Hello all! This snippet really is short. As I searched through last years files for a short except to post on Facebook, I came across this one. If you follow my Facebook Author Page, you saw this with the same graphic as above.
Blue Snow in the Moonlight: A Holiday Romance. We’re in our heroine’s POV.
Sunshine burst through the conservatory. After her yoga session, she closed her laptop and squinted at the tracks left in the snow by Cullen and his son. The ladies she had led in her class giggled and pointed behind her, saying a hot lumberjack had come into her yard. They were right. Cullen had stood trance-like, holding his chainsaw—watching. It both embarrassed and thrilled her. Later, she took a hot shower, but it wasn’t the water raising her body temperature. After dressing, she strolled through the cottage. As if a ghost hung out here, the quiet bothered her now. Sadness happened in this place some time ago. He wore his pain in his demeanor. Memories of the cottage tore Cullen up inside. His family and even her uncle went along with a lie to protect his youngest. The Hollister family shared true family love.
End of Excerpt. Thank you.
Learn more about his book at Holiday Books in the menu.
Available on Amazon internationally, but I’ll likely publish this one wide before Christmas. Visit Amazon now.
Enjoy your weekend.
Do you love fall? It’s my favorite season with spring coming in second. The colorful leaves, cooler nights, snuggling under a throw… Walks in the park. NO high bills from running air conditioning. The season makes me cuddly inside.
This tree caught my attention with only a couple of red leaves on it. I had to capture it in Marshall, Michigan on a “girls’ day” out.
My small town’s Fall Festival was last weekend. All the streets were blocked off except two lanes through town via Main Street, but even that took us to a detour. It’s all so much fun. Next, the scarecrows arrive.
Blog posts relating to the second book can be found HERE and HERE.
#WritersLife: In my previous post with this same topic, I mentioned changes I made in my current work in progress, which included dealing with my hero’s name, changing my heroine’s name, and the spelling of her name numerous times. Plus, I changed the spelling of the child’s name three times. All that took place within the first 11,000 plus words. Ah-ha, but hold on a minute.
To Plan or Not to Plan
To date, the word count is 24,094 words. All the changes I made in the beginning, made me realize how much easier it is to plan a story. It isn’t like I haven’t jotted down notes, because I have many. The thing is, you have to look at the plan.
Back to the AH-HA, BUT HOLD ON A MINUTE: One sleepless night an idea came to me to change my boy child to a girl. Writing another little boy in a story—this story with this plot—would veer a little too close to one of my other books. Can’t have that now, can we. So, now I’ll say the child’s name got changed four times.
You’ve probably heard before: Writers, don’t stop thinking about a story, or stories, when we walk away from our computers. Nope. I may not have plotted 100% of this story out in writing, but I continually plan and plot in my mind. As I continued thinking of this story, I didn’t stop at name changes.
Real Doozie of a Plot Change: Making it Out Alive
One of my characters never made it into the first 11,000 words because he/she died before the book opened. It hurt my heart hard that this character wouldn’t appear in the book because even though not there, she/he occupied space in my mind and minds of my characters. Before I knew it, I grew to care about him/her. To relieve my ache, I gave this person life. That’s not to say there won’t be a death because if not, there goes part of my plot. Oh, Dear!
Oh, Dear.
OH, DEAR!!
As a series writer, bringing my person back to life had a little to do with thinking ahead. One day she/he might appear as the hero/heroine in another book. Working her/him into the story meant I had to create a life for said person. This one is still developing as we go, but I had lots of info on this character already, anyway. I can’t promise a big role, but this person is a necessary secondary character. I’m glad for this change. Patting myself on the back.
Research: Along for the Ride
However, I have typed out all of my research thus far. I had a lot of fun researching classic, vintage, antique, vehicles. One video I watched took me for a ride through town. When the driver jumped on the gas and those Headers opened up, my heart beat faster. (Memories.) I felt like I was along for the ride too. Research alone takes a lot of time but can be fun. One of the most important parts of this video, showed me an answer to a question that had me searching and searching to no avail. Yeeha.
Writing fiction is so much fun. Writing romance is tons of fun, though, not always easy. I can’t wait until this book is finished. At this point, I need to concentrate on guiding my hero and heroine to an ending. Thank goodness I write romance because, plotting or no plotting out a story, I, and readers, know there will be a happily-ever-after. And that, my friends, makes my heart happy too.
Thanks for reading and going along on this journey through Blue Snow with me.
Can you believe it? I published these books in the nick of time to get a 2021 release date. I’ve never in my years of publishing on KDP had a book uploaded and then published as fast as these two. I took it as a good sign. I uploaded them both on December 30th one after the other. Odd, that one book has a publication date of December 29th and the other the 30th. Either way, they’re out in the world now! Both books are released only on Amazon at this time.
Both book covers were designed by Dawné Dominique at DusktilDawn Designs. She’s my hero!
So, now I present to you my two new releases. Big breath in and big breath out.
Blue snow in the Moonlight: A Holiday Romance
California woman with Midwest roots. Hot cowboy in cold North Dakota. If anyone needs Christmas magic, it’s Cullen and Elle.
Without kids, a cattle ranch, and a renter in his cottage, Cullen Hollister would hibernate during Christmas. Instead, he’s holding a detonator to brighten Sugarton in a festive display of lights. Then a stranger’s forever smile speeds up the beat of his wounded heart. An acquaintance introduces his niece with a heart seemingly as cold as Cullen’s. They’re thrown together in a cottage he loathes, but he’s drawn to her, admiring her assertiveness, down-to-earth nature, and sexy blue-snow eyes. He discovers a yearning more powerful than stubbornness. But it’s hard to trust after being burned once. If Christmas magic is real, maybe making memories with Elle will lead to a forever love after all. First, he needs to know he can trust her with his and his kid’s hearts.
Elle Palmer-Shaw uses her cousin’s wedding in North Dakota as an escape from sorrowful memories. Her aunt and uncle beg her to move back to her roots. With her work, she can live anywhere. When she meets the handsome green-eyed owner of the cottage, a simmering attraction grows, and Christmas takes on a new meaning. His memories of the cottage are painful, yet he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. It’s a simple solution until she’s called back home. She tries to convince Cullen to keep the rental cottage available—to give them a chance when she returns, even after dropping a bombshell on him about her past. But will he destroy his walls and let her in, or will he continue to exist instead of live and love?
NOTE: If you read “Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart” book one in this series, you heard rumors and lies about Cade’s ex-fiancée, Faith. She never made an appearance in the book. I had no intention of making Faith the heroine, but as characters are known to do, she kept nudging me until I gave in. Then I realized I had started their story in the first book. They deserved to have their story told.
Two-Five Ranch Outlaws, #2
South of True North
Townsfolk cheered when they fell in love. Then they destroyed them with rumors and lies.
I am so in love with this cover. The hero fits Cade to a T.
Rancher Cade Outlaw and his ex-fiancée share custody of their daughter, and they’re growing close again. Her ex-boyfriend’s vengeful attack on her seven years ago destroyed Cade and Faith’s happily ever after. When he asks for a do-over, he vows to protect the relationship from the pain that separated them—to keep her and their child safe from their past. But how can he take a step back if he gets the chance to settle the score? Is his love for Faith and Nadia strong enough to hold on to the second chance they deserve?
Heartbroken, pregnant, fired from her job, and Cade’s focus on avenging the assault took a toll on Faith Ribeiro. To heal, she’d left him. Years later, a Fundraising Executive and single mom, she lives with emotional and physical scars. Cade is the only man she’ll love, and she can’t deny the powerful chemistry between them. However, rekindling a relationship may invite wickedness back into their lives. What will she do this time if Cade still wants to pay back her abuser? How much will her heart break if Nadia gets swept up in their chaos after striving to keep her from it?
They’re stronger together, though they need to overcome the challenges standing in their way of a peaceful life—hate, heartache, vengeance, and family betrayal. But how will they hang on to the profound love they once shared if they don’t come out of this unscathed?
DISCLAIMER: This story contains references to domestic abuse that happened outside of the book. Our hero, Cade, is NOT the abuser. Brief scenes and memories play out in Faith and Cade’s thoughts and narration, and may be troubling for some readers.
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