Lyn Cote Asks What’s Your Taste in Romance?

Image by Perfecto_Capucine from Pixabay 

Romance is an interesting blend of all kinds of stories. Do you enjoy a contemporary romance or a historical romance? A romance with hero who’s a detective? Like a cowboy? A heroine who’s a doctor?

You see what I mean. Romances come in all flavors. Authors understand that and each of us writes a different “flavor” in a unique “voice.” That means that though many authors may write stories with a hero who is a detective, each one will be very different.

But some readers don’t understand this.

I’m always amused when I read 1 or 2 star reviews of my books. I suppose that means I’m strange, but these reviewer berate me for not writing the book SHE wanted to read. 

Obviously I write the books I write. If she didn’t like it, why didn’t she just stop reading? I mean if you were at a buffet and took something you didn’t like, would you keep eating it after realizing you didn’t like the taste?

Here’s one of my favorite 2 star reviews

“This is the first of Ms. Cote's books I have read but if this is any indication of the type of writing quality of her books, it will be my last. I forced myself to read it to the end hoping it would get better - 

…

Two thirds of the book focuses on a love relationship, which is fine, but it is center stage, not the mystery. (I was looking for more mystery.)”

The title of the review was—

“It's no secret - I should have passed on this book!”

Well, why didn’t she??? My book’s subtitle is “Clean Romance Mystery.” Note that Romance comes first. Shaking my head.

My new book is another Clean Romance Mystery, titled Uncertain Spring. Last fall I asked in a blog: Can a Grandmother be a heroine? The response was YES! And that is this book. It came out March 26^th and it’s 25% off regular price till Easter Sunday.

Here’s the scoop:

Near midnight, a panicked dog barks frantically—not to frighten but to beckon.

Lois has just driven up to her summer home in a March snowstorm, coming north early to be near her adult daughters. Without hesitation she follows as the dog leads her through the thick pine forest. 

Finally she glimpses a young woman lying in the snow, unconscious. Lois taps in 911.

In the morning, the girl has wakened in what the doctor identifies as a state of dis-associative fugue, a form of amnesia. Lois takes in the girl as the local sheriff tries to find clues to her identity.

The nearby vet, a mountain of a man, helps Lois with the girl’s dog. He’s increasingly attracted to this compassionate but oh so refined woman while Lois finds herself drawn to him. Can they take a second chance on love? And why isn’t anyone searching for the girl? Or is someone?

Another suspenseful romance set on the shore of Lake Superior. For more info, click here.

So is your taste in romance? —Lyn Cote

Sign up for our Newsletter! And get a free book by Laura Scott!

Hi everyone! Dropping in to remind you to consider signing up for our quarterly Sweet Romance Reads newsletter! We announce our new releases, book sales and other great news. And hearing from us on a quarterly basis isn't too much of a bother, is it?

Here's the link! 

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I also wanted to mention I have a book that is free only through Easter! If you haven't read my books, consider giving this one a try!

Can this drifter find a home? 

Desperate for a fresh start, Jazz McNally pours her energy into renovating her grandparent's mansion overlooking Lake Michigan. Her goal is to turn the cherished childhood home into a bed and breakfast she'd manage with her twin sister. Jazz doesn't mind the hard work, until vandals strike. She needs help fast or risk missing the date of their grand opening and being in debt to her four older brothers.

Drifter Dalton O'Brien doesn't mind giving Jazz a hand, knowing once the job was complete he'd be on his way. But he enjoys spending time with her, more than he should. When vandalism escalates into danger, Dalton is determined to keep Jazz safe. Can he let go of the ghosts in his past long enough to embrace the future?

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Make Mine Happy - @MagdalenaScott

Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash

A few days ago, I stopped reading and set aside (probably forever) a 450-page novel. There was nothing but misery in the 150 pages I slogged through,. When I went to bed hours later, my mind was still full of those troubling images. (The author's powers of description are outstanding.)

I subscribe to two newspapers, and spend time each day reading local, state, national, and world news. 

I don't want or need another dose of misery served up in a book I'm reading for entertainment. 

I also know there are readers for every book. There are lots of readers for the one I'm not reading anymore: it's a New York Times bestseller. And I purchased it at full price. So I'm not hurting the author by not finishing.

Chalk it up to an expansion of my reading horizons that simply didn't work out. My antidote for the lingering misery: a sweet romance novel. Problem solved!

Here's a 99-cent deal on one of my sweet romances. Buy your copy before the sale ends on March 31st.

THE RING: Serendipity, Indiana Book 5

Carla Standish makes wishes come true for everyone but herself. Widower Jared Barnett and his kids have won her heart. But is the future possible without forgiving the past?

Carla Standish makes wishes come true, for everyone but herself. She is the go-to person for whatever her friends and family need and is world-renowned for creating one-of-a-kind, swoon-worthy dresses. She’s even surprising herself and the folks in town by dating a decent guy these days. If one missing piece would fall into the jigsaw puzzle of her life, everything would be perfect. But she ruined that possibility long ago, didn’t she?

It’s been a couple of years since widower Jared Barnett and his kids moved to Serendipity for a much-needed new start. They were settling in, but now he’s getting some confusing signals from the vivacious shop owner he’s dating, and the small town “good old boy” network seems determined to treat the Barnetts as outsiders. An offer he shouldn’t refuse would mean pulling up stakes again, but Jared will do whatever is required to take care of his family and to protect his own heart.

99 cents - only until March 31st

books2read.com/TheRing-Serendipity

Happy reading!

Magdalena Scott

Website: https://magdalenascott.com/

I feel like such a traitor!

This week I’m crawling through the house, ducking my head when people look my way, dodging direct questions. I look furtively around corners before turning, and sneak past crowded places. I’m about to abandon one of my closest friends, and I’m burdened with guilt.

Ellie has been by my side since I first met her in the fall of 2014. The very day Roger and I first met her, we invited her home with us. I’ve spent time with her almost daily since, and several different times on some days. Occasionally, I’ve spent whole, long hours with her for multiple days in a row. She has been one-hundred percent faithful in her loyalty to me, doing everything I asked of her—and I’ve made some fairly large demands.

Yes, Ellie—short for Elantra—has been among my closest confidantes and friends for the past 6.5 years. She’s heard my joys, my complaints, my prayers, and some of our marital arguments, and she’s been patient through them all. She’s also listened to dozens (maybe hundreds) of hours of Sirius radio and audiobooks. And now, here I am, turning my back on her.

She has taken me, my husband, and other friends and family over 98,835 miles of road—including the 30,000 (+ or -) miles we put on her when Roger and I served a mission in addiction recovery, working for fourteen months criss-crossing the Navajo Nation. Nothing on the rez is near anything else on the rez. We had to drive 130 miles one way just to take Ellie in for her regular check-ups, and we needed to keep her in good health. Pictured is one of the highways we traveled together frequently. (It's tough duty, but someone has to go there.)

Now I’m contemplating selling her, and though I expect to get considerably more than thirty pieces of silver, I still feel like a Judas, betraying my dear pal. Maybe it helps that I don’t intend to replace her. We’re now a household with two people and two cars. Since we’re both retired or working at home, we find that excessive. Ellie is the older of our two close friends (her cousin, Harvey, is the other), so she’s the one on the block.

I can only hope she’ll forgive me.  I’m sorry, Ellie, but I’m afraid it’s time. May you drive on for many miles with new friends, and may they take splendid care of you, keep you safe, and enjoy your loyal friendship as much as I have. 

Susan Aylworth is the author of more than 20 novels. Her newest release is A Rainbow in Paradise, fifth book in her Rainbow Rock Romances, which released March 22. Her  series, Seasons of Destiny, explores romance in every season of the year in the small, former Gold Rush town of Destiny, California, nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  Paris in the Springtime, Sunny's Summer,  Amber in Autumn, and Winter Skye are all available now in e-book and paperback. Susan is releasing more new editions of her beloved Rainbow Rock Romances. Over the Rainbow, a prequel to the series, is available free for a limited time to everyone who subscribes to her newsletter. You can sign up on her website: susanaylworthauthor.com. Contact her on her Facebook author page or via susan.aylworth.author@gmail.com or join her on Twitter @Susan Aylworth. 

  

Is There A Doctor in the House by Pat Simmons

My daughter says COVID is not kind for people who live alone, so after months of pros and cons, she decided to get her a miniature golden doodle.

Simi became a first-time parent, making me a first-time grandmother. She toyed with names before deciding on Dr. Avery Bennett Simmons, M.D., because he knows how to mend broken hearts. :)

When she first got him at six weeks, he wasn't bigger their her foot and barely weighed two pounds. I felt like a real grandma every time my daughter called with a crisis,  she couldn't find him or he jumped from the sofa.

That was in November. fast-forward to the spring and Dr. Avery has come into his own. He has his own Instagram account @dr.avery_goldendoodle. He also has been in time-out more times than I can count. He might mend broken hearts,  buthe also leaves a trail of heart aches. LOL. 

Case in point--tissue paper. Today, he experienced his first day in day care and my daughter had separation issues. Tomorrow, he gets a haircut, then puppy training. 

I don't know how many times I have laughed at my daughter's parenting skills. In a few months, after my husband, mom and I have both our shots, we'll finally fly to meet Dr. Avery.

He has provided a lot of laughs for his grandparents and annoyance from his mother.

Oh well.  Dr. Avery knows  the prescription for laughter is good for the soul.

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Pat Simmons is a multi-published Christian romance author with more than thirty-five titles. She is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth who is passionate about researching her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She is a three-time recipient of the Romance Slam Jam Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance. Pat’s first inspirational women’s fiction, Lean On Me, with Sourcebooks, was the February/March Together We Read Digital Book Club pick for the national library system. Here for You and Stand by Me is also part of the Family is Forever series. Her holiday indie release, Christmas Dinner, and Here for You were featured in Woman’s World, a national magazine. She contributed an article, “I’m Listening” in the Chicken Soup for the Soul: I’m Speaking Now (2021).

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 across the country. Pat has converted her sofa-strapped sports fanatical husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, GPS-guided chauffeur, and administrative assistant who is constantly on probation. They have a son and a daughter. Pat holds a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and worked in various positions in radio, television, and print media for more than twenty years. She oversaw the media publicity for the annual RT Booklovers Conventions for fourteen years. Visit her at www.patsimmons.net.

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My new release, HERE FOR YOU, was mentioned in this article.

Here for You by Pat Simmons

Christian romance satisfies readers looking for a nonexplicit love story featuring characters who live by faith. Simmons has dozens of titles under her belt. In this second title in the Family Is Forever series, following Lean on Me, Simmons tells the story of Rachel and Nicholas, who are very good at taking care of others, but not so good at caring for themselves. In true romance-novel fashion, the two are challenged and face a crisis of faith. This biblically-based book is perfect for readers who love clean romance.

Spring brings changes by Laura Ashwood

Just a few days ago we celebrated the first day of spring. The day that has exactly as many hours of daylight as night. To be honest with you, I struggle a little with spring. As I sit and look out my window, everything looks so drab. And muddy...so much mud. 

Here in Minnesota, spring is the time of year that the weather develops a severe case of ADHD. Just a few days ago I had three weather alerts on my phone the same day: severe thunderstorm warning, tornado warning and winter storm warning. It was 54 degrees today and it's supposed to snow tomorrow. 

But, spring is also the time when the tree bud and turn green with new life. Baby animals scamper in the woods and yard, the birds come back, flowers start to bloom and the earth seems to come alive again. It's a time for new beginnings...growth, renewal and transformation.

I've been thinking about transformation myself lately. I cut 12 inches off my hair, am trying to get into shape (one that isn't round), and I'm writing in a new genre....women's fiction. One of my favorite things about women's fiction is the transformation and change in the stories. 

Today, my first women's fiction novel, Summer at Bluefin Bay, releases as part of a box set with 11 other wonderful authors, called A Place to Belong.  

The idea for Summer at Bluefin Bay came to me one summer afternoon when I was on a four-wheeler ride with my husband. I actually had him turn back home so I could write it down before I forgot it. I wrote it in 31 days during NaNoWrimo (November novel writing month) and the story just fell together for me...

One man. Two lives. A summer that changes everything.

Abby is devastated when her husband of nearly fifteen years dies in a car accident. Then she’s shocked to discover he’s been living a secret life, and that she's been named guardian of the daughter she didn't know he had.

Determined to make the best of an impossible situation, she agrees to temporary guardianship while a private investigator searches for other family. But Michael’s secret life brings further problems, and Abby feels more lost than ever before.

Needing to get away from everything, Abby rents the two of them a house for the summer in the seaside town of Bluefin Bay. As she and the girl painfully adjust to their new situation, Abby begins to discover who she really is. 

What will Abby do when news from the private investigator forces her to make a life-altering decision?

Summer at Bluefin Bay is an emotionally charged story of overcoming grief and learning to find yourself when you least expect it.

It's available for just 99 cents for a limited time. 

Kindle: https://melstorm.com/Belong_Kindle

Apple: https://melstorm.com/Belong_Apple

Nook: https://melstorm.com/Belong_Nook

Kobo: https://melstorm.com/Belong_Kobo

Plans & Projects by Janice Lynn

 

Spring is here. Yay! As several have mentioned, I'm not a cold and dark kind of gal, either. So that the days are getting longer and the sun is out, well, that makes me happy. Well, except for the spring cleaning I've launched into this weekend. I decided to tackle my youngest son's closest. It ended up tackling me, but I did make some decent progress before getting distracted working outside in my yard and with decorating my house up for Easter.

My husband and I have a few spring projects going. We are working to redo our utility room and he bought a lovely antique trunk that we're going to touch up and place in our foyer. I love old furniture so I'm feeling quite spoiled. 

On the writing front, I've turned Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope in to my editor and am waiting on revisions. I can't wait to share this story with you. :) I'm also working on a new proposal and a short story project.

How about you? Any big plans for this spring? Any special projects? 

Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope coming October 26, 2021 from Hallmark Publishing

USA Today, Wall Street Journal, & Publishers Weekly Bestselling author JANICE LYNN lives in Tennessee with her Prince Charming, their kids who think they're all royalty, her vivid imagination, an adorable Maltese named Halo who's the true princess of the house, and bunches of unnamed dust bunnies that moved in after Janice started her writing career. In addition to writing romance, Janice is a nurse practitioner, a quilter, an exercise queen, a military mama, and an avid supporter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Just kidding on the exercise queen. www.janicelynn.com   WRAPPED UP IN CHRISTMAS & WRAPPED UP IN CHRISTMAS JOY are available at AMAZON Barnes & Noble WALMART

www.janicelynn.com

Free and Bargain Books for YOU!

 

Lyn Cote-I have two for you this month. 

My first is Winter's Secret 

Book 1 in my Northern Intrigue series

which is FREE on all online bookstores. 

A small town where everyone knows everyone. Or do they? Who is the silent thief in the night? Who is setting fiery surprises and why? Is there a stalker? And more questions of why and who must be solved. Yet in the midst of the danger around them, unlikely couples find the courage to love. And faith to trust God. Welcome to Steadfast, Wisconsin, a small town whose people and mysteries you may never forget. 

Click here for more info.

My second is a Kindle Monthly Deal. Book 1 in my The Carlyle Womwnt series, Meant for Me is on sale for $1.49 this month only. If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, it and the other 3 books in the series are FREE  to read.

-When a handsome stranger about to leave for World War I proposes elopement, Chloe, the perfect Southern lady, runs away to 1917 New York City. "Romance of epic proportions, absorbing and satisfying," PG13 "will steal your heart."

The Carlyle Women-four generations, 

each facing the challenges of her time 

and each harboring her own painful secret~

Click here for more info.

***************

Josie Riviera--Only 99¢ for a very limited time!

It's a U.S. Kindle Countdown deal for my sweet Irish romance, Oh Danny Boy.

Grab your copy today. Available in ebook, Paperback, Large Print Paperback, Audiobook, and Hardcover.

**********

Laura Scott here, are you looking for your next binge series? My book To Love the first book in my McNally Family series is free for a limited time! 

Jazz McNally won't let vandals stop her from opening her B&B on the shore of Lake Michigan. As danger escalates, she is grateful to have drifter Dalton O'Brien's protection. Dalton doesn't plan to stay in one place for long, but will he let go of the ghosts of his past to embrace his future?

Amazon B&N Apple GooglePlay Kobo

A Message from Spring by Merri Maywether

Nature announced the start of my favorite season with glimpses of orange washing over the summit of the Sweet Grass Hills. The sun’s warming rays cast a golden hue over the barley stubble. And I wanted to shout out in joy. 

We are far, far north. So despite the beauty, everyone knows this could be a false start to the season. So, I held my tongue.

Shortly afterward though, a yearning for lemon bars hit the palate. I wanted that buttery shortbread crust, the gooey lemony center, and a drizzle of powdered sugar. 

These were signs that spring was on the horizon. However, there is a school of thought I couldn't ignore.  As much as we love spring up here, misbelief in her arrival is strong. The older among us say with the voice of someone who has been burned. “Remember, that time it snowed over Memorial Day weekend Mrs. Cooke lost her entire garden to the freeze.” 

However, I wasn’t the only one chomping at the bit for the new season. In the back aisles of the grocery store, you could find us. We were the ones glancing over our shoulders like we were telling classified information. “Have you noticed how nice the weather has been lately?” 

Then the one sign all of us were waiting for arrived. On Monday, the Canadian geese’s squawking on their route north woke us. 

The chatter in the coffee shop line changed. Instead of complaining about the residual snow, or masks, or husbands who ate the last of the lemon bars, we mentioned findings in perusals through Better Homes and Garden. The conversations segued to the tomato plant that almost made it stories. Or, in the case of my 2020 garden, it’s the seventy-two seedlings I killed. The conversations are brief because we are still trying to be safe.

Even then, there’s a glint of hope in our voices. We're embracing the sunrises, holding our faces to the sun, and inhaling the soft breezes.

What I love best about all of these moments; Spring has taught us a lesson we all want to embrace: After every season of being dormant, the time to rise and shine has come again.

I know it's a couple of days early, but I want to wish you a happy start to the spring season. 

🌷 🌷 🌷

Becca and her best friend Donovan have an agreement. If both of them are single when they’re forty, they will get married. Which is a good thing because every guy she has dated has been a disappointment. 

Donovan has been in love with Becca since they were teenagers. It began when she bought him a get-well-soon card. But he doesn’t know how she feels about him. When they agree to marry if both are single when they’re forty, he decides to bide his time. This includes chasing off any men that may interfere with his plan. 

Everything changes when Donovan‘s grandfather leaves him an inheritance with one stipulation:  He must be married, or he’ll lose the estate.

A lot more is at stake when Donovan proposes. He has to convince Becca his feelings for her are real without telling her he’s the reason all the other guys bolted. 

This finding love after friendship story is the prequel of the Three Creeks sagas where friends find the happily ever after they were looking for was right in front of them. 

For a limited time, Get Well Soon is available for 99¢

🌷 🌷 🌷

Merri Maywether lives with her husband in rural Montana. You can find her in the town's only coffee house listening to three generations of Montanans share their stories. Otherwise, she's in the classroom or the school library, inspiring the next generation's writers. 

Outlaw Heart

Vickie McDonough

Can such a kind-hearted lady really be an outlaw?

Deputy Marshal Brett Wickham is ready to retire from law enforcement and settle down on the ranch left to him and his younger brother, Taylor. But when Taylor is killed in a bank robbery, Brett pins his badge back on and goes hunting for the Salinger gang. Then a bear attack leaves him badly wounded and lands him right in the middle of the outlaw’s hideout with his nemesis, Lottie Sallinger, caring for him

The woman who tends to Brett’s wounds claims to be Anna McFarland. He’s sure that’s an alias, although she sure seems too sweet and innocent to be an outlaw. But looks can be deceiving. When his heart is drawn to her, Brett fights the attraction. There no way he can fall for the woman who helped kill his brother. Can he do his job when everything in him wants Lottie to be innocent? 

Available on Amazon for $2.99 / Free on Kindle Unlimited

Trusting Her Heart

Jean C. Gordon

Trusting Her Heart is the first full-length romance in Jean C. Gordon's new Paradox Lake Sweet Romance series.

Spending time in the small town of Paradox Lake, NY, is the last thing that Emily Hazard wants to do. Her childhood memories, including the despised nickname Jinx, are anything but fond. However, Emily’s brother Neal is deploying overseas and needs someone to stay with his teenage daughter Autumn while she finishes her senior year. Emily is going to attempt to juggle working remotely as an assistant art director for an advertising agency in New York City and keeping an eye on her niece.

With his career and life in flux, Drew Stacey is currently working for a group of non-profits that is planning to rent the Hazard family's campgrounds on Paradox Lake for a summer program. Deciding it's a good idea to have a man around while he is gone, Neal has asked Drew to stay at the house with Emily and Autumn while Drew prepares the campgrounds.

A minor fender-bender as soon as she hits town, has Emily battling old insecurities. However one person doesn’t view her as a slightly klutzy disaster magnet, and that's the disturbingly attractive Drew. The spark between them is immediate, but Emily’s emotional blinders regarding the town, threaten to derail any prospect of a relationship. Can Emily see beyond the past?

Available here: books2read.com/trusting-her-heart

A Little Night Rainbow

Susan Aylworth

Rainbow Rock Romances Book 4

Max Carmody was married once. It wasn’t pretty. Now he finds himself stuck for the summer with a thirteen-year-old daughter he barely knows and a sister who will take her in, but not unless he comes with her. Marcie tells her dad she wants him to marry again, but the last thing this Mozart-loving car-parts manufacturer needs is romance. In fact, his ever marrying again is about as likely as finding a rainbow in the night sky.

Cretia Sherwood was married too, and it definitely wasn’t pretty. She is finally healing and regaining some independence after years of struggling to raise her kids on her own. Now that her daughter Lydia is thirteen and her son Danny is ten, Cretia can take a breath and focus on making sure she can give her kids everything she didn’t have growing up. The last thing this Mozart-loving mom needs is to lose her new-found independence to a man. When her daughter asks her if she would ever consider remarrying, Cretia replies—when she sees a night rainbow in the sky.

When love brings them a rainbow, both Max and Cretia have to choose between the security and safe routines of their present lives and a leap of faith, betting on the future.

Available on Amazon

Uncertain Spring

Lyn Cote

Near midnight, a panicked dog barks frantically—not to frighten but to beckon.

Lois has just driven up to her summer home in a March snowstorm, coming north early to be near her adult daughters. Without hesitation, she follows as the dog leads her through the thick pine forest. Finally, she glimpses a young woman lying in the snow, unconscious. Lois taps in 911.

In the morning, the girl has wakened in what the doctor identifies as a state of dis-associative fugue, a form of amnesia. Lois takes in the girl as the local sheriff tries to find clues to her identity.

The nearby vet, a mountain of a man, helps Lois with the girl’s dog. He’s increasingly attracted to this compassionate but oh so refined woman while Lois finds herself drawn to him. Can they take a second chance on love? And why isn’t anyone searching for the girl? Or is someone?

Another suspenseful romance set on the shore of Lake Superior by a USA Today bestselling author. On pre-order till March 26 for 2.99, regularly $3.99.

Purchase here: https://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/books-by-lyn/uncertain-spring

FREE & BARGAIN BOOKS FOR YOU!

BRAND NEW RELEASE--JUST $.99!

Release date   MARCH 19TH 

Preorder price of $.99 is available now,

 and the book will remain at this price for one week after it is released.  Buy it now!

How badly can a relationship be broken before just no chance to save it? 

    When veterinarian Kate Mathers drives past the scene of a horrific accident and sees two ambulances race away, she whispers a prayer for those involved, not realizing that it's her husband's car down in the ditch and that a woman at his side died in the wreck.   

    Now Jared is in the ICU on the verge of death, and only prayers for a miracle can save him. Kate is at his bedside, trying to face his precarious situation, deal with the fact that someone is targeting both her husband and her veterinary practice, and wondering how the most perfect marriage could have gone so wrong.    Or did it? 

For more information or to buy,  CLICK HERE!

Spring is in the Air By Kimberly Rose Johnson

 

I don't know about you, but I am welcoming spring with open arms. Winter is very hard for me. I'm not a fan of dark and cold days. I live in Oregon, so we do have daylight, but our daylight is shortened in November and especially in December. 

My favorite things about spring are the flowers and the longer daylight hours. Do you have a favorite flower? What's your favorite thing about spring? I'm trying not to think about the allergies that are sure to kick up due to all the new life sprouting. :)

The other day I discovered a recipe for a kale and avocado salad with a lemon vinaigrette. It's a great spring dish. I've been having it for lunch. 

Since I didn't create it, I'm posting the link to the recipe. Because there are avocados in it, so I recommend making it when you're ready to eat it. I learned the hard way that even with the lemon vinaigrette the avocados brown given enough time.

I hope you find something to smile about today! Drop me a line in the comments and let me know your favorite thing about spring.

Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance and romantic mystery and suspense with a heart.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

You can sign up for Kimberly's newsletter via her website at: https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

Trying Something New! by Merrillee Whren

No, I am not taking up cattle ranching, but the hero of my latest book is. Cowboys are a favorite of romance readers, but I have never written a story with a cowboy in it. The closest I've come is a part-time farmer in Country Blessings and a medical writer who owns a ranch and pays cowboys to run it in A Match to Call Ours. 

When people think of cattle ranching, they probably think of Texas, Montana, or Wyoming. Would it surprise you to know that Florida is a big cattle ranching state? The photo above was taken in Florida. That is where my ex-rodeo cowboy, Wyatt Bayer, finds a new job after recovering from a career-ending injury in his small home town of Kellersburg, Ohio. That's where he becomes reacquainted with my missionary heroine, Caroline Keller. What will happen when the missionary and the cowboy meet again many years after they both left their home town?

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iBooks 

Kobo 

Besides trying my hand at writing a cowboy story, I've also tried to make my first book trailer. My granddaughters introduced me to i-Movie on my i-Pad. So this is what I made with their help. If you would like to view the trailer click here.

Have you tried something new recently. If so, what did you try?

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.