so alone.
As if she didn’t have enough problems, she finds it hard to resist Zach’s cocky charm. She doesn’t know if she can ever trust a man again–especially when her ruggedly handsome foreman keeps digging for answers. Not to mention, his shoulders are damn strong and desirously comforting.
Kimber wakes each day with one question. Will this be the day she gets a bullet in her head.
Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series #2
A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off Novel.
Meet our other heroines by clicking this link.
It’s hard to believe 2019 is nearly half over. Counting by week for this 52-Week Blog Challenge makes me more aware of time slipping by. How about you?
Right away, I wanted to write “gardening is a pain.” The older I get, the more of a chore planting becomes. Then I thought, no, it wasn’t painful because although I didn’t inherit my dad’s green thumb, I miss planting flowers and having plants. He could grow anything and took great pleasure in gardening.
However, I don’t have to think pain or pleasure, anymore, because I live in an apartment without a yard.
As a young wife and mom, I had always planted flowers around my house—petunias, pansies, and other types in the backyard. Impatiens were planted in the front because of shade, and I planted geraniums and assorted flowers in pots for my porch, steps, and deck. Each year I’d pick a color scheme and add a variety of colors to blend in with whatever color I chose for my main color. Back then, my husband took care of the vegetable garden, so we reaped those rewards too.
Before moving last summer, I had an apartment with a small front yard, so I planted assorted flowers in two big ceramic planters for my patio. I had a single shepherd’s hook for hanging a good-sized pot in the sun and a double hook with smaller pots for the shade. Oh, I had one lone Tropicana rose bush that was there when I moved in.
This year, my indoor non-garden consists of the ceramic planter in my dining room with artificial ferns. As you can see, the ceramic planter still has poinsettia’s. They give a pop of color until I can replace them. Another outside planter I brought with me now sits on my awesome window ledge which is like a window seat.
I switch out seasonal artificial flowers. The expense of buying artificial plants and flowers is painful, but they last a long time.
This double hook still needs small planters.
I moved the double hook for a picture. It usually sits in my living room because it was a gift I like looking at.
Outside, I have plenty of nature’s garden to view out my front and side windows. This hides two huge trees in the front, one ahead of the brown area on the left.
Is it a wonder a squirrel built a nest in my car engine?
Yes, sometimes the work of gardening had been a pain, but it wasn’t a bad enough pain to make me stop—until I had to.
This is a blog hop. Find links to the other blogs on the Marketing for Romance Writers Blog.
Photo credits: ©Mary J. Dressel
Hands with small flowerpots: Pixabay rawpixel
November 2019
Late 2019
