Why Can't Blurbs Write Themselves?

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

So, I’m working on the Cover Art Form that my publisher sent me for The Maverick & Miss Miller. This is what an author fills out for what they’d like to see on the cover of their book (the manuscript is currently with my editor and I’m so excited!).

        Most of the questions are basic. What does your hero look like? What does your heroine look like? How are they dressed? What would I like to see in the background? Easy stuff really because I’ve lived with this story and these characters for a long time. I know what he looks like (tall, dark and handsome, of course), how his smile is a little bit crooked but utterly charming, how he moves, how he thinks.

        I know the same about her (because I wrote her…or rather, I started her but she kinda took over after a bit). I know she prefers split skirts and frilly blouses when working on the ranch. I know she loves to grow roses. I know she loves her nieces and nephews, their spouses, and their children—after all, she raised them. I know she is beautiful, inside (where it counts most) and out. And yes, I know exactly what she looks like.

        So, the form was being filled out fairly quickly because I know this stuff…and then I came to a crashing halt.

        One of the things I need to provide is the blurb that will appear on the back of the book…and I am struggling, which begs the question, how can I write a ninety-seven-thousand-word story, but struggle over a 150-word blurb? I struggle with synopses, too, again, asking myself how in the world can I condense that many words into two or three pages?

        It ain’t easy!

        I’m working through it though (with help, thankfully). Seriously, I couldn’t do this without my fabulous critique partner or generous-with-her-time dear friend who always have ways to make things better.

        In the meantime, one of my beta readers sent back her comments and suggestions for Wife By Surprise so I’m working on that as well. And I’m working on The Marshal & Mrs. Morgan, too. I think I’m a little bit busy (and that doesn’t include the day job, which is crazy at the moment!).

        All that being said, I need to get back to that blurb. As much as I wish it, it won’t write itself.

        Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Golden by Shannon Mayer

 A wickedly cute read!  Cats, dogs, wolves, and witches collide to figure out how to kick ass on the bad members of the community.

Cin is nearly murdered in a violent display from her wolf brothers directed by her witch of a mother.  And her mother has a powerful enemy who takes it out on Cin.

The curse Cin isn't able to avoid turns her into a golden retriever by day and she's herself for the nighttime with the codicil that she can't talk.  This is quite the problem when her appointed mate, Havoc, adopts her fury self.  Havoc's brother Han is a lot nicer to her, in a way.

Cin makes a handful of great friends after she leaves her pack and is in hiding from the relatives.  Great friends with great magic and schemes to save her, but with the constant and treacherous scenes that seem inescapable.  

Back to Havoc and Han and their family feud.  Can the fight between the brothers help Cin and lead her to a loving mate?  As long as she doesn't get killed.  I like to believe love is stronger than murder and root for Cin and her gangly group of friends to bring love as the final straw.

Happy reading,

Dawn

Editing Can Be Brutal

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Hope you all had a Happy Fourth of July weekend! My respect, as always, to those who fought for freedom…and continue to fight for that freedom to this day.

        It’s early Sunday morning as I write this (and already hot…but what do I expect living in Phoenix?). Apparently, we broke a record recently (I think it was 118 degrees on Friday…not really the kind of record I want to see broken). It’s all good though. I’ve been hibernating in my house…in the air conditioning (yes, listening to the constant hum, praying it will last the rest of this year).  

So, what have I been doing while I’ve been hibernating? I took advantage of the holiday and added a day of PTO so I’ve had four days off from the day job (which is really nice but I’ll be paying for it on Monday…and probably the rest of the week) and printed out Wife By Surprise. You may remember that I finished writing the story in May, but I’ve been letting it sit for a bit before I begin editing. That’s part of my process. That space of time lets me look at the story with fresh —sorta—though I’m always surprised when I read something I wrote and it’s particularly striking and I wonder ‘who wrote that?'. The opposite is true as well. The dogs can vouch for me when I frequently  ask aloud, ‘who wrote this $&#$#*&$?’ as I brutally cross it out with my red pen.

Yeah, sometimes there’s a lot of red on my pages (I can be pretty ruthless with that red pen) but that’s all right. It’s part of the whole writing thing. And it’s an opportunity to make the story better (and find those too often repeated words and phrases), which is the whole point. I read the entire thing out loud on Thursday (no, I had no voice left after that) and made all my corrections on Friday (with the help of several very good writing tools, books I cannot live without).

Now that all the corrections have been made (and I'm still happy with the results), I’m ready to send it off to my beta readers, the next part of the process. And while they are reading and making comments, I’ll continue working on The Marshal and Mrs. Morgan, which is coming along pretty well.  

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Make Me Shiver by Heather Slade

 There are still dukes and duchesses, spies, and assassins in the current world.

The Duke of Wells, nicknamed Shiver, is in line to move up when his ailing father dies.  Intelligent and iconically good looking, he has a problem that keeps him on his toes other than running a county in the near future.  His problem comes in the female form with a lot of metaphorical fires to put out.  

Losha is her name.  The rest about her is unimaginable such as she is a former Russian assassin on the run with her baby.  Once the property of Russia, it's impossible to divorce yourself from the government's grip.  She has a bounty on her head and only a few people she can trust to help her escape.  

With a large team to help him find Losha, Shiver will not stop his search and believes he can save her and the baby, no matter who the father is.  

Their past, filled with intensity and lust and love, does not allow Losha to give in to Shiver.  It's a path of deception, killing, and hiding until a romance may have a chance if the heart wins on both sides of the game.

Happy reading,

Dawn

Surprise! It's Me Again!

 

Are you surprised? 

You’re probably asking yourself—didn’t she post last week? The answer would be yes. I did BUT if you’ve read any of my blogs before, then you know what a routine oriented person I am and well…last week’s post was a week late! I know! How did that happen? I don’t know but this is my effort to get back on schedule!

        Speaking of breaking routines, the DH and I went to a movie. AT THE THEATRE! ON A SCHOOL NIGHT! This was also out of routine, not to mention out of character…the DH and I very rarely ever go to the movies…the last time was when ‘The Lost City’ with Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum came out! So it’s been what? Two years? Longer?

        Anyway, our neighbors (very lovely people…we are so fortunate to have them) invited us. We saw The Bikeriders (the DH, before his back surgery, used to ride motorcycles so we both wanted to see this). The movie was based on a true story and I thought it was very good, very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed it (so did the DH). And that Austin Butler is so easy on the eyes. Now, to the important question…did I have popcorn? Oh, you bet. Love movie theatre popcorn. I’m ashamed to say I nearly finished the bag (the BIG bag) and what I didn’t finish that night, I finished the next day. I know. Shouldn’t have done it but I couldn’t seem to resist. Even cold, movie theatre popcorn is the best (not to mention highly addicting).  

        Breaking my routine and going to a movie was a nice respite from the day job, which is crazy busy (but when isn’t it?). I feel like I’m a day late and a dollar short, but that’s the nature of the beast, I guess. I just celebrated my five-year anniversary there (I was a contract employee for eighteen months before I was hired on full time…on my grandfather’s birthday, which I consider a good omen).

        The writing is going well, too. The romance between The Marshal and Mrs. Morgan is progressing as it should, which makes me happy and I hope makes readers happy.

And here we are! I am back on my schedule! Whoooo-hooo! That makes me happy!  

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A COWBOY by Lexi Post has released!

 

Between a Rock and a Cowboy (Rocky Road Ranch: Book 1) 

by Lexi Post

has released!

Tanner Dunn must take the reins of the Rocky Road cattle ranch after his father’s stroke. With a brother long gone, a brother deployed, and his youngest brother wanting to leave for his own career, he has his hands full. Still, he’s adamant his father receives the best care. But when their adversary’s daughter, Amanda Hayden Davis, arrives to provide his father’s therapy because she’s the best, it becomes more than he’s willing to shoulder.

Amanda is not happy she’s been assigned to the patriarch of the Dunn family, nor that she is the first Hayden to step foot on Rocky Road Ranch in over twenty years. But she’s a ray of sunshine compared to the grumpy eldest son. When she’s told to leave before she’s started her work, she doesn’t budge. No one tells her what to do. She willingly argues with Tanner, often winning. Despite that, she finds herself respecting his work ethic, his moral compass, and his heart. It doesn’t help that he also has the shoulders of her dreams and looks amazing in a suit.

Tanner admits he’s grateful for Amanda’s efforts with his dad, but that doesn’t mitigate the damage her family has done to them over the years. It’s the Hayden’s fault Rocky Road may have to become a Dude ranch, something Tanner has fought against for the last year. The problem is, he’s fighting his attraction to Amanda as well. Not only is she kind, but she has a zest for life that he can’t resist. But if he gives in to her, will he lose the ranch? Or will resisting her be the biggest mistake of his life?

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About Lexi:

Lexi Post is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of romance inspired by the classics. She spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about the classical literature she loved. From Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Masque of the Red Death” to Tolstoy’s War and Peace, she's read, studied, and taught wonderful classics.

But Lexi's first love is romance novels so she married her two first loves, romance and the classics. Whether it’s sizzling cowboys, dashing dukes, hot immortals, or hunks from out of this world, Lexi provides a sensuous experience with a “whole lotta story.”

Lexi is living her own happily ever after with her husband and her two cats in Florida. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you’ll never see her without a hat.

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BETWEEN A ROCK AND A COWBOY by Lexi Post is available for Preorder

 

Between a Rock and a Cowboy (Rocky Road Ranch: Book 1) 

by Lexi Post

is now available for Preorder

Releasing June 25th

Tanner Dunn must take the reins of the Rocky Road cattle ranch after his father’s stroke. With a brother long gone, a brother deployed, and his youngest brother wanting to leave for his own career, he has his hands full. Still, he’s adamant his father receives the best care. But when their adversary’s daughter, Amanda Hayden Davis, arrives to provide his father’s therapy because she’s the best, it becomes more than he’s willing to shoulder.

Amanda is not happy she’s been assigned to the patriarch of the Dunn family, nor that she is the first Hayden to step foot on Rocky Road Ranch in over twenty years. But she’s a ray of sunshine compared to the grumpy eldest son. When she’s told to leave before she’s started her work, she doesn’t budge. No one tells her what to do. She willingly argues with Tanner, often winning. Despite that, she finds herself respecting his work ethic, his moral compass, and his heart. It doesn’t help that he also has the shoulders of her dreams and looks amazing in a suit.

Tanner admits he’s grateful for Amanda’s efforts with his dad, but that doesn’t mitigate the damage her family has done to them over the years. It’s the Hayden’s fault Rocky Road may have to become a Dude ranch, something Tanner has fought against for the last year. The problem is, he’s fighting his attraction to Amanda as well. Not only is she kind, but she has a zest for life that he can’t resist. But if he gives in to her, will he lose the ranch? Or will resisting her be the biggest mistake of his life?

Amazon 

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Releasing June 25th!

Enter to win 30 Contemporary Romances and an eReader!

 

Enter to win TRACE'S TROUBLE and 29 other steamy contemporary romances, plus an eReader!

CLICK HERE

Need vs Want

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Here’s a question, one I’d never thought I’d ask myself because I’m genuinely thankful for what I have.

What do I want?

Let me tell you what happened and why I’m asking this. I was having lunch with a co-worker and we were discussing mundane little things like coffee makers and such (hahahahaha, I’m not even sure how we got on the subject). Anyway, I mentioned that I have the basic version of Mr. Coffee. You know the one. No bells, no whistles, nothing fancy—the one that costs $19.99. She was telling me about this coffee maker that costs about a grand and makes the perfect cup of coffee every time. I don’t need that. And I would never spend that kind of money on a coffee maker.  

Like most of you, I work to keep a roof over my head and food on my table. Pay my debts, etc. Save a little money if I can (I have a thing about my savings account…once money goes in there, it doesn’t come out). I know how to budget and do without because the DH and I have hit hard times in the past (like most of us) and I promised myself I’d never go there again. I’m pretty proud that I can squeeze a nickel so hard I can get a dime. I am frugal (my DH says cheap but I’m not cheap…I’m just cautious when it comes to spending money—I work too darned hard to just throw it away).

So her question—if I had five thousand dollars just sitting around with nothing to do (hahahaha, like that would ever happen!), what would I do with it? Can’t be to pay bills. Can’t be to get something necessary (need as opposed to want). Has to be something frivolous just for myself.

I couldn’t answer the question. As I said earlier, I’m very fortunate that I have what I need and I’m so grateful for that.

She insisted that there must be something that I want and lowered the amount. I still couldn’t answer and I realized it was because the things I want cannot be purchased with cold, hard cash.

So, what do I want? I want my family and those I love to be happy and healthy. I want more kindness in the world. I want those who struggle to not have to struggle anymore. I want those that live in pain to be pain-free. There’s more, but you get the gist.

She finally accepted my answer because those are the things I truly want but…I gotta tell you, that question has been on my mind since she asked it so I’m going to ask you, gentle reader. What would you want?

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Eloise and the Grump Next Door by Emma St. Claire and Jenny Proctor

 Eloise, let's call her Lo, presents us with a humorous and delightful summer romance.

She recently graduated from college, and the post-graduate degree she hopes for isn't available.

To add to her non-acceptance for a masters, her beloved grandmother passes.  The grandmother she always promised to visit yet couldn't find the time or air fare to get there.  Lo did write to grandma, which is a tiny consolation in Lo's mind.  

Her and her two successful sisters inherit grandma's old home on Oakley Island with the codicil that they revamp the construction and open a B&B.  After that, keep or sell.  Her sisters decide Lo should stay and take care of the situation because she has nothing better to do.

Grandma's lawyer poses another issue.  Jake accidently meets Lo on her twenty-first birthday.  I won't say more about that embarrassing scene, but you get the idea, I'm sure.  

Jake keeps his friendly, inner self hidden well under a grumpy exterior.  Even if he needs to be close at side to Lo through the remodeling and spending.  Not to mention he lives in the duplex next to where she will stay.  

Lo's kind and innocent heart may be a catalyst to melt the ice at Jake's core.  Although, she hasn't given up getting her masters degree, and Jake won't stand in her way.

What happens when life, work, education, and love entangle themselves?  It may take more time to make a plan, but it's definitely a possibility to fit the puzzle together and make everything happily fit together.

Happy reading,

Dawn

A chance for 18 historical romances and an eReader!

Enter for a chance to win UNCOVERING THE LORD and 17 other historical romances!

CLICK HERE

 

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

As Europe enters the war in 1939, Alma Belasco's parents send her to relatives in San Fransico where she continues the rest of her life.

Alma befriends Ichimei Fukuda, the Japanese gardener's son.  The friendship turns into a love affair hidden from their community and everyone around them because even in America, it's not acceptable.  

Alma and Ichimei continue their lives on the outside along with a hidden romance for seven decades.

When Alma is near the end of her life, Irina, her caretaker, and Alma's grandson, Seth, find a mystery in the flowers, notes, and secret escapades dependably repeated by Alma.

With a little spying and digging around, Irina and Seth discover the relationship.  

To hide such a beautiful love should never need to happen.   The funny thing about love is that you don't choose it, it chooses you.  True love always brings peace and conquers war.  Spread the word.

Happy reading,

Dawn

And the Ideas Just Keep Coming

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Well, I have just been writing up a storm! Just pounding the keyboard (and hoping what I’m saying makes sense). I’m working on The Marshall and Mrs. Morgan at the moment (along little snippets of other stories that are in my head).

I so love this part of the process, where I’m learning about my characters—who they are and what makes them do the things they do. What do they look like? What’s their personal history? Did they have happy childhoods? What happened to them to get them where they are now, meeting each other for the first time? It’s fun finding out!

I’m learning about the town where the story is set as well because the town is just as much a character as the people who inhabit it.

As with the beginning of any new story for me, the ideas are coming fast and furious. Funny where inspiration hits and little bits of dialogue or scenes come to me. Take yesterday, for instance. I was grocery shopping (as I usually do on Sundays) when an idea hit me. Fortunately, I always carry a small notebook in my purse for such occasions so there I stood, in the middle of the detergent aisle, jotting down notes so I wouldn’t lose them. I may have even giggled a time or two as I wrote (did other shoppers look at me like I was nuts? Yes, I’m sure they did). How long did I stand there, blocking the aisle before I moved my cart aside? I honestly have no idea. Certainly not long enough for my ice cream to melt into a puddle but definitely long enough for it to get soft.

Of course, those ideas and scenes aren’t in any particular order and neither is my manuscript at the moment (I haven’t even finished Chapter Two yet and here I am, jotting down scenes for the epilogue!). But this is how my mind works. Scary, isn’t it? I’ll puzzle it all together later (which again, is how my mind works).

Oooh, just got another glimpse of a scene. Gotta go write it down before I forget!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

UNCOVERING THE LORD by Lexi Post has released at only 99¢

 

UNCOVERING THE LORD

(Courting a Curious Lady: Book 1)

by Lexi Post

is now out and only 99¢!

She turned him down once. Dare he risk his heart again?

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon DE

On the eve of her trip to the Dragon Caves in Mallorca, Spain, Lady Elsbeth Rawley of Astor discovers that her classmates at The Belinda School for Curious Ladies will be pulled from school unless one of them marries by the end of the season. Heartsick this could happen, she promises she will marry for their benefit. Unfortunately, she has no prospects which means she will have to cut her trip short and return to England quickly to find a suitor. So while digging among the stalagmites, the last thing she expects to find is Lord Theodore Mabry, the heir to the Earl of Lansdowne, and the man whose proposal she rejected last season.

For the last year and a half, Teddy has buried his heartbreak over Lady Elsbeth in willing women on the Continent. But his happy-go-lucky ways were halted when one of those women gave him a baby girl before dying of illness just weeks later. Now, ready to go home with his daughter, he needs a “dragon tooth” for the wet nurse who refuses to travel aboard a ship unless she has one to wish upon for safe passage. Coming face to face with Lady Elsbeth is not in his plan, and while at first, it appears it will be a fortunate event, he soon discovers she is not who he thought she was as he is forced to take the same ship headed for England.

Now in each other’s daily company, Teddy finds he did not bury his love for Elsbeth deep enough. But he can’t ask for her hand in marriage. He has no wish to be rejected again. So he enjoys their time together as temporary, until hope rears its ugly head. Unfortunately, not all is as it seems and despite his defenses, he must decide if loving Lady Elsbeth is worth the destruction of his heart.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon DE

About Lexi:

Lexi Post is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of romance inspired by the classics. She spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about the classical literature she loved. From Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Masque of the Red Death” to Tolstoy’s War and Peace, she's read, studied, and taught wonderful classics.

But Lexi's first love is romance novels so she married her two first loves, romance and the classics. Whether it’s sizzling cowboys, dashing dukes, hot immortals, or hunks from out of this world, Lexi provides a sensuous experience with a “whole lotta story.”

Lexi is living her own happily ever after with her husband and her two cats in Florida. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you’ll never see her without a hat.

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Twitter

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First Kiss Train Wreck by Michelle Pennington

 Rian has a problem with first kisses, so first dates are her specialty because there's never a second date.

She works at Booms and Nibbles and flips houses with her best friend, Troy. You wouldn't think she has time for dates, but they are always around the corner.

The new marketing man immediately finds her attractive and asks for a date.

                                         

Troy to the rescue.  Riana accepts the offer of a lesson on first kisses.  Friends can do this, right?  With a blush from Troy, the lesson begins.  Rian isn't nervous this time, so that must be why it is the best kiss ever experienced from her point of view.  

She's ready for the next first date.  Granted, more lessons may be in order.

Does this make it two men on her roster, the new marketing guy and Troy?  Maybe she should narrow the field down and pick the new and exciting or the known and dependable amongst other attributes.

She has a work relationship with both, both handsome, both desirable...  What will she do?

Romantic comedy can always lift your spirits and leave a good feeling in your heart.

Happy reading,

Dawn

New Contract

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

So, I have fabulous news to share! I have finished writing Wife By Surprise, the third and final book in the Wives of Bravado County series. Now all that’s left to do is start my first-round edits, send it to my beta readers and make their corrections. I’m so looking forward to that process. I really enjoyed this story! It was a lot of fun to write.

Even bigger news! I have signed a three-book contract with Oliver Heber Books and I’m so stoked! After six years of writing, writing, writing, submitting, submitting, submitting, I have found a new publishing home! Whooo-hooo! This is cause for celebration! Here's the announcement.

As of this moment, I don’t know the exact publishing date for The Maverick and Miss Miller, but I would imagine it would be sometime later this year and I’m already working on The Marshall and Mrs. Morgan, the second book in the series. I love this part of the process…starting a new story, developing my characters, figuring out my plot points even though I know my characters will do whatever they want.  

I can’t tell you how excited I am! Also a little nervous, which is to be expected I think. I’ve never signed a contract for more than one book and now I have one for three! Oh my gosh! Happy days, indeed!

And being that that is the case, I should get back to writing.  

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar

A fabulous contemporary/historical romance!  As an auctioneer in New York, NY, Emsley Wilson's life is on auction.  Her grandmother, Violet, passes after a "free bird" life in painting and social connections.  

Emsley inherits Violet's New York brownstone and a blue box with an old painting and a pile of yellowed letters.  The initial intention is to sell the home along with saving her auction business, ditching one of the partners who wants to ditch her, and meeting the real estate attorney Violet suggested.

Can we add a little more to Emsley's to-do list?  Of course.  

Bram Dekker, attorney, meets with Emsley to help her with legalities.  He wears a wedding ring, so Emsley doesn't understand his interest in her.  He's gorgeous, kind, and respectful, but he has a ring on.  

In between cleaning the house, and everything else. Emsley takes a minute to transport us back in time through the old letters in the box.  The letters are written about Johanna Bongor-van Gogh. 

The story is rich in contemporary and historical romance along with such an interesting background of Vincent van Gogh.  I may have to pick up his biography to see how close the information is.  It also exemplifies the fight women take up to be recognized.  

I hope, if you pick up any of the books I review, this is one of them!

Happy reading,

Dawn

 

Home from Texas

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

        I am home from Texas and my son’s wedding. It was beautiful and came off without a hitch, if we’re not counting the sudden chill in the air and the rain, which came down in buckets —thankfully, it was not an outdoor wedding, but it did make maneuvering through the puddles without getting wet a little difficult. The summer dress I wore was little protection from that cold wind. The bride was beautiful and maybe I’m a little prejudiced there, but I don’t think so…love that woman, even if she isn’t my daughter now! And my son…well, this was the happiest I’ve ever seen him! That does something to a mother’s heart. I’m so happy for them.

        Did I cry? Well, not full out ugly sobs, but yes, I cried. It was very emotional! Have you ever witnessed something that was so ‘right’, that it touched you deeply? That’s what happened. When they looked at each other, the love between them was palpable, like you could hold it in your hand. I love that!

        The DH had a fabulous time, too. He was so proud to escort his future daughter-in-law down the aisle and he looked so handsome doing so. Despite his health issues, he danced up a storm at the reception. Did he pay for that later? Yes. Yes, he did. Actually, we both did and now, we’re both sick with lovely colds that have us coughing and sneezing up a storm!

        It’s all good, though! I wouldn’t have missed any of it for anything!

        Coming back to the day job was not easy (Oh! So much to catch up on!) but coming back for the writing was easy! Missed writing every day, but seriously, there was no time while I was away!

        And that’s about all for me…still catching up on laundry and so forth…

        Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

UNCOVERING THE LORD by Lexi Post preorder only 99¢!

UNCOVERING THE LORD

(Courting a Curious Lady: Book 1)

is up for preorder! Only 99¢.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon DE

She turned him down once. Will he risk his heart again?

On the eve of her trip to the Dragon Caves in Mallorca, Spain, Lady Elsbeth Rawley of Astor discovers that her classmates at The Belinda School for Curious Ladies will be pulled from school unless one of them marries by the end of the season. Heartsick this could happen, she promises she will marry for their benefit. Unfortunately, she has no prospects which means she will have to cut her trip short and return to England quickly to find a suitor. So while digging among the stalagmites, the last thing she expects to find is Lord Theodore Mabry, the heir to the Earl of Lansdowne, and the man whose proposal she rejected last season.

For the last year and a half, Teddy has buried his heartbreak over Lady Elsbeth in willing women on the Continent. But his happy-go-lucky ways were halted when one of those women gave him a baby girl before dying of illness just weeks later. Now, ready to go home with his daughter, he needs a “dragon tooth” for the wet nurse who refuses to travel aboard a ship unless she has one to wish upon for safe passage. Coming face to face with Lady Elsbeth is not in his plan, and while at first, it appears it will be a fortunate event, he soon discovers she is not who he thought she was as he is forced to take the same ship headed for England.

Now in each other’s daily company, Teddy finds he did not bury his love for Elsbeth deep enough. But he can’t ask for her hand in marriage. He has no wish to be rejected again. So he enjoys their time together as temporary, until hope rears its ugly head. Unfortunately, not all is as it seems and despite his defenses, he must decide if loving Lady Elsbeth is worth the destruction of his heart.

Buy links:

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About Lexi:

Lexi Post is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author of romance inspired by the classics. She spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about the classical literature she loved. From Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Masque of the Red Death” to Tolstoy’s War and Peace, she's read, studied, and taught wonderful classics.

But Lexi's first love is romance novels so she married her two first loves, romance and the classics. Whether it’s sizzling cowboys, dashing dukes, hot immortals, or hunks from out of this world, Lexi provides a sensuous experience with a “whole lotta story.”

Lexi is living her own happily ever after with her husband and her two cats in Florida. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you’ll never see her without a hat.

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Love Like Dandelion Roots by Katie Nelson

Moving back to your small hometown can be a bit nerve racking.  It's great to revisit your youthful memories, but the questions of "What brings you back?" can get annoying and embarrassing.

 Melissa, Mel, returns to Aspen Hill, Minnesota and its two stop light intersections.  To be around her mother and father is a treat, and amazingly, a job as a grade school teacher falls in her lap.  Not too bad of a start.

When her father falls ill, Mel jumps to help at the gas station he owns of which she had worked during high school.

 It is unavoidable in a small town to not bump into her former flame, Trey.  He was more than a fling.  He had pulled her out of her shyness and had created a relationship she had thought was promising.  That ended as fast as it started.

Now, Trey's son is in her classroom and Trey is in the gas station.

There may be a lot of explaining to do, so is it worth the time and understanding?  That's how love works.  Patience, time, getting to know one another, and an undeniable heart flutter does so much!

Happy reading,

Dawn