Party Girl by Pat Simmons

September weekends have been busy for the hubby and me with invites we couldn't turn down. Actually, the parties started the last weekend in August

Of course, with every occasion, a gift is appreciated, but to be included never gets old.

My cousin-in-law celebrated her birthday and retirement. There was plenty of food--even cake--I had more than my share--decorations and music to burn off those calories on the dance floor. April is dressed in a hot pink jumpsuit. Guests were invited to share memories about the honoree, and I was picked from our table. This happens to be the cousin who cried when she met me because I was her favorite author, and thought her husband was kidding when he said I was his cousin. 

Now, onto September and another birthday party. We dressed up and we were treated to a sit-down dinner. Remarks from guests as they roasted Harold, who turned 80 years old. Since he was a barber, there were many jokes are his customers being bald with age. I even recited a poem someone else had written.

Then, last weekend, Kerry and I attended another church member's party, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. St. Louis hadn't received rain in almost a month, but on the day of their party, it poured, causing the annual hot air balloon race to be canceled. However, when the rain stopped, the guests continued to arrive. Harold's sit-down dinner held about two hundred and fifty guests.  Somehow, I think Kim and Colby had more than one hundred.

The dress attire for this one was denim. I wore a crisp white shirt, jeans, and heels. My hubby and I were comfortable as we played a bingo game where you had to find a guest who "shared your birth month", "had allergies", "met someone famous", "had the same shoe size", and more. It was comical because most of us were playing to win.  They have two sons and a daughter. The oldest son, seen here, spoke highly of his parents, standing behind him. Kim in a white top and Colby in a maroon shirt.

That's it for September. Now, we're heading out of the country for an international book signing. I'll have photos of that next month. Pray for safe travels.

----

About me...

Pat Simmons is an award-winning and multi-published Christian romance author of fifty-plus titles. She 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. Visit her at www.patsimmons.net.

Get your copy of my Christmas short story today.

Christian Suspense anthology PRICE DROP!

Hi everyone! This is Camy Tang. My next release is Don’t Blink, a multi-author Christian suspense anthology on October 7. The price just dropped to 99 cents if you want to buy it at all retailers.

If you preordered it already, you’ll only be charged 99 cents on the release day!

Price will go up on October 7, so be sure to get it before then.

Click here to preorder Don’t Blink for 99 cents!

Get ready for twelve intense, edge-of-your-seat suspense thrillers in this collection from bestselling and award-winning Christian authors. From murder in a mansion to deadly chases in remote locations, each tale offers high-stakes action and heart-pounding drama that shows how even in the darkest moments, hope and faith shine through.

Love Only
by Critically Acclaimed Award-Winning Author Terry Toler

Page Wells joined the hit reality dating show Love Only hoping to find romance. But when a fellow contestant is found dead in the mansion, Page must uncover the truth before she's sent home for good — not with a broken heart, but in handcuffs.


Silent Retribution
by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Cynthia Hickey

When a former student’s parent begins targeting third-grade teacher Heather Richardson, dark secrets from her past resurface, threatening her safety and the lives of those around her as she confronts a deadly pursuit fueled by blurred perceptions.


Queen Bee
by Daphne du Maurier Award-Winning Author Heather Day Gilbert

When a violent windstorm traps Twila and her teen daughter at a remote mountain retreat, they'll have to outwit an unhinged killer in order to survive.


Abandoned Into Darkness
by Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author Jordyn Redwood

Blinded from an attack and abandoned in the Black Canyon by search and rescue, Isla Thorne must still flee a serial killer.


One of Us is Guilty
by Illumination Christian Book Awards’ Silver Medalist Author Urcelia Teixeira

In the Florida Keys, a book club’s “perfect” murder plot becomes a deadly reality when one of their mutual enemies is found dead.


Gavin (A Durham Private Security Novella)
by USA Today Bestselling Author Melanie D. Snitker

Ivy's search for her missing brother leads her to Gavin, a former Army comrade, and a sinister plot that puts them both in danger.


Bento and Betrayal
by USA Today Bestselling Author Camy Tang

Disgraced bodyguard September Wong is forced to team up with security consultant Isaac Noguchi in pursuit of the same criminals who ruined her career.


Unauthorized
by Critically Acclaimed Bestselling Author Sherri Wilson Johnson

A budget analyst and an IT auditor must work together to save their Nashville organization from the clutches of an embezzler before both their lives are ruined.


Murder by Accident (A Miss Finch Prequel)
by Critically Acclaimed Award-Winning Author Vikki Kestell

Miss Finch teaches a course at UCLA called The Forensics of a Traffic Accident. As it turns out, not all her case studies are the mishaps they’ve been labeled.


Guarded
by Reader’s Favorite Award-Winning Author C.D. Gill

She doesn’t want a babysitter. He’ll do anything to get back to SWAT. Both are puppets in a bigger game.


Going Once, Going Twice (Guardian Sweethearts Book 2)
by USA Today Bestselling Author Jan Thompson

When her four-year-old son is kidnapped, a stay-at-home mother reactivates her hidden skills to mount a rescue operation.


Dangerous Pursuit
by Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author Lynn Shannon

When a mysterious note links Texas Ranger Vikki Rodriguez to a young woman’s murder, she’s pulled into a perilous case that may cost her everything–including her life.

Click here to preorder Don’t Blink for 99 cents!

When Scenes From A Story Come To Life

I’ve reached the season of life where I get to live some of the experiences I once only researched for my characters.

Earlier this month, it was a couple of chapters from 452 Memory Lane. 

There’s a scene where Sam and Kate zip line, and another where, as a challenge, they have to cross a suspension bridge. 

Kate is terrified in both and has her daughter and Sam to guide her through her fears.

So, imagine my husband, our adult son, and a sassy author (that's me), standing at the edge of a real zipline course in Montana. 

And wait, there’s more. Halfway through the course was “The Bermuda Triangle.” We had to cross three suspension bridges.

It was a scene I had written. Except in real life… I was the one terrified.

My strategy? This girl belted out Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey at full volume.

I thought—surely someone at the other end would join in.

Spoiler alert: no one did. 

When I finally reached the other side and hugged a tree, I thought Well, that didn’t go like the book.

But here's the truth: sometimes our scariest steps become our favorite memories, even if no one sings along.

And speaking of favorite memories… this is my birthday week! 🎉
To celebrate (and to honor the book that inspired my latest adventure), 452 Memory Lane is only 99¢ this week.

It’s a sweet, funny, second-chance story about friendship, healing, and love that’s been there all along—just waiting for the right moment (or a zipline) to show itself.

I hope it brings you as much joy as the memory brought me—tree-hug and all.

With love and laughter,
💛 Merri

Cover Ideas by Merrillee Whren

 

Last month I talked about the name for the ranch in my latest work in progress. Writing this book has been a slow process. In the past I have written much faster, but I'm finding more time for other activities. However, I do plan to finish this book as time allows.

 

When I started writing many years ago, I set a goal for myself. I wanted to write a book set in every state where I have lived. I've lived in eleven. I have Arizona (my current story) and Illinois books yet to write. Since I started indie publishing a decade ago, I usually have my cover artist make the cover. Paying for the cover is an incentive to write the book. I don't want to pay for a cover that I never use.

 

After I start writing the book, I look for photos that might be a good cover. Some covers have people. Other covers are only a scene. My Front Porch Promises series that you can see at the end of this post shows a front porch on each cover. My cover artist or I was able to find photos that would work for each book. For my current book, I was having a terrible time finding something that would work at least if the cover would represent the characters in the story. This is a story of a younger woman and a much older man. 

 

When I couldn't come up with any photos, I decided to try using AI to create pictures of my characters. It was an interesting process. This is the description I put to the AI program I was using. "A middle-aged Caucasian man with a goatee and a younger woman with long brown hair riding horses together in the Sonoran Desert at sunset with a colorful sky and saguaros in the background." I came up with this description after being less specific about the setting. The program allowed me to make changes to the picture, but too often when I asked for a change, the program would also change the looks of the characters. One of the first photos had the heroine dressed in a skimpy top. I asked for for coverage, and AI gave me less. I had to laugh. 

 

Here are some of the pictures the program created. 

 

 

 

I plan to send these to my cover artist and see what she has to say. She often comes up with the perfect idea for my covers when I am struggling to find the right direction. Maybe in the end, I'll just have a scene in the desert. I have lots of those photos.

 

What do you think of the AI productions? 

 

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.

Why September Makes Me Want to Fall in Love (With Books) by Josie Riviera

I'm excited about September this year. Not that I'm ready for summer to end - definitely not - but there's something about this month that always feels like a fresh start. Maybe it's finally being able to wear my favorite sweaters again, or that sudden urge to light every fall candle I own and reorganize my entire closet. September just feels full of possibility.

I love cozy things - soft textures, warm drinks, and that perfect cardigan that makes everything better. I bought mine is Ireland many years ago. It is oversized and definitely well-loved. There's something so nice about slipping on that cardigan, even though I'm still not quite ready to let go of summer.

September mornings are perfect cardigan weather. Cool enough that you need something, but not so cold that you have to commit to a winter parka. 

This time of year always makes me think about second chances - starting fresh, trying something new, or finally going after what we really want. September energy, you know? There's something about pulling out those fall clothes and lighting that first pumpkin spice candle that makes everything feel possible again.

I have a free gift for you:

My Regency inspirational romance Seeking Rachel is free right now!

Rachel grew up wild and free with Gypsy children, dreaming of adventure and her perfect grey-eyed hero. Nash is a battle-weary man who's lost his faith and doesn't expect to find it among London society. But when these two clash, sparks fly and hearts heal. 

If you love clean, faith-filled romance with characters who feel real and a love story that will make you believe in second chances, grab your free copy while you can. Also free on KU.

And I'm thrilled to announce my upcoming winter release, A Winter Promise! 

It's set in a snowy small town, with a heroine with a secret that could change everything and a hero who's about to discover that sometimes the best promises are the ones we never saw coming. Mark your calendars—this book is an inspirational Romantasy (my first!) and is set in the 1920s.

Pre-order your copy of A Winter Promise today!

Back to the cardigans. Do you wear hoodies or cardigans this time of 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

Celebrating Grandparents in Life and Books ~ Jean C. Gordon

Having just returned from vacation and having had company for the past several days, I almost forgot to blog ~ again. So, I checked the handy holiday website and found that it's Grandparents’ Day, and I thought it would be fun to share pictures of my grandparents. Here's one of my Grandma and Grandpa Chelikowsky, along with Dad (left) and my three uncles. I don't remember Grandpa well, but I sure remember being Grandma's little princess ~ her "baby's" baby girl.

And here’s one of my Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay (back row, two in from the left) and Great Grandma and Grandpa Hinton surrounded by family. Mom is in the back row, fourth from the right.

Both grandfathers died before I was born, but I remember visiting Grandma Hinton’s house when I was very young. Favorite times with Grandma Lindsay were riding my bike to her house after swim lessons and having cookies and tea and the big family Christmas celebrations at her house. I had 18 cousins.

What does this have to do with books? Think about how many sweet romances you’ve read that have had a meddling grandparent, a sympathetic grandparent, or a grandparent who has taken in a main character, or helped them in some other way. 

In fact, I have a two-book series, What the Heart Wants, in which the main characters’ grandparents play a crucial role in the hero and heroine’s romance.

Octogenarian Ellie Alexander is in love. And the only thing sweeter would be if her unmarried, unattached granddaughters could find the same happiness. Maybe with a bit of help from Ellie and her beau, Blake Parker …

Check Them Out

Do you have favorite memories of your grandparents or of being a grandparent?

 

Welcome, September!

Are you looking for some new books to read?  I have two for you to consider! 

DANGEROUS DECEMBER  is a brand new release coming out on September 16th. It's a Christian romantic suspense I hope you will enjoy.   

You can pre-order it here: Amazon link. 

And here's a quick blurb:

A chilling secret. A second chance. And a Christmas they won't survive--unless they can heal their past... 

After a painful divorce, small-town bookstore owner Beth Carrigan has rebuilt a quiet life in northern Wisconsin. The last thing she expects is her ex-husband Devlin—a decorated Marine—coming back with life-changing news: his late mother’s will binds them together for six months with a shocking ultimatum.

To secure the future they each desperately need—Beth’s beloved bookstore and Dev’s full inheritance—they must work side by side for six months to manage his late mother’s stately home, now a temporary refuge for down-on-their-luck residents. It's a daunting mission that requires compassion, cooperation, and close proximity. 

But someone doesn’t want them to succeed...

                         💕💕💕💕💕💕

FINAL REFUGE is the other book you might want to consider. 

It has a brand new cover, and it's FREE today through Sunday, September 7th!

Here is the Amazon link.

And here is a quick blurb:

Has her past caught up with her yet again?
Erin thought she'd found peace at last in a quiet, remote mountain town.

Now danger is stalking her once again. Surrounded by strangers, she doesn't know who to trust--especially that rugged man who moves into a nearby cabin. He seems tender with the little boy in his care, but is he hiding dark secrets of his own?

Wishing you hours of happy reading with these and also the books on your TBR stack!

 
Roxanne Rustand
USA Today bestselling author