Getting past the "Nope." Lessons in Love and Second Chances by Merri Maywether

When I was in the classroom, I used to tell the kids that failing is better than not trying at all. When we fail, we move forward. It may not be as far as we’d hoped, but moving forward is better than being stagnant. 

Most of the time, that’s all they needed to try. There were instances where they looked me in the eye and gave me a big nope. “Sorry, ma’am, it’s not going to happen.” 

Then I had to unravel the jumble that created the resistance. 

Sometimes it was fatigue. 

Then there was fear. The disappointment of trying and not getting what we hoped for can get heavy. Why carry it? 

For others, it was distraction. Joking around with a friend is far more interesting than fixing misplaced modifiers. 

Or, they didn’t understand. They had enough tools to know what they were supposed to do, but not the right tools to do the work. 

At this point, you’re probably asking, what does this have to do with sweet romance? 

These principles also apply to characters that are being offered a second chance. Sometimes it’s a second chance at receiving the love they know exists because they’ve seen it. Other times, it’s a chance at the life they’ve always wanted. 

Why would they put up so much resistance? 

Let’s revisit the reasons I used to see daily: fatigue, fear, distraction. 

That’s when we hear someone say, I’m sick and tired. 

Then there’s fear. I don’t want to get hurt again. I don’t want to get my hopes up. 

Distraction—they’re too busy. 

The big one. They don’t know what to say or how to accept what’s being offered. 

And that’s why so many of us love second-chance romance. We get the chance to live vicariously through a fictional character and find an ember of hope, or the strength to get up one more time, or the friend who snaps in front of our face, insisting that it’s time to pay attention to what’s in front of us. 

Anyone who has read my books would see in an instant that my characters always have a community that shows them how to believe in love. This help could come via a wise older person, a sassy friend, or the grumpy guy who just wants to lock them in a room until they figure it out. They are not only given what they need, but they’re also shown how to apply it. 

Then we get to my favorite part of the story. We get to celebrate because love wins. 

Our character had a good reason to wallow in bitterness. Instead, they did the work, and because of how hard it was, the happy ending is S-W-E-E-T.

It’s your turn to share. What is it about the characters in second-chance romance that makes you look forward to their happy ending? Or do you have a different reason why they would be hesitant to try again?

Let me know in the comments. I’m excited to read your answers. 

National Tattoo Removal Day by Merrillee Whren

 The photo above shows someone getting a tattoo, but today is National Tattoo Removal Day. Do you have a tattoo? Do you love it, or do you wish you could get rid of it? The art of tattooing can be traced back to 3000 BC. However, today one in seven adults who have tattoos regret getting them. There is good news for those who wish to be rid of the tattoos they regret getting. Laser removal of tattoos started in the 1990s. The technology for removing tattoos has improved over the years. Astanza, a leading company in tattoo removal founded this day. 

It takes thirty days for a tattoo to heal. Tattoo removal can't be done before that, so the date for National Tattoo Removal Day is set for at least thirty past National Tattoo Day, which fell on July 17 this year. So if you're looking to remove a tattoo that you got on National Tattoo Day this year, it's time. Also the date is six months after Valentine's Day if you got a tattoo to celebrate a valentine who is no longer your valentine, today is the day to get rid of that tattoo.

So what do tattoos have to do with my writing and my books? I have only one book with a character who has tattoos. Even the character on the cover of this book doesn't have a tattoo. When I first wrote this book for Harlequin Love Inspired, they did not put any tattoos on my hero's arms. When I reissued this book on my own, it was very difficult to find a photo with a male character with tattoos. So the cover still remained without any visible tattoos. I suppose these days, one could create a cover using AI to create a character with tattoos. Here is the cover from my reissue.

 Below is an AI generated picture with the tattoos. I kind of like it. What do you think of AI generated book covers? He certainly has tattoos.

Here is a short excerpt from Kirsten's Mission.

“Now there’s a fine-looking man, wouldn’t you agree?” Jen leaned on the counter.

Kirsten shook her head. “If you like tattoos and the scruffy unshaven look.”

“I was concentrating on those golden-brown eyes and that tousled brown hair.”

Kirsten frowned as she shook her head. “He looks like he’s been sleeping in his clothes, and that tousled brown hair hasn’t seen a barber in weeks.”

“Looks good on his six-foot-plus muscled frame.” Jen let out a low whistle. “I think somebody needs an attitude adjustment.”

“I suppose you mean me.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Kirsten sighed as Jen came back around the counter. “I know I was rude, but he made me angry. He was impolite not to let us know he was coming or that he’d arrived.”

“Did he tell you why he never responded to your messages?”

Kirsten lowered her head and put a hand to her forehead. “He implied my messages were curt and unfriendly.”

Shrugging, Jen frowned. “I thought you sounded okay when you left messages.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t hear them all. Maybe my anger came through even when I was trying not to let it show.” Kirsten raised her head. “Oh well, he’s here now, so I don’t have to worry about it. I hope his presence will make Cora happy. That’s all I care about.”

An unsettled feeling washed over Kirsten as she tried to concentrate on her work. She didn’t want to spend time defending her reaction to the smooth Mr. Hewitt. The man had waltzed in here thinking he could flash around his good looks and charm and make everything okay. Nothing about a cocky guy appealed to her, especially one with a plethora of military and animal tattoos decorating his arms. She suspected there were probably more that couldn’t be seen.

Jen raised her eyebrows. “Did Cora seem happy to see him?”

“Don’t know.” Kirsten shrugged. “She was sleeping, and he was sitting there beside her bed when I looked into the room. All that matters is Cora’s happiness.”

“You’re right.” Jen nodded. “But I was thinking he might be a good candidate for your date to Annie and Ian’s wedding.”

With incredulity screaming through her mind, Kirsten turned to Jen. “You’re joking, right?”

“No, I’m as serious as can be.” Jen tapped her fingers on her keyboard. “Taking Brady would show your dad you can get your own dates.”

“My dad would have a fit if I showed up with a guy sporting tattoos.”

“And the plot thickens.”

Kirsten shook her head. “There’s no plot, and the only thickness is in your skull.”

They worked for several minutes in silence until Jen craned her neck to see down the hallway. She chuckled. “The hero of our story is on his way back.”

“Will you please behave?” Waving a hand at Jen, Kirsten stared at the computer monitor and hoped the man would pass by without a comment. “Don’t say a word to him.”

“Can’t be unfriendly.”

“We have work to do.” Kirsten tried to concentrate on the scheduling chart on her monitor and not be tempted to see where Brady was. Why was she letting him bother her? She had to admit Jen was right. Underneath the tattoos and scruffy appearance was a good-looking man, but she couldn’t let that interest her. Charm and good looks didn’t undo bad character. What kind of man would ignore his grandmother for years?

If this story intrigues you, you can find the book by clicking on this link to take you to my website. 

I don't think Brady should get rid of his tattoos. What do you think?

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.

Once Upon a Time, a Nonnie and Her Granddaughters Wrote a Princess Story by Josie Riviera

 It started the way the best stories always do, with children who had questions and a grandmother who couldn't say no.

My granddaughters wanted a princess. Not the kind who waits in a tower. The kind who figures things out, who is brave without being loud about it, who discovers that what she thought was nothing might be the most important thing of all.

So we wrote one together.

The Princess of Nothing grew out of a long car ride home from Durham to Charlotte, NC. My granddaughters were my collaborators, my editors, and the most honest critics. If illustrations and parts of the story didn't ring true to them, it didn't stay in the book. 

If you have a young reader in your life, I hope this book finds its way into her hands. And if you read it yourself, you'll understand why we wrote it.

The Princess of Nothing is available now.

Did you have a favorite princess story as a little girl, and which one do you still love today?

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

Labors of Love by Liz Flaherty

Writing is work, and it's hard. Even 20-some books in I have trouble with tenses, trouble with apostrophes, trouble with commas. I still spend time with The Chicago Manual of Style when I use em dashes and ellipses because I never remember where and how to use them.

But reading, now ... reading is pure pleasure, isn't it? Even if the book ends up being more meh than wow, we still have the anticipation of starting a new one. Chapter One is surely one of the most beautiful phrases anywhere. Am I right?

I never thought of reading as work. I have judged contests. I have read manuscripts for other writers that--no matter how good they likely were--didn't work for me. I've never been in a book club (I've never been invited. Sigh.), but I know from friends that sometimes they truly hate the selection their club is reading at a given time. Usually they finish the book anyway. I read The Scarlet Letter in high school and am still whining about it 50-some years later. 

Well, yes, it is work. But, although I hated Nathaniel Hawthorne's writing, I still remember Hester Prynne's story. I think Hawthorne was brave to write it in that time period.

I remember that my favorite contest entry of all time was never published. It was a rollicking frolic of a Regency story during a time that Regencies were in great demand. I know that publishers asked for the complete, but Grass for Breakfast never appeared. Sherrie Holmes, the author, wrote for Word Wenches blog, but I never saw if she had books published. I looked for years. 

I think of teachers, from probably third grade on, who give writing assignments. From book reports to "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" themes, to short stories, to essays, to journals,  to term papers. They know when they assign them that they will have to read them. Every year of their career.

So, labors of love fits, doesn't it? Hawthorne wrote a brave story. Sherrie Holmes wrote (at least) one lovely one that I remember 20-some years later. Reading them initially was labor, but worth it. So very worth it.

And then there's the writing. I know it's work. Anyone who's ever sat in front of a blank page or a page full of irredeemable dreck knows it's work.

So is every other worthwhile thing I can think of. Relationships--especially the marriage and parent-child ones--are work, collecting things is work, playing any kind of sport is work, taking care of animals is work. And they're all labors of love. 

Every single one. 

Sometimes, I just really feel lucky. As writers, I think all of us here are lucky. Work on. 

P. S. Speaking of writing ... and books ... and me ... Shades of Green, Book 3 in the Harper Loch Trilogy, is available for pre-order. I am just embarrassingly excited.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://a.co/d/0dKnw8fA

D2D: https://books2read.com/u/3RRAgL

Last Day or Mega Sale!

 

FOUR BOOKS FOR 99 CENTS! REGULARLY $9.99!

June 28^th through August 3^rd!

The Carlyle Women Complete Series Books 1-4: Gripping and emotional historical fiction inspired by true events

Four generations 

each facing the challenges of her time, 

each harboring her own painful secret~ 

Meant for Me, 1917-1929

Had to Be You 1930-1945

To Love Somebody 1960-1979

What Love Is 1980-1990

“Lyn Cote hooked me from the very beginning, then expertly reeled me across the pages full of romance, suspense, heartbreak, forgiveness, acceptance...absorbing and satisfying-a rich journey with meticulous historical detail." 

“This is…a glorious story of hope and redemption. The plot is delicious, full of characters that come alive and draw you into Chloe's world. The story lives and breathes history, brings it home in ways that evoke our deepest emotions. This is a must read, a delightful story that will keep you reading until the last page. Don't pass this one by.”

The twentieth century displayed in the rich tapestry of one family’s saga~

Click here for more info: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D8GF2ZNK 

Why not tell a friend?—Lyn

At the end of my book Meant for Me, some readers have left reviews saying that they wanted more about the hero and heroine--something about their lives together--so I’ve written an Epilogue that gives an important scene with an important decision in Chloe’s life. Click here This is free!

 

Lyn Cote:What Readers Asked For and More!

 

At the end of my book Meant for Me, some readers have left reviews saying that they wanted more about the hero and heroine--something about their lives together--so I’ve written an Epilogue that gives an important scene with an important decision in Chloe’s life. Click here This is free!

And if you haven't read Meant for Me, how about this???

FOUR BOOKS FOR 99 CENTS! REGULARLY $9.99!

June 28^th through August 3^rd!

The Carlyle Women Complete Series Books 1-4: Gripping and emotional historical fiction inspired by true events

Four generations 

each facing the challenges of her time, 

each harboring her own painful secret~ 

Meant for Me, 1917-1929

Had to Be You 1930-1945

To Love Somebody 1960-1979

What Love Is 1980-1990

“Lyn Cote hooked me from the very beginning, then expertly reeled me across the pages full of romance, suspense, heartbreak, forgiveness, acceptance...absorbing and satisfying-a rich journey with meticulous historical detail." 

“This is…a glorious story of hope and redemption. The plot is delicious, full of characters that come alive and draw you into Chloe's world. The story lives and breathes history, brings it home in ways that evoke our deepest emotions. This is a must read, a delightful story that will keep you reading until the last page. Don't pass this one by.”

The twentieth century displayed in the rich tapestry of one family’s saga~

Click here for more info: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D8GF2ZNK 

Why not tell a friend?—Lyn

 

Text Messages Gone Wrong by Pat Simmons

I'll admit I can be lazy when it comes to responding to texts--I call it me being busy. But AI should accept responsibility when it'a not smart enough to deceipher what I mean when it does the voice dications. Here's one from today. My mom was actually looking for an old friend to come with me. She told my sister who said, "It's probably Kerry. You know how that AI is."

This one here---don't make promises you can't keep! I can't find the original text from years ago, but it was similar to this one to my son and daughter:

It seems like an encouraging text--and it is, but one morning, AI dicated as "God's gives us new Mercedes every morning." That prompted a call from my daughter who wanted to know if I had proofed my text. Of course, I hadn't. Needless to say, my son and daughter didn't hold God to what I promised. Let me just say first that one the next blooper. Somehow, my friends can tell when I'm doing voice dictation. I don't have any art friends, but I have plenty of author friends:

So what's the moral of my story. If I don't get back to you right away, expect a response within 48 hours. ---------------------- 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.

Check out her Christmas in July titles: