A Thankful Heart Is the Best Love Story by Josie Riviera

 Every November I sit down and try to name what I am grateful for.

This year, near the top of my list, is you.

Writing sweet romance is a strange and wonderful job. I spend my mornings with imaginary people in imaginary towns, and then I get to hand those people to you, and you welcome them like old friends. You name your favorite heroes in the comments. You tell me a scene made you cry at your kitchen table. You share my books with your sisters and your church friends and your book clubs. An author could not ask for a better gift.

That's why Thanksgiving fits our genre so well. Sweet romance is a grateful genre. Our heroes and heroines learn to count their blessings, even the disguised ones. They learn that love shows up in casseroles delivered to a grieving neighbor, in a repaired fence, in a seat saved at the church potluck.

So before the turkey and the pie and the chaos of family and friends, I want to say thank you. Thank you for reading, for reviewing, and for showing up here month after month. 

And, I'm so excited about my newest release, The Montana Sweethearts Collection.

Three ranchers, three love stories, one small Montana town called Bitterroot. Hearts and Horseshoes, Wishes and Wildflowers, and Faith and Fireworks are now bundled together for the first time, the first 3 books in the series, one collection.

A widower rebuilding his life. A woman finding her footing after divorce. A former Army chaplain unsure if he still has a calling. Each story stands alone, but read together, they trace one small town's way of pulling broken people back toward hope.

Grab your copy today, and settle in for a Montana homecoming.

Now it's your turn. What is one small, unexpected blessing from this year? 

Please leave your comments below.

Josie Riviera is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, historical, and inspirational romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable Shih Tzu, who constantly needs grooming, and live in an old house forever needing renovation.

Sign up for her newsletter and get a FREE ebook on her website: josieriviera.com

Look it Up by Liz Flaherty

Every year, I relate my 30 Days of Gratitude on Facebook. I have no idea where the idea came from or how many people do it. Facebook is no longer people or friendship friendly, so I hardly ever see anything from people I know. I stay there, like a lot of others do, because of promotion and because I have friends and family there. Also, the fact that we live in the country and small town newspapers have very nearly disappeared, I depend on social media for news. Of course, that means cross-checking it all to try to get to the truth, but it is at least a resource. 

Oh, yes, resources. 

We know a lot about them, don't we? Those of us who've been around a while might still have our very big and thick dictionaries, thesauruses, synonym finders, and Writer's Markets. Also our romance writing how-to books, our baby name books, our etymology sources, and my favorite three--Stephen King's On Writing, Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. 

Did I take the advice offered by the writers of these books? Did I always use the synonym that should have worked the best? Did I always use the right homophones? To this day, can I use effect and affect correctly without looking them up?

Er ... no. 

But that doesn't alter the fact that one of the primary things a writer need to do it Look It Up. If for no other reason, we need to do it because it's not outside the realm of possibility that our books might become resources for other writers. (Not AI companies--not even going there.) I know that the first time I ever used the term seasonal affective disorder, it was because I read about it in a Jackie Weger book. Not only did I use the term, I recognized it in myself and used it as a plot point in a story of my own. 

So what does this all have to do with 30 Days of Gratitude?

Unlike some writers, I am only moderately intelligent. I spell okay. I can add and subtract. I can spell science and algebra and trigonometry, but I can't do anything beyond that. What I can do, though is used either that stack of books or the vast internet (guess which one I use most often) and look up things I don't know. Things I shouldn't guess at. Lots and lots of them. 

Today and every day I'm grateful to be a writer. And I'm grateful for the resources that permit it. 

I haven't finished my Christmas story yet because of the kind of year this has been, so I'll just put one down here to share if you haven't read it. It's a favorite and I love its cover!

Wishing you a great November. 

When Ellie Griffith comes to Christmas Town, Maine, to sell socks, her overachieving family accuses her of running away and extending her lifelong habit of never finishing anything she starts. In her heart, broken by being left nearly at the altar, she thinks they’re probably right, but she has to try one more time. The last thing she wants to do is meet a man. Patrick Nolan, the seasick-prone, dyslexic son of a fisherman and a librarian, owns a Christmas tree farm outside of Christmas Town. He’s grown used to being the family disappointment and loves the direction his life has gone. He’d like to have a family of his own, but his history of rushing into relationships has left him gun-shy about love. But then the manager of the new sock store slips on the ice right in front of him. Maybe, just maybe, the stories of magic in Christmas Town are true.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2HLKW17?plpRedirect=mhFallback&ref=clp_hp_h_pc

The Book or the Movie? by Laura Scott

 

Good morning from sunny Wisconsin! 

I'm noticing more and more popular books are being adapted into movies or television series. It almost seems as if Hollywood can't come up with their own movie plot, so they find it easier to ride on the coat-tails of the popular authors. I don't know about you, but I find the books are almost always better than the movie.

One exception recently, I read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt for our summer book club. I enjoyed the book very much, but I thought it dragged in the beginning, especially when it came to Cameron. That kid annoyed me so much, I wanted to slap him. 

Our book club decided we would all read the book then watch the movie staring Sally Fields. I adore Sally so I eagerly watched the movie adaptation to the book. 

And you know what? For the first time I loved the movie better than the book! At first I wondered if it was all because of Sally, but then as we discussed the differences I realized that Cameron came across much better in the movie version than the book. And the movie producers cut much of the annoying part of him from the script. 

Maybe one day I'll be fortunate enough to have one of my books made into a movie. If that ever happens, I hope you all love the book more. 

I'm thrilled to announce that my fifth Grayson's Guardians book, Deadly Memories released earlier this month. If you haven't tried one of my books, considering giving this one a try!

Deadly Memories by Laura Scott $3.99

What she can’t remember might kill her…

When a young woman collapses on Regan “Doc” Harmon's doorstep, he doesn’t believe her amnesia is real. Recognizing her as Fiona Murphy, daughter of the millionaire horse trainer Liam Murphy convinces Doc she’s a complication he’d rather avoid. Yet, there’s no mistaking the genuine fear reflected in her eyes, and when armed men show up on his cabin clearly searching for her, he has little choice but to protect her.

Fiona Murphy’s memory is nothing but a fog, but she can’t shake the fear that plagues her. Someone wants her dead and Fiona is very much afraid that what she can’t remember will kill her. Doc is the only man she can trust with her life, but can she also trust him with her heart?

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Don't Try This at Home by Pat Simmons

I'm at an age when birthdays are milestones worth celebrating. But this one, right here... who knew 60 years would look so good and be so much fun? One of my church members greeted her guests, dancing into the room to the music. Her formal dress was a beautiful burgundy, with flirty ruffles that flowed with each move. Then I noticed the roller skates.

She was more graceful on skates than some women in heels, twirling and skating backward with ease. Mellody never missed a beat. What an entrance! The food was delicious. The cake was amazing, but the honoree was memorable. I was honored to be a guest of the woman I called my twin. It was a night I'll never forget and a stunt I’ll never attempt at home. Sidenote: Skating runs in her family. Mellody’s mother is in her 80s, and she ain’t afraid of the rink either.

Pat Simmons is a multi-published author of fifty-plus Christian romances. She is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth, a five-time recipient of the RSJ Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance, and the 2022 winner of the Leslie Esdaile “Trailblazer” Award. Pat lives in St. Louis, Missouri, holds a B.S. in Mass Communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, and has worked in radio, television, and print media for over 20 years. She serves as a publicist on the board of the Christian Book Lovers Retreat (CBLR). Visit her at www.patsimmons.net. --- Pre-order her 14th Christmas novella: PRETTY LITTLE GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS.

I Found a Ball Gown for One of My Regency Heroines by Camille Elliot

If you were the heroine of a Regency romance and had an important ball to attend, what would you wear? (This is the all-important question!)

I love looking through fashion plates from the Regency era and imagining my characters wearing the gowns. Candice Hern has an amazing collection of fashion plates on her website, and I've also found digitized copies of Regency fashion magazines online that I use when writing my books.

Granted, most of the scenes of Lady Wynwood’s Spies in London have been in places other than ballrooms and social gatherings, which is probably why I like the Wittenden arc in Volume 7: Spinster so much since there are balls and garden parties galore.

Every once in a while, I find a dress that makes me think, Oh, one of my characters absolutely has to wear that.

This one is from Ackermann's Repository in February 1809:

It's labeled simply a “dancing dress.” The original magazine describes a white satin gown trimmed in gold, tied in front with a gold cord and tassel. The lady also wears white satin shoes trimmed with gold, white gloves, gold jewelry, and gold ornaments in her hair.

But while I thought the original fashion plate was cute, I had trouble imagining exactly what the dress would look like on a real woman. So, just for fun, I gave ChatGPT both the original illustration and the description from the 1809 magazine and asked it to recreate the gown.

And this is what it came up with:

Didn’t ChatGPT do a great job??? I was so excited when I saw this!

I intend to have one of my characters from my Lady Wynwood’s Spies series wear this gown in Volume 11. (I won’t tell who!)

But considering that Lady Wynwood's Spies involves romance, secrets, danger, and spies who have a terrible habit of getting into trouble at social gatherings, I'm fairly certain her evening won't consist entirely of dancing.

It won’t be long before the series is finished in Volume 12!

---

Curious how it all begins?

Click below to read the beginning of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 1: Archer for free and step into a world of Regency intrigue, danger, and slow-burn romance.

👉 Read the excerpt now

What Montana Winds and Wedding Dresses Have in Common by Merri Maywether

 

This weekend, we had what Winnie the Pooh would call a "Blustery day." 

It's a day when we get winds ranging from thirty to seventy miles per hour. Anything that isn't secured isn't guaranteed to be there after the wind subsides. The next day, my Facebook feed turns into a local lost-and-found. 

That in itself is entertaining. I was over thirty when I learned that a trampoline could take flight.

But that's scratching the surface. The dialogue between neighbors in the comments is a whole new level of bonding. People will post pictures of chair cushions found miles away from the owner's home. If it's intact, people will ask for links on where they can buy it.

Six months after we lost the bowl to our fire pit, it was found. Just in time for crisp autumn evenings. 

So around here, walking is healthy and a daily seek-and-find adventure. 

This summer I added to the game. I collect rocks of different shapes and sizes. Then, I paint them. I have started using the time I spend hunting or painting rocks as a creative meeting with my characters. Two things come out of these sessions. Dialogue and reasons why the perfectly good idea I’d planned for them will go wrong. That's when I get to scribing the story. 

Somewhere between collecting rocks and talking to my characters, Misty (the heroine in my new release) decided she could plan a wedding on a budget. Here's a peek at how that went.

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One Fake Wedding

I save a lot of my bookish wedding inspiration on a Pinterest Board labeled "My Sister's Wedding." The dresses Misty chose for this scene didn’t get that little red P icon, but I thought it would be fun to share, so you can see what I used to help me write the scene.

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“Dresses. Misty has to pick a color.” Savannah held up her phone with her stylus in hand. “Once we get that done, we can decide on decorations.

After her vision blurred from reading through so many Pinterest boards, Misty had an epiphany—one she was sure Linda would appreciate. “I was going to ask if there was anything from all the weddings that you’ve attended that you might want to reuse?”

Linda dropped her keys. “Why on Earth would they do that?”

“To save money.” Misty pulled out her cell phone. “I have two dresses being delivered to my house.” Both were boho style. “If they have dresses in the cool tones, I’d go with the white. If they have warm tones, I’d go with beige.”

“Are you saying you bought your dress off the internet?” Mischa was the one brave enough to say it. The stunned expressions on everyone’s faces said they were thinking it.

“Yes, at a great price. It was seventy-five dollars with shipping and handling.” Misty’s shoulders rose to

her ears, and she smiled like she’d had a visit from the everything-she-touched-was fifty-percent-off fairy. That had happened once when she’d stopped in a store that was closing. She still hadn’t worn some of the sweaters she’d bought that day.

Madison spoke through the side of her mouth. “Um, who’s going to tell her that today was about trying on dresses and shoes and convincing Earline to let us play that “You’ve made a big mistake” scene from Pretty Woman?”

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One Fake Wedding is available in the Kindle Unlimited Collection 

National Dessert Day by Merrillee Whren

Do these desserts look delicious? This is a photo my daughter took at a wedding reception for which she had made a lot of cookies for a cookie table. It looks like a lot of yummy choices. My favorite cookie is chocolate chip, but I love all kinds of desserts. I have a fantastic sweet tooth. Too fantastic in fact. So about twice a year I go on a sugar fast. I don't cut out sugar completely, but I do avoid desserts. I do this for four to six weeks and usually right before I go for my annual "well visit" which, in my opinion is a complete waste. I don't know who decided seniors should have a well visit instead of a regular physical. But we aren't here to talk about doctors appointments. We are here to talk about desserts and books.

I have one book that actually has a dessert on the cover. Cupcakes. Valentine cupcakes.

Near the end of the story, my heroine, Samantha Dawson, brings the hero, Wes Norberg, a plastic bin full of cupcakes. They have a tumultuous history, and this is her way of bringing a thank you and a bit of a peace offering. She remembered that he said he had a sweet tooth and figured this would be a good way to get in his good graces. 

Here is the opening scene from Hometown Girl.

A cacophony of voices, honking horns, jet engines, and undefinable noises assaulted Wesley Norberg’s hearing as he stood outside the terminal at the Fort Lauderdale airport. The above-normal temperature of a humid southern Florida day made his shirt stick to his back. How could it be this warm in late November? He glanced at his phone. His rideshare would be there in five minutes. Five minutes to stand in this heat.

     While he waited, wishing for cooler weather, a young woman catapulted herself at him and put her arms around his neck. He tried to pull away, but she clung tighter.

     “Please pretend you know me. I need your help.”

     The desperation in her voice threw him off guard, and in the next instant, she was kissing him. At first he tried again to pull away, but then he found himself enjoying the kiss, relishing it as she melted into him. His mind completely engulfed with the lips of a complete stranger on his, he was enjoying it too much. When she ended the kiss, he nearly pulled her back for more.

     Her arms remained wrapped around him. She trembled, and he recognized her distress. What would cause a woman so much fear that she would kiss a man she didn’t know? Did he dare ask?

     Wes held her close, her dark hair soft against his cheek. She smelled of peaches and berries. “Why do you need my help? What’s this about?”

     She inched back and looked into his eyes, still clinging to him, her brown eyes wide with concern. “Someone’s after me.”

     He strained to hear her whispered response. “Who?”

     “Don’t look now, but the man in black with the dark hair and beard, in line for a taxi.”

     Wes gazed at the woman to keep himself from searching for the ominous man in black. “Why is he after you?”

     “Too long to explain. Just take me with you.”

     Wes frowned as he looked at the woman. “How do you know I’m not worse than he is? I could be a serial killer, for all you know.”

     Her dark-brown eyes surveyed his face. “I’ll take my chances on you.”

     “He must be a scary dude.”

     “He is.”

     While Wes puzzled over this situation, a dark-blue car pulled to the curb, and the driver lowered the window. “Wesley Norberg?”

     “Yeah.” Wes shoved his phone into his pocket as he grabbed his roller bag and wheeled it toward the back of the car.

     The driver hopped out and scooped up Wes’s bag and plopped it into the trunk. Wes turned to get into the backseat but bumped into the unknown woman. “You’re still here?”

     “Yeah. Please take me with you.”

     “But you don’t know where I’m going.”

     “But I do.”

     “Really?”

     A smile brightened her face as relief painted her features. “Wesley Norberg, you’re going to your sister’s wedding.”

     Blown away, Wes wrinkled his brow. “How do you know my name and that I’m going to my sister’s wedding?”

*****

How does she know? I hope you will find out.

Do you like desserts? What is your favorite?

Merrillee Whren is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award presented by Romance Writers of American. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of forty-plus years, and has two grown daughters. Connect with her on her Facebook page and sign up for her newsletter.