Mary J. McCoy-Dressel ~ Contemporary Romance

Tag: #AmWriting

• Short Snippet Saturday: Moving On ~ Our Ranch Mom Makes A Decision

  Posted at 10:00 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on January 11, 2020

  

  Howdy! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas or holiday that you celebrate and a Happy New Year. Welcome 2020! 🎉

  “You’re off to Great Places!
  Today is your day!
  Your mountain is waiting,
  So… get on your way!”
  ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

  ---

  Here’s a rare short snippet from a work in progress. I’ve lived with these characters for eight books now. Three of those are from the spin off series books. Nine, if we count Judy’s presence in Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude–the Bull Rider Series–a crossover book where she and Jase visit her sister-in-law, Dolly for the holidays.

  Today, I’m featuring our ranch matriarch Judy Carlson. The book is finished and ready to go to the editor depending on her schedule. Oh, it has a title I love!

  Judy has pined for her husband Bill since the day she’d lost him, so moving on wasn’t part of her life’s agenda. However, one of my favorite parts in this book is when Judy makes a particular decision.

  I say one of my favorite parts, but there are lots more.

  She had many to make in the book. Indeed, I once had to make the same decision and some others that Judy had to make.

  

  It’s been a long time coming, so those of you who are waiting patiently, please hang in there a while longer.

  

  Snippet:

  In her bedroom, she sat at the vanity and peered into the oval mirror. Hadn’t she done this a lot lately? This time, she opened her worn wooden jewelry box with the rose inlay on the top, given to her by her grandmother. The creaky hinge evoked memories of her. She removed the gold band from her finger and peered at the empty spot—the tan line a reminder—on her hand. Judy sighed as she sought a name for the emotions washing over her. Sadness. Gladness.

  

  Bittersweet tears welled in her eyes as she recognized contentment over her decisions of late. She gently lowered the band into its faded white cushioned spot. She smiled, closed the lid on the box, again with the squeaky hinge, and tucked it into the bottom drawer. Judy laid her hand over the box a moment before closing it in and out of sight. Staring at herself in the mirror, she whispered, “It’s a new day.”

  

  I can relate to Judy in many ways. I’ve been through some roller coaster emotions of my own while writing Book Five. Like Judy, I wanted my grown boys to approve of me remarrying. Neither my boys nor I had to deal with most of what Judy had/has to deal with–one is choosing the right man out of two.

  You didn’t think I’d give my ranch mom and easy time of it, did you? I’ve apologized to her a few times.

  I know if my situation was the same, my boys would’ve jumped in like Tristan, Jase, and Dane. I do remember my youngest son stepping in and asking me to ask myself a question before I said “I do” the second time. In addition, he asked several times if I was sure.

  Judy’s guy: Showing more of the picture would give too much away for readers of the series. In real life, the model is a personal trainer, so you know I had to run with that in the book. Judy didn’t mind a bit. 💕

   

  

  Book character Portrayal.

  

  My vision of Judy Carlson. Character Portrayal is not to be confused with the real model.

   

  Thanks for stopping by today. Sorry my jibber-jabber is longer than the excerpt.

   

   

   

   

   

  I’m praying we’ll get through this mess of a storm coming my way this weekend. You know it’s going to be bad when your energy company sends an announcement about being prepared and how they are gearing up, not if, but when, power lines are down all over. Ekk!

  Enjoy yours.

  ---

  Image credits-

  Judy: Dreamstime

  Jewelry Box: Pixabay Public Domain Pictures

  Judy’s guy. I personally purchased the image from a cover model.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Double Dutch Ranch Series, Seasoned Romance | 15 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, mary j mccoy dressel, Romance, Seasoned Romance, Short Snippet Saturday: Moving On ~ Our Ranch Mom Makes A Decision, western romance

• One Week with a Tracker #WritersLife

  Posted at 12:19 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 15, 2019

  

  Is my title deceiving? Have I been traipsing through the woods with a tracker? A book title for a new book? Neither. It could be a book title one day.  BUT, once I ran through the woods with a county sheriff tracking a… True story. 😏 Whew, I wish I hadn’t remembered such a moment in my history of life. It will surely have to go into a book.

  Oh, sorry for the flashback. Today I’m talking about a fitness tracker.

  This is my first fitness tracker. How about you? Have you used one?

  My personal goal is to be healthy and get some weight off.

  A friend I walk with has a watch that includes a fitness tracker. She doesn’t know how to set it up, so while walking, we never know how far we go or how many steps we’ve taken. Yours truly is good at directions and figuring out tech stuff so I bought myself a Christmas gift.

  Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with this company and receive nothing for mentioning the product. I purchased and use this for my own use. With that out of the way, I bought a *Fitbit Inspire™ wristband tracker. I admit, mine is one of their lowest priced, but I didn’t want to dive into a more expensive model to begin. So far, I’m impressed. This isn’t a review. Nothing more than my take and how I use it. It might be enough information for you to decide to try one of your choice.

  

  Getting Started:

  Turn it on by using a button on the left side. Once on, text scrolls across the touch screen with a link to get started, which entails setting up an account and downloading an app for a computer, Apple, or Android device. The app is how you see your stats. I do see stats on my touch screen but I don’t know if they were there before downloading an app. Android syncs via Bluetooth. I chose to put an app on my laptop and phone. The app is free but there are options you can purchase as an add-on. I haven’t looked into these yet.

  After a week and two days, I’m happy with what it does, but I have nothing to compare it to.

  The stats are interesting. My main goal is to get up and move—get in steps and movement. These knees and feet rebel after seven thousand steps in ten hours. At least seven thousand per day is my goal, but I strive for more. I have control over the number of hours I can set to be notified to get off my butt and get in those steps.

  

  12/15/2019-9:46 a.m.

  The fitness goal is ten thousand steps a day. Well, that number is iffy in my world, especially in the winter though I can see them adding up quickly while shopping or walking for exercise on purpose. Which reminds me… This tracker has the ability to determine a strenuous activity versus walking to get steps in and tracks activity longer than ten minutes. So, I can’t explain what the “8” above is for because mine has been tracking activity of less than ten.

  Average steps to date: 52,661

  There is no way I’d accumulate this many steps without my new tracker to remind me. Yes, it does motivate me in many ways throughout the day almost to the point of obsessiveness. Until the newness wears off, I’m happy to accommodate the need to be obsessive. Each time I check my app, computer, or touch screen, I look for my step total, amount of water consumed, how many steps I need to make my hourly quota, calories burned, and miles. I pay less attention to calories burned and activity, but I do think more about choosing the right food throughout the day to get back on my healthy eating plan.

  I’m reminded to get up to walk two hundred and fifty steps in an hour for at least ten hours of the day. My tracker reminds me to “feed it steps” ten minutes before the hour is up. I try to do this in two, three, or more episodes while I’m writing, per hour, so I don’t have to do them all at once unless I walk outside or whatever. Often though, I’m involved in my story, setting, or research and characters. An hour goes by quickly while writing, so there are times I need to jump up to do two hundred and fifty steps at one time. Steps add up when you’re walking outside with a place to go or just to walk for exercise like I do when it isn’t sixteen degrees with a single digit windchill.

  

  Another interesting statistic is how much sleep I don’t get. I knew I didn’t get enough, but after looking at the stats, I see why I’m tired all the time. There are awake moments, which I am aware of through the night, and there are restless times tracked I’m not aware of.

  I read that there is a setting to include naps in sleep tracking. I haven’t found the setting, but naps are rare, anyway. However, I believe the tracker got confused when I fell asleep watching TV at nine o’clock because it showed I went to bed at that time. Don’t I wish I went to bed at nine o’clock, I say rhetorically. If I did, I’d be up at two. No thanks.

  Average sleep to for first week:  6 hours 2 minutes and includes sleep, restlessness, and waking up during sleeping hours.

  Another stat I measure is water intake. Sixty-four ounces is recommended, but it’s too much for me or I’ll be up all night doing you know what, so I set my goal to forty-eight ounces and get it in before it’s too late.

  Weekly miles as of this morning: 17.4. The farthest was 3.31 miles in one day.

  Also, if you have time, and you’re the person who enjoys imputing the food you eat daily, there is also a place in the app to track food and input weight. I don’t. You do have to identify your weight in your account.

  This tracker knows the difference between activity and steps. For example, if I am doing exercises or riding a stationary bike for more than ten minutes at a time, it records it as an activity.

  Mine doesn’t monitor heart rate. I haven’t checked to see if a monitor is available for purchase.

  My average stats won’t seem like much of an accomplishment to an active person who gets out to the gym or walks and runs on a regular basis.

  However, for me, these numbers are fantastic because I sit at my computer many hours during the day forgetting to get up and move around. In the evening, to relax, I’m sitting again (or falling asleep) with TV or a book for a few hours before I go to bed.

  

  HEED THE WARNINGS:

  DISCLAIMER: Important Warnings come with the fitness tracker for those with heart issues, so be sure to read and heed the details.

  Of course, like anything else, instructions say to talk to your doctor before using. My doctor tells me I need to exercise. She told me thirty minutes of walking everyday, will lower my blood pressure. Eating right doesn’t hurt, either. Check with your own doctor for the best advice for you. I take that as her approval. Maybe I mentioned this before, but it’s worth mentioning again. Sometimes in life, we hear or read something that acts as a trigger word or inspiration acting as a wake-up call. Mine was when after a conversation with my doctor, she said:

  The best gift you can give your kids is to be healthy.

   

  Thanks for reading.

  It’s 12:02 p.m. now and since beginning the post this morning, I now have 3,139 steps equaling 1.25 miles.

  *“Fitbit Inspire is a registered trademark or trademark of Fitbit, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries.”

  The only images here related to this tracker is the box with the black Fitbit Inspire™ wristband tracker, which is what I purchased and the snip of “Step stats for Today.” Other image credits goes to Pixabay.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife | 17 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, christmas, exercise, fitness tracker, healthy, mary j mccoy dressel, One Week with a Tracker, wristband tracker

• Short Snippet Saturday Oops Redo: Hooked by Sundown

  Posted at 6:32 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 3, 2019

  

  Sorry for the snafu with the last Hooked by Sundown post. At least I didn’t lose it like I lost another draft. Anyway, this ISN’T the post that went out yesterday on the official Short Snippet Saturday correct day. I haven’t mentioned Wade and Sophie much since their book had been released.

  Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series

  A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off

  Hooked by Sundown

  

  Snippet is self-explanatory without the need for a set-up.

  ---

  Excerpt/ Snippet:

  Wade finished breakfast in his room, poured a cup of coffee, then opened the balcony door one last time to sniff the air and enjoy the cool breeze. Hell, he didn’t have to leave here. His thoughts went to sitting with Sophie and her boy last night. She was nice enough, sort of, and damn pretty. Emmett’s physical characteristics resembled Wade’s with brown eyes and the same thick hair like his but a shade lighter from the sun.

  Curiosity about her life filled his musings. He’d come to California only to meet a woman from home? Interesting. His flight left Saturday, if what the nurses said about his brother came true. In his mind he made a pact with himself. If they were on the same plane heading home, he’d search her out in baggage claim in Phoenix to pursue a date.

  “Get in here.”

  Wade glanced toward her voice. “Mornin’.” With her hand holding her son’s arm, she turned toward him and smiled. Wow, what an attractive morning smile. Better than what he’d seen on her face when he’d left them last night.

  “Good morning, Mr. Emory—”

  He corrected her, “Wade.”

  “Are you getting ready to leave?”

  “Yep, one last cup of coffee.” He raised it to her. Leaving this extravagant place wasn’t a necessity. It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it, but this place wasn’t him. He didn’t need a thick robe to don after getting out of the shower or fancy sheets on the bed with a piece of chocolate on his pillow each night, though the chocolate tasted special.

  She told Emmett to go inside. “Can I talk to you?”

  He nodded then entered his room without hesitation. Wade changed out of running shorts and pulled on jeans. Before he had time to get a shirt to go into the hall, he answered the knock at his door. She and Emmett stood there. He held the door open, sweeping his hand forward.

  Her gaze glued to his chest first off. “No, I don’t want to come in. Y-you didn’t tell me where you were staying.”

  Was he supposed to? “Just a minute.” He nearly jumped up and clicked his heels together. Instead, he pulled on a t-shirt and wrote down the hotel name. “We still watching the sunset tonight?” Damn, how manly had that sounded?

  “Yeah, if you come.”

  “Sounds like a date…I mean, not a date, but a plan. Sorry.” He couldn’t win for losing.

  She gave a shy smile he hadn’t seen before though she’d seemed direct and not shy last night. “I know what you mean.”

  Wade handed her the slip of paper with the name of where he’d be staying. He was surprised and glad she wanted to know. “In case you need anything, do you want my phone number?” He didn’t retract his gaze. Neither did she. Say yes.

  She handed her phone over, and he took no less than a few seconds to enter his number. “Here you go. Well, I better get outta here. Hey, Emmett, don’t forget the cups for your sand castle tonight.”

  The kid had a cute smile like his mom. “I won’t. Mom? Don’t forget.”

  “It’s your responsibility, boy.” She brushed his sun-streaked, brown hair from his forehead then glanced at Wade. “See you later.”

  “Do you swim?” He asked without a thought.

  “Yeah, but I don’t like Emmett to swim in the ocean. Rip currents, you know. We’ll go to the pool later.”

  “All right. I thought it might be a nice night for a swim.” In man speak, he’d like to see Sophie in a bikini.

  “Have fun if you do. We don’t mind watching.”

  He nodded and closed the door. Wade checked the bedroom again, washed the cup, and sat it on the counter to dry. In a way, he hated leaving this nice place, but the other place was four-star, too, however not on the ocean and with no fluffy robes. Maybe he’d have a whiff of the salty air. Admittedly, he missed the dry, baked smell of the desert.

  End of excerpt.

  Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series

  A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off Novel

  HOOKED BY SUNDOWN

  Universal Link:

  Available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Apple Books.

  ---

  If you’re in a participating state, don’t forget to turn back your clocks if you haven’t. Ugh, do we have to? I don’t like when it gets dark so early.

  Enjoy your weekend.

  Posted in #AmWriting, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series | 7 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series Book 3, Finding Kimber, Hooked by Sundown, mary j mccoy dressel, Short Snippet Saturday, Short Snippet Saturday Redo: Hooked by Sundown, western romance, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

• Short Snippet Saturday: Bad Outlaws Know the Truth

  Posted at 1:03 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 19, 2019

  

  Hi! Happy weekend. I’ve returned this Saturday with another excerpt from Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart. This one is a fun scene on the Two-Five Ranch between Karis and Tanyon with a couple other family members who make their appearances. Haunted House is mentioned and is one of the Five Common Elements used in the book. The haunted house episode referred to happened earlier which is another scene I love in the book. Oh, Max is an element too!

  ---

  

  Karis went downstairs to wait for Tom and wandered into the kitchen. When had she eaten last? Lunch on the trail? A scrumptious sweet-cinnamon aroma filled the house bringing on an inkling of a memory from childhood. The oven was still warm when she walked by. It must’ve been dessert, so she opened it to see what Max had made. Mmm, apple pie.

  “Where’s the pie,” Tanyon asked, entering the kitchen, soaking wet. “Something smells delicious.”

  She laughed at his wet clothes and hair plastered to his head. Albeit, she didn’t mind his wet shirt hugging his abs. “Maybe you’ll patch your floor in the truck now?”

  “Yeah, I don’t remember until it’s raining. Bring the pie over here. I’m starved.”

  “No way. I’m not dealing with Max. He made this pie for a reason. I know dinner is around here somewhere.”

  “Yeah, because I asked him to make apple or cherry pie.”

  She blocked the oven. “No. I have to hear it from him.”

  He strode over to her, set his hands on her upper arms and attempted to move her. She held her ground, but he hadn’t tried hard, or she would’ve been moved. She giggled. “Stop.”

  Tanyon tickled her in the ribs. “I know how to get you out of the way.”

  She fought off his hands, laughing and protecting her ribs at the same time. “I’m not ticklish, anymore.” Like hell.

  “Hey, what’s going on here?” Max’s big voice roared. “You’re after pie, aren’t you?”

  “Don’t worry, she’s protecting it like her life depended on it.” Tanyon chuckled.

  “It does!” Max bellowed.

  Tanyon raised his hands. “Come on. Didn’t you make it because I asked?”

  “Well…”

  “Ah, ha.” He gazed at Karis with a devil grin on his face then lifted her off the floor and moved her.

  “Get it out and come on over here, you two,” Max called. “I’ll get the ice cream. Tanyon, change your damn wet clothes. Go on. You’re worse than a kid dripping on the floor.”

  “You’re bad, Outlaw.” Karis chuckled when Tanyon and Max said, ‘No, I’m not’ at the same time. “You both know the truth.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Tanyon hurried out of the kitchen.

  Max made the cut. “You get the first bite, and we’ll rub it into his face.”

  “Literally?”

  Max reconsidered. “Ah, better not.”

  She got plates from the cupboard. “You’ll get me in more trouble. He’s already mad at me.”

  “He’s always mad at somebody, but darlin’, he isn’t mad at you. He was worried because you broke down in front of the haunted house.” Max snorted as he sliced the pie.

  “Not you too.”

  Tanyon entered the room with a dry shirt and the same wet and muddy pants, but he’d combed his hair. He raised a brow at Karis. “You two will do good to remember who signs your checks.”

  “Yeah, Ronni signs the checks.” She defiantly held eye contact with him until Max waved a spoon between them.

  “I’m glad you asked for pie this morning, Tanyon. I’ve been wanting to make apple or cherry.”

  She dished out ice cream. “Me too! Cherry would be delicious.” A grumbling tummy wasn’t necessary to know she was ravenous.

  “That’s why I made both. With this bunch, how could I only make one?” Max howled. “I made four.”

  Cade came in, ducking through the doorway with Nadia on his shoulders.

  Karis poured her, Tanyon, and Max a cup of coffee. “Nadia, have you been playing in the rain?”

  Nadia flicked her smiling gaze to Cade. “Me and Daddy danced in the rain.”

  “Sweet!” Karis said.

  End of excerpt.

  

  I wanted apple pie while writing this scene. Mmm, even I could smell it. No, I haven’t had any yet. LOL.

  I appreciate you taking the time to visit. Thank you. ❤ ❤

  ---

  A Common Elements Romance Project Novel

  Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart (Two-Five Ranch Outlaws #1)

  Four knife-piercing words in a frantic phone call from her mother, caused Dr. Karis Sutton to leave her cowboy in Northern Arizona to return home. While grief-stricken over a tragic loss, she’d let the man she loved slip away instead of allowing him to console her in a time of need. Now, a year later, and ready to break free from her world of gloom, she drives north to seek a second chance with the moody yet irresistible alpha-owner of the ranch. But she’s forced back to Phoenix to fight to keep two fatherless kids. While doing so, will Tanyon think she’s leaving him again and give up on any chance they might’ve had? She’s pulled in different directions. How will she make it right with so much distance between them all?

  Tanyon Outlaw never thought he’d see her again. Now, she’s returned as part of the summer crew on the Two-Five Ranch. In her sad eyes, he sees straight through to her pained soul while memories of their past love invade each thought. What will it take for his cold heart to grow warm toward her again? Then, when bad things happen on the ranch, it comes in droves. Karis is called back home. A lawsuit looms over his head. Fences are cut to maim or steal his cattle. Someone else has an eye for the woman he longs to love. He’s running out of time. How can he discover why people are out to get him, while figuring out what his heart wants before he loses her forever?

  Once again, Karis and Tanyon have separate, life-changing matters to attend to, so how will they keep it all together and still find a way to capture the love they once shared?

  Enjoy your weekend.

  Posted in #AmWriting, Common Elements Romance Project, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws | 4 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, Five Common Elements, Haunted House, Imprisoned in a Cowboy's Heart, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, New Release, Short Snippet Saturday, The Common Elements Romance Project, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws, western romance

• #Am Week 32: Balancing Life and Writing #MFRWauthor

  Posted at 10:28 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on August 9, 2019

  

  It’s time I get back to the 52-Week Blog Challenge after a brief hiatus. I’ve been finalizing two books to come out this year, and I wrote the end to another book also coming out in 2019, but that has nothing to do with this blog hop other than I’ve been busy, busy, busy!  ❤  #WritersLife

  This week’s topic sounds like a similar topic from the last two years:

  Week 32: For an author, does life exist outside of writing?

  I can only answer for me and whether life exists outside of my writing world. This answer is twofold. Putting words to paper took the back burner for a lot of years while I grew from a child to a teen to a young adult to a wife. I raised a family and worked outside of the home. These were happy times, but the need to write was always there.

  Through the years, I always scribbled down words be it a poem or a short story, and I knew one day I’d write books. It just wasn’t the right time back then because I had a life outside of writing. What I didn’t know was how important it would become one day. Or how much time it would take to keep up with the business side.

  Moving forward many years when everything about my life changed. Kids live their own lives, but I still receive much joy from spending time with them. Retirement allowed me to write full time, so nowadays, creating stories is my life, and no, I don’t have much of a life outside of this career, but I do make sure to find a balance that works for me.

  I still have friends that I had when I was young and raising a family, plus new friends. They know of my dreams. We still go out to walk together, take little day trips, socialize, and continue to talk about my writing and books. However, I don’t do as much with them as they’d like.

  

   

  Family and most friends understand that this is how I roll these days. Still, they would prefer I had an equal balance of life and career. I do keep my heart and soul in harmony. If I won the lotto or sold hundreds of books a day, I’d be happy to give the same amount of time to work and life–maybe even more to LIFE.

  What about other authors? Participants in this blog challenge will tell you by visiting the 52-Week Blog Challenge blog for links to their blogs.

  I appreciate your visit today. Enjoy what’s left of summer. It goes by too fast.

  And now, I’m going for one of those walks.

  ---

  The BALANCE sign is made of metal and hangs on my refrigerator by magnets on the back. While shopping with my son and daughter-in-law, I purchased this at a quaint little store in a small town nearby. As soon as I saw it, I had to have it! ❤

  Balancing rocks credit: Pixabay

  Posted in #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge | 12 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, Balance, Balancing Life and Writing, career, Does life exist outside of writing, Harmony, life, living, Marketing for Romance Writers Blog Challenge, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, past present future life outside of writing, Week 32 Blog Hop, writing

• #AmWriting Week 28: Can I Be Found In My Stories? #MFRWauthor

  Posted at 6:08 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on July 13, 2019

  

  Week 28: Putting yourself in the story

  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.

  • Moonlight is important to some of my characters. Could this be because I’m a moonchild? Regardless, to me and my characters, moonlight is romantic.
  • I’ve worked with kids all my life. My characters relate to kids like I do.
  • Family is a major part of my branding as it is important to my life. My books have strong family ties.
  • I’ve used settings from places I’ve lived, which oftentimes reveals memories that might end up in a book.
  • Without realizing it, some of my wardrobe and decorating styles have come out in my characters.
  • In my upcoming book five in the Double Dutch Ranch Series, I mention a tragic episode that I had experienced in my life.

  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:

  • My characters experience emotion, empathy, and real-life situations. I suppose that’s another reason some of these events are brought into my books.

  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!

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 6 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, blog hop, mary j mccoy dressel, Week 28: Can I Be Found In My Stories?

• #AmWriting Week 27: Glitz it up! Or Not #MFRWauthor #WritersLife

  Posted at 9:23 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on July 5, 2019

  

  Week 27: Dressing Up: Chore or Pleasure?

  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.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 8 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #AuthorsLife, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, blog hop, casual clothes, dress clothes, glitzy affair, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Week 27: Glitz it up! Or Not

• #AmWriting Week 26: Getting the Call of Acceptance #MFRWauthor

  Posted at 9:44 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 28, 2019

  

  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.

  Week 26: How getting the call (or acceptance) changes lives.

  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.

  • I kept writing.
  • I continued submitting.

  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.

  • I learned.
  • I’m still learning.
  • I have a lot more to learn.

  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.

  Enjoy your weekend!

  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.)

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge | 8 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, blog hop, Indie publishing, Marketing for Romance Writers, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Publishing, Week 26: Getting the Call of Acceptance

• #AmWriting Week 24: Gardening – Reaping the Rewards #MFRWauthor

  Posted at 5:09 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 14, 2019

  

  #WritersLife

  Week 24:

  Gardening- Pain or pleasure?

  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.

  
  

  Thanks for reading.

   

  Photo credits: ©Mary J. Dressel

  Hands with small flowerpots: Pixabay rawpixel

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge | 15 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-Week Blog Challenge Blog Hop, Flowers, gardening, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, plants, Week 24: Gardening - Reaping the Rewards

• Short Snippet Saturday: Easy Feeling of Love

  Posted at 9:59 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 8, 2019

  

  Easy Feeling of Love is the title though I could’ve added: But for how long?

  This snippet is from the second book in the Boxed Set. I’m featuring the set this month.

  Set Up: Velia’s first season on the road with the bull rider is over. We’re between season one and the next season, if there is one. Caulder accompanied her back to Tucson where Velia rents an apartment and has her photography business set up, run now by her business partner. Caulder’s SUV had remained at a teammates mansion in the Catalina Foothills where Caulder had lived  for a few months last year before the season had started, and when he and Velia met. In this scene, they’re going to pick up his vehicle, or so she thinks… Until all hell breaks loose not long after, which you won’t see in this short snippet.

  This explanation is almost as long as the snippet! Sorry. ❤

  Steamy romance series. (Not the snippet)

  First, let’s see what the book is about. Shortened Blurb:

  

  Bull Rider Series 2

  Hey, Cowboy #2 
  A break in the bull riding season finds Velia and Caulder back in Tucson. Family, friends, and rowdy cowboys are brought together to share in joy, and sometimes pain. Happiness is within reach. They need to be strong enough to overcome enemies plotting against Velia’s family—and a possible career-ending injury for Caulder.

  ---

  In Howdy, Ma’am, Book One, Caulder hired her for a season. Now, the season is over… What will become of them?

  Beginning of Chapter Three:

  The drive back to the Catalina Foothills at night evoked a sense of smallness, living in an untamed world under an expansive star-studded sky. The sun had already set and the sky changed from deep blue to an intense violet twilight.

  Cacti and palm trees surrounded the highway, standing like guards in silhouetted form. Even being a photographer, she wouldn’t be able to capture an image this awe-inspiring if she used all the photo manipulation tools she had. She grasped Caulder’s hand and was carried away with the moment, overwhelmed with the easy feeling of love for the man beside her.

  He strummed his thumb over her fingers. “We’ll sit on the patio when we get back if you’d like.” Caulder gave a quick laugh. “Kind of like old times?”

  “Yes, I’d like to, but this time with your hand in mine.” Glancing at him, she observed his sexy profile in the dim glow of the lighted dashboard. Good-looking from any angle. What makes me so…so emotional tonight?

  Peacefulness came into her life as slowly as a feather drops through air, but now it was here. She craved it after hardening her heart for a time. They were almost like different people now. Her torment long over.

  She hoped Caulder no longer hurt so much inside, from his tremendous loss. Loving him is what she’d do until he saw it as a beautiful memory. A memory of the time he’d had…with them. Yes, love him forever is what she’d do. He appeared to be nodding off. “Are you falling asleep? Shall I drive the rest of the way?”

  “No, I’m fine,” he said. “I have a dull headache that won’t go away.”

  ---

  Thanks for reading!

  Have a nice weekend. 

  Posted in #AmWriting, Bull Rider Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 10 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, Arizona, bull rider, bull rider series, cowboy, Hey Cowboy Book 2, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Short Snippet Saturday, western romance

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