Tiny House - by Magdalena Scott

Last weekend, I attended an event about tiny houses. It was held at the Bartholomew County Public Library in Columbus, Indiana. (Yay, libraries!) The young woman who spoke was a high school senior. Researching a topic and giving a presentation was a project for school, and she did an excellent job.

Photo by MJ Tangonan on Unsplash

The man who spoke is taking architecture classes in Columbus, where there is LOTS of amazing architecture. He is also a sculptor, and generally very creative guy. After his portion of the indoor presentation, we went outside and were able to tour one of his tiny house creations. You can see some of his work at his website, Carpenter Owl. He also runs a tiny house Air BNB in Bloomington, Indiana.

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

I am fortunate to live in what a friend describes as the perfect tiny house. At 500-ish square feet, my second-story studio apartment isn't what you normally think of when the words tiny house are mentioned. But it is small--the whole thing is about twice the size of the kitchen in our big house--and it is perfect for me. I adore my apartment, my landlords, and my neighborhood, in the small town where I grew up. 

Photo by Timothy Buck on Unsplash

I drastically downsized in 2012. Could I cull my stuff yet again, and fit what I want to keep into something much smaller, even 100-ish square feet? I believe so, as long as I had enough windows--very important! I may never do it, but it's fun to consider the possibilities.

Photo by Travis Grossen on Unsplash

What about you? Have you ever toured or stayed overnight in a tiny house? Does it look like a lifestyle you would enjoy full-time?

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance and romantic women’s fiction. A lifelong resident of Small Town America, she invites readers into her world to find out what’s hidden just below the surface of those tiny dots barely visible on the map. Romance, mystery, and the journey to be one’s best self are all part of a day in her neighborhood. Readers have commented that they’d like to move to the imaginary towns Magdalena writes about, which she takes as high praise indeed.

Magdalena is a practicing minimalist, having downsized from a 3,000 square foot house to a studio apartment, where her Giant Closet continues to resist taming. When not writing at home or spending time with family and friends, she loves to travel–carry-on baggage only–and is always pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers.

Website: https://magdalenascott.com/

A Weed or a Wildflower? By Margaret Daley

A weed or a wildflower?

By Margaret Daley

One of my granddaughters got me to think about how we look at things means everything. I know I should already realize that, but it was something she said to me that made me stop and really think about a person’s outlook could make all the difference in the world. 

We were driving back to her house.  I saw a field carpeted in purple and said,  “Look at that. Isn’t that beautiful?”

“They’re weeds, Grandma Margaret,” she said.

“Some people call them weeds, but others call them wildflowers.”

“Really?”

“Yep,” I said.

Later as I mulled over what I’d said to my granddaughter, I realized how important it was to look at something in a positive light—a favorable one. We don’t like weeds, but flowers are one of the things that add beauty to our lives. What I am going to strive to do is to look at a field full of wildflowers, not one full of weeds. I think I will be better off looking at the positive, not the negative, and every time I see a wildflower I will be reminded of that.

How do you see a field (or your lawn), especially in the springtime? Is it full of weeds or wildflowers?

The Suspense Is Killing Me: 15 Christian suspense books for 99¢ or FREE.
I have a book in this 5-day sale (March 24th-28th). My book is Deadly Hunt for 99¢. Check this sale at: https://valeriecomer.com/2019-spring-suspense-sale/?fbclid=IwAR362TlUyW2VVNvEUe10hY5c3D5amcPSftl22XuHBeJOY6qVqUcey3SZJgw

The Best Happy Ending by Pat Simmons

Here’s a story I didn’t write. A friend of mine was adopted when she was a few months old (Because I respect her privacy, I won’t use her real name). Cassie grew up in a loving family and had no desire to seek out her birth parents for most of her life.

When my friend finally decided to search for her biological family, I was ready to assist. I kept bugging Cassie to see if she requested access to her adoption file. She decided to stop procrastinating, but by this time the system was backlogged more than six months.

I am big on researching my family roots and a fan of “Finding Lost Family on TLC and Finding Your Roots on PBS. Time is not on our side, and when you’re adopted, time could be running out for a child to meet their birth parents. Cassie is in her fifties, so that would make her parents between seventy and eighty.

My best genealogy sleuth skills were no match for the simple Ancestry DNA test. While Cassie’s results were being processed, she received her birth certificate, and I tried to create a paper trail from the clues. One thing was for sure, Cassie had a sibling.

Cassie’s results came back recently, and a few days later, she got a hit from a close relative with news that both her mother and father were still alive. Cassie’s mother was in her eighties—didn’t look a day over seventy—and her father was in his early nineties. Plus, she had more than one sibling. At one time, there were ten of them, but one died.

The story gets better. While my friend didn’t know her parents, people we knew had crossed paths with Cassie’s father. 

He and my late father-in-law worked for the same company and would have been about the same age. No doubt, they knew each other. Then it was one of our church members who knew Cassie’s father when she attended another church forty years prior. She was surprised to learn that there was a connection.

When my friend texted, “I’m going to meet my mom and dad this weekend.” I smiled. Cassie’s adopted parents had been deceased for at least fifteen, if not, twenty years. Now, God gave her a new set to continue her life’s journey. Amen.

This is a Fact, not Fiction Story.

If you love stories centered around adoption, then download Guilty of Love for only .99, or check out my latest The Guilty Generation. They will warm your heart. 

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Pat Simmons has penned more thirty plus titles. She is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth who is passionate about casting her ancestors in starring roles. She is a three-time recipient of the RSJ Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance. Pat describes the evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost as a life-altering experience. She has been a featured speaker and workshop presenter at various venues.Pat has converted her sofa-strapped sports fanatical husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, and GPS-guided chauffeur. Pat holds a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. Visit her at www.patsimmons.net.

#Free and #99cent #SweetRomance Books

These deals are limited-time only!

FREE forKindle readers March 22-26.

What kind of woman am I?

The question haunts Keira Rhodes when she awakens in the hospital with amnesia and learns that two men claim to be her baby’s father. 

Logan claims he is her loving husband. Although Keira feels drawn to this quiet man, she senses that their marriage has been far from perfect. For Logan’s own brother, Kyle, staunchly maintains that Keira’s baby and her heart are his…

The truth lay hidden in Keira’s lost memory—and in the tender touch of one special man.

If you enjoy the Hallmark Mystery movies, you will love Dangerous Memories.

Dangerous Memories is free for Kindle readers, March 22-26 only! Also available for Kindle Unlimited members.

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Available for Kindle readers for 99¢

The Single Dad: Ex-military man Derrick Richmond. Solitary and satisfied…until little Timmy was dropped into his lap and Derrick had to learn to be somebody's daddy.

The Single Woman: Schoolteacher Anna Maxwell. Fate might have denied her a family of her own, but Anna still had plenty of love to give, if only someone would notice.

The Solution: Anna would teach Derrick all he needed to know about kids. Father and son would give Anna some precious memories. Then the schoolteacher and the single dad would go their separate ways. Unless one little boy figured out a way to make Miss Maxwell become his mom!

Derrick is 99¢ for Kindle readers.

Also available for Kindle Unlimited members.

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ANOTHER FREEBIE BY LYN COTE

BOOK 1 IN THE CARLYLE WOMEN

Lyn Cote hooked me from the very beginning, then expertly reeled me across the pages full of romance, suspense, heartbreak, forgiveness, acceptance.

A rich journey...Meticulous historical detail and vivid characters...a treat for the reader.”

the pathos, despair, and courage of post-WWI Americ

 https://amzn.to/2QeNEm5

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My Charming Billionaire 

(The Grimwood Legacy Series Book 2)

New Release-- On sale for $2.99 from March 28-31

He has lived the charmed life. She only has her devoted seven workers to depend on in this modern day Snow White retelling.

Jeremy Grimwood followed in his father's footsteps and went to work at the family's investment bank. But his dismal life is racing toward a dead end. Until the weekend when he joins his family at their favorite ski resort. There he runs into his childhood friend, Melody Carson, whom he's had a crush on for as long as he could remember.

Melody Carson inherited the Sky High ski resort when her parents passed away in an auto accident. The resort has been in her family for the past four generations. Now her mountain refuge is about to collapse and the predators are circling.

Jeremy wants to help Melody and maybe get himself out of the friend-zone. But Melody has built a protective wall around herself and refuses to accept hand-outs or take advantage of her friends.

Will Jeremy ever be able to break through Melody's icy fortress so she can see true prince he really wishes to be?

Dream Destinations...In a Book

I've been reading this book that's set in Ireland. Not the first with this setting, but every time I read about Ireland, I want to go there.

And, yes, books can take you places you may never get to go in your lifetime, but a girl can dream, right? Maybe someday I'll get to go for real.

I think part of what I love about reading, and writing, is exploring new places. Creating a setting is just as important to me as creating believable characters. I put a lot of time and effort into setting up my story world. Because, as in the book I'm currently reading, a well-researched, well-thought-out setting transports the reader to that world. 

My newest releases, the Grimwood Legacy Series, is about a billionaire family who is each trying to meet the demands of their father's trust. The first book, My Beastly Billionaire, took place in a mansion, so I spend a lot of time on Pinterest and Elegant Residence sites looking at one mansion after another. (Just a little FYI, I do not live in a mansion. Surprised? I wouldn't be.) ha.

The conclusion I came to was they are much too big for my taste, but that's just me.

In my latest release, My Charming Billionaire, we travel to a ski resort. Being a southern girl, I didn't have a lot of experiences with ski resorts, aside from the one visit to Boyne Mountain while visiting my husband's family in Michigan. In real life, it was cold, gray, and the snow kept seeping through my Texas shoes. I didn't get to try skiing. After watching my brother-in-law roll down the side of the hill, I decided that wasn't for me. =)

In my story, it was a whole different matter. I visited several resort websites, watched any Hallmark movie that had to do with ski resorts, and finally got a feel for what they could be like. The story's Ski High Resort was a fun, beautiful place to write about. It helped that the owner, Melody Carson loves her mountain home, I saw it through her eyes and it was spectacular.

In the book I'm currently working on, My Wayfaring Billionaire (book 3) I'm now spending my days at a privately owned island south of Florida. I'll have to tell you more about this tropical paradise in a future post.

One of my favorite things about reading is being transported to wonderful places, real or imagined, that I may never have a chance to travel to. I can smell Ireland as I read the current book on my TBR lists. I can see the plush, green rolling hills, and sheep dotted valleys. It's wonderful.

Where have you traveled lately in a book? What did you love most about the setting? Or least? If there was nothing stopping you, would this be a dream destination you'd book a flight, or boat, or spaceship to? Leave a comment and share your thoughts. I always enjoy hearing from readers.

~*~

Here's a little bit about the first two books in my Grimwood series and links on where you can get them.

My Beastly Billionaire

His withdrawal from society and her need to prove her worth come to a head in this modern-day Beauty and the Beast retelling.

When Elisa Lucken's interior design company is hired to decorate the huge but neglected Grimwood Manor for an impromptu holiday gala, Elisa is put in charge of managing the indoor crew. The only catch is--do not disturb the reclusive Duncan Grimwood.

Thrilled and excited about her chance to finally prove herself, Elisa is so absorbed in her work she doesn't hear the blizzard warning that sends the rest of her crew home.

Jewelry Artisan Duncan Grimwood had a reputation of being a playboy until the motorcycle accident that left him damaged inside and out. After a year of recuperating, Duncan has withdrawn from his lavish lifestyle and now lives like a hermit ignoring his family and the terms of his inheritance trust.

Worried that Duncan will lose his portion of the Grimwood estate, his personal assistant urges him to re-enter the real world by hosting a holiday gala at the manor to display his latest works. He agrees on the condition that nobody disturbs him while he works to finish his last few pieces.

Snowed in for the weekend with his unexpected guest, Duncan is forced out of his cave. Will the beautiful decorator he's stuck with help him find a new respect for life before he loses everything?

My Charming Billionaire 

He has lived the charmed life. She only has her devoted seven workers to depend on in this modern day Snow White retelling.

Jeremy Grimwood followed in his father's footsteps and went to work at the family's investment bank. But his dismal life is racing toward a dead end. Until the weekend when he joins his family at their favorite ski resort. There he runs into his childhood friend, Melody Carson, whom he's had a crush on for as long as he could remember.

Melody Carson inherited the Sky High ski resort when her parents passed away in an auto accident. The resort has been in her family for the past four generations. Now her mountain refuge is about to collapse and the predators are circling.

Jeremy wants to help Melody and maybe get himself out of the friend-zone. But Melody has built a protective wall around herself and refuses to accept hand-outs or take advantage of her friends.

Will Jeremy ever be able to break through Melody's icy fortress so she can see true prince he really wishes to be?

________________________________________________

Jackie Castle looks for the extraordinary in every ordinary day. She is the author of The Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast and Grimwood Legacy romance series. She has also published numerous articles in magazines. She lives in Texas where she spins entertaining tales and enjoys relaxing in the evenings with her husband Bob, their children and grandchild.

Her favorite pastime, besides reading, is traipsing through her imaginary worlds in search of another story.
Find out more about her shenanigans over at Jackie Castle's Story World: www.jackiecastle.com. There you can also sign up for her monthly newsletter.

Free and Bargain-Priced #SweetRomance

Grab these deals before they’re gone!

FREE for Kindle readers.

Track coach Andrea O'Connor fumes at the audacity of Ian Powers, the almost-too-attractive father of one of her students. He offers to buy school equipment, but only if Andrea agrees to train him for a half-marathon.

She’ll train him, all right—and not just in running. As a widower with a high-powered job, Ian needs some instruction in being a father to an active teenage daughter. Yet as this overbearing man opens up, Andrea finds herself learning a few lessons herself.

Ian knows that Andrea, with her sassy attitude and her penchant for stilettos, is some woman! But her vulnerable heart is on the run, so he'll have to prove that his love, unlike his running, has limitless endurance—and once he catches this swift beauty, he'll never let her go.

Taking Love in Stride is FREE for Kindlereaders March 19-23.

Also available for Kindle Unlimited members.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

99¢ for Kindle readers.

When Sean Hudson arrives to claim his new daughter, he discovers the adoption hinges on the impossible. Unless he finds a wife immediately, the tiny orphan will be snatched away from him forever. But before Sean can abandon hope, a beautiful stranger proposes a surprising solution—marriage.

Sean swears the love in his heart is only for his soon-to-be daughter. And that is perfect for Nicki Willis, whose restless spirit yearns to have a family for just a while. But the tenderness of Sean’s touch soothes Nicki’s fears as well as little Sona’s. Now Nicki aches to become a family forever… and she refuses to believe she can’t make this dream come true.

A Beautiful stranger is 99¢ for Kindle readers.

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AND ANOTHER FREEBIE! FROM LYN COTE
Z

FREE EBOOK 

BUT ALSO AVAILABLE ON AUDIO NOW

Someone is speeding through the snowy nights breaking into homes to trash and steal. The new sheriff tries to stick to business but a pretty nurse who discovers each victim  interrupts his focus. Is she part of the crimes or his best bet to solve them?

https://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/books-by-lyn/winters-secre

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~*~

Snow Belle (Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast Book 1)

Only .99¢

Available at all distributors

Also available in audio and print

Their big dreams might cause them to lose everything-- including each other.

Haley Madison packed her big dreams and drove to the Arctic. Well, all right, so it’s Madison Creek, Michigan. But for a Texas gal, this frozen land ought to come with a sled and huskies. If it wasn’t for her family’s rundown property, she’d have stayed where the sun shone bright and warm. However, she has grand ideas for her inheritance even if the town has thrown up their objections to her plans.

Ethan Winters hated going home and admitting failure. Sure, he has a special talent with the violin, but he has bigger ambitions than playing at the local bowling alley. And then there was the idea of facing his father. No, he wasn’t ready to go home just yet. He veered off the interstate and drove to a little town named Madison Creek. Maybe his luck would change.

When the southern Snow-Belle literally blows him off the road with her rogue snowblower... more than just his luck will change.

New March Releases from Sweet Romance Reads' Authors

1-800-IRELAND

Josie Riviera

A strong-minded Irishwoman pursuing her dream. A disillusioned businessman ready to retire. Can two determined people separated by years and miles find true love at the end of an Irish rainbow?

Irishwoman Kathleen Kelly wants to renovate her new tea house in America to a sparkling shine, enticing droves of customers to Roses, NC. But the project quickly takes a turn for the worse when her hard work falls flat.

Rob Taylor knows a thing or two about running a business. He’s built Rob’s Marvelous Muffins into a thriving business catering to hundreds of customers.

With Rob in Miami and Kathleen in Roses, a May-December romance isn’t a part of Kathleen’s carefully laid-out plans. Besides, they’ve both admitted to each other how unlucky they are in love. Better to leave romance out of the picture and stick to friendship and hard work.

Kathleen has no choice but to face what she is most afraid of … commitment.Available for pre-order on Amazon

MARCH

Secrets of the Heart

by Vickie McDonough

Preparing for an arranged marriage to Jamie Reed, the heir to the neighboring plantation, Hannah Madison know her life is well-ordered and safe. But that was before she first stumbled upon a seriously injured stranger in the Reeds' barn. Hannah names the stranger Adam. Will he ever remember his identity? What caused him to be horribly beaten? And why does he have a sense of urgency about unfinished tasks?

When the truth does become clear, will Hannah be able to keep these secrets close to her heart and trust the Lord to bring what is best for all those she loves? Or will the sacrifice she is called to make become too great a burden to bear?

Available on Amazon

Love’s Healing Power

By Margaret Daley

Tess Morgan loves being a pediatric nurse and helping the children under her care. She’d always wanted a large family, but that dream was shattered when her fiancé was murdered while volunteering in South America.

Peter “Mac” MacPherson, a former football superstar, had dealt with his own tragedies—the deaths of his father followed by his wife while she was giving birth to their daughter. His faith sustained him through his grief, but can he help Tess believe again in God and finally find a family—with him? Available on Amazon and KU

Winter's Secret

Lyn Cote

In a small Wisconsin town, winter brings a series of disturbing crimes. With God’s help, can sheriff Rodd and nurse Wendy crack the bone-chilling mystery — and the secrets of their own hearts?

Available on Amazon

My Charming Billionaire

Jackie Castle

He has lived the charmed life. She only has her devoted seven workers to depend on in this modern day Snow White retelling.

Jeremy Grimwood followed in his father's footsteps and went to work at the family's investment bank. But his dismal life is racing toward a dead end. Until the weekend when he joins his family at their favorite ski resort. There he runs into his childhood friend, Melody Carson, whom he's had a crush on for as long as he could remember.

Melody Carson inherited the Sky High ski resort when her parents passed away in an auto accident. The resort has been in her family for the past four generations. Now her mountain refuge is about to collapse and the predators are circling.

Jeremy wants to help Melody and maybe get himself out of the friend-zone. But Melody has built a protective wall around herself and refuses to accept hand-outs or take advantage of her friends.

Will Jeremy ever be able to break through Melody's icy fortress so she can see the true prince he really wishes to be?

Available on Amazon

A Writer's Take on Instagram & A #FreeBook by Kimberly Rose Johnson

I reluctantly joined Instagram toward the end of 2018 at my publisher's urging. I'm not one to do anything halfway, which is one of the reasons I resisted for so long. The other reason is, I rarely remember to take out my phone to snap a picture. I've missed more photo opps than I care to think about.

I have gradually warmed up to the platform, and it's now one of my favorite time-wasters lol. I enjoy looking at other people's photos, especially the travel photos. Oh my goodness, I seriously have the travel bug now, and in part I blame my Instagram habit. 

I'm curious how many of you are on Instagram and what you like to follow there. 

Here are a few of my recent posts that I especially like. I'm working hard to create visually interesting photos that people will enjoy. I have a ways to go, but I'm actually enjoying the learning process. Go figure lol.

In case you haven't heard, Until I Met You is free wherever it is sold online. It's the prequel to my Brides of Seattle series. 

I hope you will take advantage of this free gift. Happy Reading!