Mary J. McCoy-Dressel ~ Contemporary Romance

Tag: mary j mccoy dressel

• 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

• Short Snippet Saturday: A Merry Christmas at Love House

  Posted at 8:42 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 21, 2019

  

  Hello, blog readers. Our Bull Rider Series snippet today is fitting for the holidays. This series follows the story of one couple through happy times, sad times, horrific times, steamy times, and everything in between. My hero and heroine have been together for seven years now. Join Velia Armano, her bull rider Caulder McCutchen, their families–including Caulder’s cousin *Jase and Aunt Judy from the Double Dutch Ranch series. A bull riding friend, Reece “Foley” Wilson is also in attendance as they sit down to Christmas dinner at Love House—their log home in the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania.

  Christmas at Love House:

  A Bittersweet Interlude, Book #3.

  ALERT: I decided not to avoid some SPOILERS in this heartwarming excerpt. However, I did make a couple changes to keep some surprises for those planning to read the series.

  

  

  Caulder came through the doorway and sauntered to the refrigerator for the ale. He set the bottles on a wooden tray waiting on the island counter and wrapped his arms around Velia. “How you doing, babe? Everything smells delicious. You’ve outdone yourself again.”

  She took a minute away from perfecting the ham presentation, to turn into his embrace. The familiar smell of his cologne lingering with a bit of sweat, was one she’d never tire of. “I had so much help. We’ll be ready as soon as I carry in the ham. Will you gather everyone?”

  “Most are already at the table. These smells are hard to resist, as are you.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead. Caulder lifted the tray with ale and waited at the door for her to walk in together. She set the platter in front of his place at the head of the table. He opened the bottles and handed one to who wanted ale then pulled her chair out, but she held up a finger.

  “I need my camera. I’ll be right back.” She rushed into the office and came back with it. Caulder waited at her chair to the right of him, but she pulled it away from the table. “Come here.” She pressed her hand against his shoulder to stand on the chair. “Okay, take a seat, sweetheart.” Velia peered at their entire family around the large rectangular table that needed two dining leaves added.

  “Mommy, why are you standing on the chair?”

  “Taking a picture. Smile, sweetie. Let’s see that McCutchen charm, Granny Garnet.”

  “Thank you for another beautiful holiday, you sweet girl.” Granny’s glowing smile could’ve warmed the whole room. Velia had grown to love this dear lady.

  Kase cocked his head and gave her one of the biggest, toothiest grins.

  “Up here, everyone.” Perfect. Click. Focus. Click again. “Thank you. I’ll send one to all of you.”

  “But you aren’t in it. Set the timer, so you’ll be in it, too.” Caulder lifted her off the chair.

  Velia set the camera on a shelf, peeked around to the viewfinder to be sure everyone was in the picture, set the timer, and rushed back. At the table, Caulder yanked her onto his lap and splayed his hand over her abdomen. “Say giggles everyone!”

  After the shot, Caulder stood and lifted his glass, first to Velia then slowly peering over the crowd of people at their table. He winked at his grandmother. “Merry Christmas. As Velia would say, buon appetito!”

  Glasses remained high as everyone around the table, repeated, “Buon appetito! Salute.”

  They tapped their glasses together. Even Kase lifted his glass of milk and tapped it against anyone who reciprocated. His outgoing personality caused chills to spread from Velia’s head to her toes. She smiled at Caulder, met him halfway, and their lips touched in a heartfelt kiss.

  Laughter, chatter, giggles, and Christmas carols in the background all mingled and filled the room. Velia observed Foley lean over to give Natale a kiss. The smiles they had for each other echoed love. The same look in Foley’s eyes was what she saw in Caulder’s eyes when he looked at her. Real love had been ignited at Love House during this holiday interlude.

  Velia smiled warmly as she glanced across the table. Granny’s gold tablecloth with silver thread intermingled, captured the reflection of candlelight.

  All of their family together brought an overwhelming peacefulness to her soul, but when she peered at her own son, tears welled. His messy, dark hair went all over the place–in his eyes, inside his collar, and poking out from behind his ears–like his dads. Caulder cut a piece of ham for himself but picked it up, holding it in front of Kase’s mouth. Instead of giving it to their boy, he teased by popping it into his own.

  Kase giggled at his dad, then muttered, “That was mine, papa.”

  Velia picked up her glass of sparkling juice, stood, and gave Caulder a squeeze. With a cheery smile, she surveyed those around the table. “I love each and every one of you so much. I’ll reiterate Caulder’s greetings. Merry, merry Christmas.” Her dad nodded and gave her a wink.

  Pride beamed from his face. “Velia, dear, this seems like a good time to tell you something.” He held his glass of wine toward those at the table. “Your mamma and I have decided to look for a part-time place around here. Maybe a time-share.”

  “We’d love to have you here,” said Aiden, Caulder’s dad. “I’ll put you in touch with a good friend of ours from way back. Tell us when you’re ready.”

  “It won’t be for a while,” Lidia said. “Maybe by the time Caulder retires from bull riding. We’ve talked about this for some time. We’ll go to Italy every couple of years, and of course, visit with our boys and sweet nieces and nephew in California.”

  Velia remained standing, trembling now due to the joy bubbling over inside. What would they do when Dante had children, or even Bobby if he found the right woman who wanted to settle at the winery? Her parents might have to get a couple time-shares. Sitting again, she stroked her throat. “Now, let’s finish dinner. The girls made tiramisu for dessert, and I can tell you it tastes fantastic!” She glimpsed Foley. “I have to agree with something Foley had said last night. ‘This is the best Christmas.’” She caught her breath before continuing. “I’ll miss you all so much when you’re gone.”

  “Don’t worry, darlin’. I’ll keep you busy on the road for the next half a year at least before you have to come back to this lonely house.”

  “Honey,” Velia said as she lovingly caressed his arm. “I want everyone here as much as possible, and I have a feeling it will never be lonely at Love House. A Merry Christmas night it is indeed!”

  

  

  *NOTE: For those unfamiliar, Caulder is a cousin to the Carlson cowboys. However, these series are not connected, but, on occasion, the cousins will crossover or are mentioned in each other’s books. Christmas at Love House is one of the books.

  Thank you for reading! Merry Christmas.

  Wishing you tons of peaceful joy and happiness during the holiday in whichever way you celebrate–Kwanzaa Hanukkah, Christmas and more…

  La vita è bella. Ciao!

  Posted in #AmWriting, Bull Rider Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 7 Comments | Tagged bull rider series, christmas, Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude, Fictional family Christmas, Holidays, mary j mccoy dressel, saga, 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

• The Common Elements Romance Project ~ October Giveaways

  Posted at 9:57 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 17, 2019

  

  Before the month of October is over, I wanted to share The Common Elements Romance Project October Giveaways for books published this month.

  Who wants to enter for a chance to win a free eBook? Visit THIS LINK to see the Common Elements Giveaway participating authors published in October 2019!

  Each month from October thru January, some authors publishing in those months will be doing their own giveaway for their project book. You can sign up at the link above then to a Google Sign Up form. It’s that simple to enter.

  When we had the Facebook Launch Party last month, our books weren’t published yet. Authors gave away books from their back list. Now the authors who choose to participate in the October Giveaways, have a chance to do their own individual giveaways on the new common elements releases.

  Stop on over to check them out. The list keeps growing as more books are being released this month.

  Touch of Breeze by Kelynn Storm
  Forbidden Noble by Victoria Pinder
  Evil Wind Rising by Jillian Chantal
  The Haunted Love Affair by Constance Bretes
  Beguiled by Amanda Jayde
  That Summer by Candy Caine
  Resistance: A Common Elements Romance by Regina Kammer
  Bohemia Chills by Lucy Lakestone
  The Heartless Earl by Regina Jeffers
  Forever Better Together by A.D. Ellis
  Haunting Miss Fenwick by Alina K. Field
  In the Lady’s Heart by JoMarie DeGioia
  Blood Will Tell by Pamela Gibson
  Kisses & Kismet by Kris Jayne

  I’m not participating in this giveaway, but Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart is still at a promotional price of $0.99 for a limited time. Oh, yesterday the book jumped into the Top 100 Paid Best Selling Books in Contemporary Western Fiction. I haven’t been on that list in a long time. Sure, it isn’t a big deal because it isn’t a USA or other “Official” best selling list, but regardless, it’s another milestone for me.

  

  FYI: On the website, the bag shown on the page is not part of this new giveaway. That contest is closed.

  ---

  If you missed earlier posts about this project, read on:

  The Common Elements Romance Project.

  What is it?

  From the website:

  *We’re over seventy romance authors who have come together to write stories that have just five things in common:

  1. a lightning storm
  2. lost keys
  3. a haunted house (really haunted or rumored to be)
  4. a stack of thick books
  5. a person named Max (or short for something else)

  Everything else is up to the individual authors.

  ---

  *I’d like to note that each author wrote their own book. This isn’t an anthology or boxed set.

  If you enter for a chance to win, good luck!

  Thanks for visiting.

  Posted in #WritersLife, Giveaway, New Release, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws | 0 Comments | Tagged #CommonElementsRomance, CommonElementsRomanceProject, eBook Giveaways, mary j mccoy dressel, New Common Elements Romance Project Releases, October eBook Giveaways, The Common Elements Romance Project

• Skeletons on the Loose #Autumn Festival #WordlessWednesday #WritersLife

  Posted at 7:35 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 16, 2019

  

  

  

  

   

   

  Top photo credit dancing skeleton: Pixabay – anaterate

  Posted in #WritersLife, Wordless Wednesday | 5 Comments | Tagged #Autumn Festival, #WordlessWednesday, #WritersLife, mary j mccoy dressel, Octoberfest, skeletons on display for fall festival

• Tuesday Inspiration for the Muse ~ Story Tidbits~ Mighty Mac

  Posted at 6:38 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 8, 2019

  

  

  In in my new single title holiday romance novella, Secret Santa’s Rundown Sleigh, I mention “Mighty Mac” or “Big Mac” referring to the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge spans the Straits of Mackinac connecting the Lower and Upper Peninsulas. It was built in 1957. The bridge is shy of five miles long, so “five” miles. Ha-ha. You can walk across it on Labor Day—the only time pedestrian’s are allowed to stroll, run, walk on the bridge. I’ve done it and plan on doing it again.

  The Mackinac Bridge Authority says:

  • The Mackinac Bridge is currently the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. In 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan became the longest with a total suspension of 12,826 feet. The Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.

  • The height of the roadway at mid-span is approximately 200 feet above water level.

  The center section of the bridge is much higher than it looks in the photo. Freighters go beneath it with lots of room to spare. In the book, Terra, my heroine, mentioned waving down at the ship’s captain when she walked across Big Mac. In deed, I did the same thing. It was “awesome to see the captain standing on deck and waving back,” as Terra says, wink wink. Mind you, I have a fear of heights, but I did this walk and stood at the railing to look down. Oddly, I’ve ventured up to many high places that still give me tummy tumbles to remember. Nope, I don’t regret one of them.

  I forgot to mention that the two inner lanes of the bridge are a grid. Spooky!

  In addition, the bridge closes during high winds. In fact, there was a high-wind warning on their website yesterday when I wrote this. Today it’s all clear. On June 25, 1998, it had its one millionth crossing. Find more Facts and Figures at this LINK.

  Here’s a cool website LINK with pictures and live cam links. Plus, a gorgeous sunset picture of the bridge.

  I’ve taken numerous pictures from every angle I could think of, but I don’t know where they reside at the moment. Meaning they’re packed away. LOL

  I didn’t name the village where my story takes place, but I do mention other “real” places such as Mackinaw City where Terra’s mother lives. St. Ignace, which is right across the bridge, Mackinac Island, Gaylord, and Cheboygan are briefly mentioned. South Haven is where Terra has resided since she graduated from college.

  I’ve had trouble with this blog post not separating paragraphs. Hopefully, it’s finally corrected and will look as good as it did in the preview. If not, I apologize for a bad layout.

  Thanks for reading this little tidbit from one of my newest releases.
  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, New Release, story Info, Tuesday Inspiration for the Muse | 3 Comments | Tagged feel-good holiday romance novella, holiday romance novella, mary j mccoy dressel, Secret Santa's Rundown Sleigh, Short romance read, Story Info ~ Mighty Mac: The Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, Tuesday Inspiration for the Muse, two-hour read

• The Common Elements Romance Project Launch Party #CommonElementsRomance

  Posted at 8:22 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on September 22, 2019

  

  Yes, the subject line says it all! That’s the big secret collaboration I’ve been holding on to, but now it’s no longer a secret.

  The Common Elements Romance Project

  I’ve posted some of this information in my newsletter, so if it’s familiar, that’s why.

  Take a look at my new book info on their individual pages. Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart, Book #1 in the Two-Five Ranch Outlaws series will be released October 3, 2019 along with my holiday romance novella, Secret Santa’s Rundown Sleigh, which isn’t connected to this project at all. It’s a standalone novella, but will release on the same day.

  I’m not doing an official cover reveal today, but I’m giving you a chance to check out the new releases and the book in this project now. I’ll send you to their book pages to learn more about these two new books because this post is about The Common Elements Romance Project, and this covers enough.

  Pre-orders are up for both books, but all the links aren’t available yet. I’ve had so much to do, I didn’t get my books uploaded to Draft2Digital in time to get the links before the weekend, but I do have Amazon and Kobo so far.

  

  We’re using the hashtags: #CommonElementsRomance and #CommonElementsRomanceProject. You’ll be able to search for books and authors using this once we all get into the flow of using this. Or, search on book retailers using the project name.

  Let me say that we all wrote our own individual books with different publishing dates from October to January. This is not an anthology or a boxed set.

  First, a little about the project taken from The Common Elements Romance Project home page:

  We’re over seventy romance authors who have come together to write stories that have just five things in common:

  • a lightning storm
  • lost keys
  • a haunted house (really haunted or rumored to be)
  • a stack of thick books
  • a person named Max (or short for something else)

  Everything else is up to the individual authors.

  It was so much fun to use the Five Common Elements in my book!

  Our stories are NOT connected to each other or in the same “world,” so they can be read in any order. Some are shorter, some are epic, and some are in between. They run the gamut of romance sub-genres and heat levels, too, so there’s something here for everyone.

  ---

  Publishing was originally to be in November, but you know, life gets in the way and authors are busy people. Some authors who write paranormal, wanted to publish in October for Halloween. Makes sense to me! So, our release months had been extended to accommodate all of us.

  My hat goes off in praise to the author and coordinator of this project!

  ---

  

  We’re having a Facebook Launch Party and Giveaways! You’re all invited. You can enter a Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win NOW. Stop by the Facebook Launch Party page anytime too.

  GIVEAWAY? Oh, you’re probably asking… Giveaway what? Chance to win what?

  Our Rafflecopter giveaway is live!

  UP FOR GRABS:

  4 gift cards, $25 each, to the winner’s choice of bookstore (Amazon/B&N/Apple/Kobo), and a purse/tote decorated in book spines.

  

  

  That’s *five* winners!

  This giveaway is open until 11:59pm Eastern Time on September 27. Winners will be announced on September 28.

  There will be individual giveaways at the party too.

  ---

  The Facebook Launch Party is broken up by genre. Contemporary is Monday and Tuesday and I’m in Contemporary, so my date is Monday, September 23rd. I’m so busy, it feels like I’m running on a full tank of gas filled with Espresso. I hope you will stop in the party to say hi.

  The order of genres and authors by day can be found here on the Launch Party Facebook Event Page. Remember, there are books for just about everyone.

  I still have so much to do.

  Well, time is slipping away with each breath I take. Thank you for reading. Have a terrific day. Enjoy the last days of summer. Oh, how I hate to see summer go.

  Again, here’s the Rafflecopter Giveaway link.

  The Facebook Launch Party link.

  If you enter for a chance to win any of the prizes, good luck!

  

  Posted in #WritersLife, Common Elements Romance Project, Giveaway, New Release | 7 Comments | Tagged #CommonElementsRomance, Facebook Launch Party, Giveaway, mary j mccoy dressel, The Common Elements Romance Project

• Seasoned Romance: Young at Heart Heroes and Heroines

  Posted at 11:54 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on July 26, 2019

  

  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.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Seasoned Romance | 6 Comments | Tagged Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, mary j mccoy dressel, Seasoned Romance, Seasoned Romance: Young at Heart Heroes and Heroines, works in progress

• #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?

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