February is the Month of Love by Rachelle Ayala

Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

We all search for love in one form or another. To be loved is to be recognized. To matter to someone out there. To not be so alone.

When we're in love, we are no longer frail. We see beauty and leave the ordinary behind. We no longer feel mortal, at least in the eye of the lover, and the vast universe of possibilities opens up to us.

The Irish poet and philosopher, John O'Donohue describes the awakening of love as

“When love awakens in your life, in the night of your heart, it is like the dawn breaking within you. Where before there was anonymity, now there is intimacy; where before there was fear, now there is courage; where before in your life there was awkwardness, now there is a rhythm of grace and gracefulness; where before you used to be jagged, now you are elegant and in rhythm with your self. When love awakens in your life, it is like a rebirth, a new beginning.”  - John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

 But what happens if you can't find love?

Fortunately, you have the wellsprings of love within yourself, in the nature of your own soul.

“You can search far and in hungry places for love. It is a great consolation to know that there is a wellspring of love within yourself. ... Imagine that nourishing stream of belonging, ease, peace, and delight. Feel, with your visual imagination, the refreshing waters of that well gradually flowing up through the arid earth of the neglected side of your heart. It is helpful to imagine this particularly before you sleep. Then during the night you will be in a constant flow of enrichment and belonging. You will find that when you awake at dawn, there will be a lovely, quiet happiness in your spirit.”  - John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

He then goes on to say that the only way to preserve love is to maintain that separateness of your own self. That lovers are drawn to the differences between them, and that to preserve your own difference in love, you need plenty of room for your soul to grow and expand.

“Love should encourage and free you fully into your full potential.”  - John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

So, in this month of love, it profits us to remember that love is not found in the Other, but from within, and that while it's exciting and giddy and romantic to be loved by another, the vast possibilities of the universe are yours for the taking, because love comes from within and grows to fill all potentials.

Wishing you lots of love and may your wellsprings never run dry!

Rachelle
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Since February is the month of love, my three sweet Valentine romances, along with the rest of the Have Family gang, are on sale for 99c. The Harts are a large, caring, and busybody family of San Francisco firefighters. Book One, Christmas Lovebirds, is FREE, and all the rest are 99c.

Five Reasons why Opposites Attract by Rachelle Ayala

Have you ever looked at a couple you knew and wondered what they saw in each other? Or maybe it was you, hooking up with the last guy any of your friends or family would ever believe you'd be attracted to?

Why are there so many relationships where the couple are polar opposites? The party animal with the bookworm. The workaholic with the fun-lover. The laid back with the go-getter. It would seem that when looking for a relationship, we'd want people who we were compatible with, who share the same interests, who like the same things, and who make us comfortable.

Here are five reasons why opposites attract.

1. Chemistry. Oil and water. Fire and ice. When opposites meet and collide, explosions happen. When people with opposite personalities meet, there is curiosity, surprise, and the unexpected. This person is not responding to me the way I expect. An unexpected interaction sparks interest and gets the heart pumping. It's memorable and whether cute or annoying, it definitely makes a mark.

2. Excitement. Everyone likes surprises. They take us out of our daily routine and make life interesting. Someone whose personality is opposite to yours will surprise you and keep you on your toes. This excitement is raises your heartrate and increases attraction, especially at the beginning of a romance.

3. Complementary. We unconsciously seek that which we're missing. A shy bookworm may dream about athletic pursuits. A talkative person can appreciate a silent listener. Someone disorganized may need an organizer. By drawing ourselves to someone who makes up what we lack, we feel more complete as a person.

4. Humor. A sense of humor always helps balance a relationship. When your partner views the world the opposite with you do, things happen that are not the way you would have anticipated. That could be funny and memorable.

5. Tension. In any romance, tension and conflict drives the story forward. It's the same way in your life. Great relationships thrive on passion, and passion is created by tension and yes, sometimes, conflict, as each person asserts his or her individuality.

My latest story, Dog Days of Love, is an opposites attract romance between a woman with a doctorate degree and a happy-go-luck college dropout. Vanessa is a go-getter and a planner. She has a checklist for life and she is determined to follow it to the letter. Dale Hart lives, laughs, and loves by the seat of his pants. When Dale throws a Frisbee at Vanessa's dogs, he starts an improbable chain of events that change both of them.

Excerpt:

“You keep staring at her, and your eyes are going to combust,” Nadine said, coming up to his side. “Excellent aim.”

The wind lifted the Frisbee high, and then, because Vanessa was downhill from them, its descent was prolonged, drawing the attention of both of Vanessa’s dogs.

The hyperactive black and white rat terrier mix yelped sharply and jumped for the Frisbee, while the more laid-back brown shepherd mix circled Vanessa’s legs, barking encouragement.

Not to be outdone, Cinder leaped, flying magnificently through the air, her jaw wide open, her entire attention glued to the yellow disc, her athletic and streamlined body a blur of spots and white.

Bam!

A tangle of brown, black, white and spotted fur spun like a funnel cloud touching down. Vanessa’s arms windmilled, her phone went flying along with the plastic poop bags. The dogs’ leashes wrapped around her legs and down she went, while Cinder and the rat terrier played tug-of-war with the Frisbee.

Dale sprinted down the hill. He edged out a man on a bicycle who laid his bike down to help. Swooping down on his prey, he lifted her up high.

“Are you okay?”

Rip! Her skirt tore, exposing her black laced panties and stockings. Dale’s eyes caught fire as he struggled to avert them from her shapely thighs.

Vanessa screamed, “Let me down. You’re stepping on my clothes.”

“Oops.” Dale dropped her, a little too fast, and she turned her ankle, lurching backward.

By reflex, he yanked her sleeve, but she slipped from the suit jacket, popping the buttons, and landed on her brown dog, who gave a yelp of pain.

Cinder let go of the Frisbee and snagged Vanessa’s fallen shoe. That dog had a women’s shoe fetish. Quick as a whip, she raced away from the other two dogs to keep her prize.

By now, a crowd of people gathered, and several punks pulled out their cameras to take videos.

Vanessa’s hands flapped, trying to pull up her torn skirt. Her brown dog leaped over her and licked her, tugging at her neat bun and smearing her makeup.

The other dog, a terrier mix, pounced on the suit jacket and shook it like a drowned rat, growling and pawing at it.

“I need my shoe back, and give me my jacket.” Vanessa grabbed at her jacket, but the dog thought she was playing tug of war and dug in its heels.

“Miss, your phone’s broken,” Nadine said, picking up Vanessa’s discarded phone.

“I need to get to my interview.” She stared at her phone while trying to cover her abdomen and thighs with what remained of her skirt. “I need to get back to my apartment to change and call a taxi.”

“I can help.” Dale stripped off his tank top. “Here, put this on.”

Instead of waiting for her to respond, he pulled the tank top over her arms and shoulders and picked her up. Thank goodness for oversized and overlong basketball jerseys.

“I still need my shoe,” Vanessa cried. “And I’m going to be late.”

“I’ve got this.” Dale hefted her over his shoulder like a caveman with his bride and headed down the hill toward her apartment.

“But, my dogs are loose.”

Dale whistled “Yankee Doodle,” and like the pied piper of old, he led a trail of dogs and bystanders down Martin Luther King Drive and out the South Gate of the park.

“How do you know the way to my apartment?” Vanessa demanded, her legs flipping against his stomach as he walked.

“I see you at the ramen shop across from the station all the time.”

“Stalker.”

“No, rescuer. All my brothers are firefighters, but I prefer saving pretty women,” Dale said. “Dale Hart, Chief Connor Hart’s brother.”

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That was definitely a memorable meet cute. To read more, find Dog Days of Love at your favorite ebook store. Universal Link: http://books2read.com/DogDaysOfLove or in Paperback from Amazon.

*~*~*

 Don't miss the best Christmas party of the year!

Wednesday, December 6th

2pm to 8pm EST

 https://www.facebook.com/events/1108334982602544/

Dog Walking Can Start a Romance by Rachelle Ayala

Photo by Matt Nelson on Unsplash

Scientific research has shown that positive and feelings are transferred to the people you are around when you experience these feelings. Therefore, one way of making a new acquaintance like you is to make him or her feel positive and happy. Dogs have a calming and relaxing effect on people, and they are a powerful association with happiness, at least for dog lovers. They are often friendly with strangers and won't hesitate to greet and wag their tails at a friendly and approachable face.

Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash

It's hard to be unhappy when confronted with such cute and happy faces. Therefore, if you love dogs and are looking for love, get a sweet, cute puppy or friendly dog and take him or her for a walk where other dog lovers congregate. All the happy and cute feelings your dog elicits will be transferred by association to you! Just make sure not to get into a dog fight, because that would have the opposite effect.

In my newest book Dog Days of Love (available for a special pre-order price of 99c), Dale Hart tries to engage a pretty young woman's dogs by tossing a Frisbee at them.

Read an excerpt and tell me if Dale Hart made a good first impression.

Vanessa Ransom couldn’t afford to sweat.

Not while stumbling after her two dogs through Golden Gate Park wearing a stiff business suit and a pair of power pumps.

The hot summer sun blazed overhead, and waves of heat simmered over the sweltering city streets—an unusually hot day for the city by the bay, better known as San Francisco.

Her two darling mutts, Randi and Ronni, circled around her legs, looking for that perfect place to potty. They sniffed every bush and fence post, tails wagging and tongues lolling, but they wouldn’t settle down and do their business.

Vanessa, or Nessa as she was known to her friends, checked the time on her phone. She had a job interview clear across the city and she was running late.

Randi, the bristly black and white rat terrier sheltie mix, pulled on her leash, lunging at a little boy bouncing a ball. She was the alpha dog, full of energy and stuck her nose into everything. Meanwhile, Ronni, the shepherd terrier mix with soft brown hair, laid down on the grass and put her head down. While Ronni took life easy, she was also affectionate and loved to cuddle.

“Come on, you two. Any bush will do.”

If only her dogs would hurry up. Being late to a job interview was not an option since her summer internship was ending soon and she didn’t have a job lined up.

“Woof, woof,” Randi barked and lunged at a floating Frisbee as if it were an affront to her that she wasn’t invited to play.

Snap. While Randi complained, Ronni leaped and snagged the Frisbee.

A man jogged up with his hand outstretched.

“Good dog.” He patted Ronni, and she dropped the Frisbee at his feet.

Randi barked and forced her way between them, hopping up on her hind legs for the Frisbee or the pat. She always demanded to be fed first, patted first, and given her choice of playtime activities. She was high-energy, after all.

“Mind if I play with them?” the man asked. His light-brown eyes twinkled as he took Nessa in, from her perfectly pressed hair to her starched blouse, understated silver jewelry, gray suit and skirt, and black leather pumps.

Nessa’s heart took an extra pump.

He was a young, twenty-something, tall, handsome, and white.

“I’m actually crunched for time,” Nessa said, waving her cell phone. “Taking them out for a bathroom break before I head across town for an important interview.”

“Best of luck, then,” the man said. He threw his Frisbee, and it soared high in the air currents across the lawn.

Nessa couldn’t help her gaze from following its arc. It floated free and easy, like the man with his tousled curls and lazy grin.

He waved at her before stretching out his long legs and chased after the Frisbee. What kind of weirdo played Frisbee by himself while hoping to pick up other people’s dogs?

Randi barked and pulled against her leash, while Ronni gave Nessa an imploring look.

“Come on, you two,” Nessa tugged at their leashes. “I’m sorry we can’t play today. How about a trip to the dog park this weekend?”

Both dogs stared longingly at the man and his Frisbee, and Nessa couldn’t help checking out the guy’s physique. Tall, but not lanky, the man was well built but not bulky. He wore board shorts, a Warriors jersey, and sneakers without socks, and he was most likely unemployed.

[End of Excerpt, to read on, please buy Dog Days of Love by Rachelle Ayala]

Dog Days of Summer by Rachelle Ayala

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

I hope everyone is fine this Labor Day Weekend. We're breaking heat records in the San Francisco Bay Area with the mercury IN THE CITY topping 106 and over 115 inland. Weather sure is strange this year, and of course, we're still praying for the people of Texas as they recover from Hurricane Harvey, and watching for Hurricane Irma. God Bless the USA and we hold up our hands in prayer.

This summer was hard for me after losing my aunt who was diagnosed with breast cancer in June and passed in August. Writing didn't seem to bring the usual joy, and after publishing Going Gets Hot earlier, it was a long slog to write Summer Love Puppy -- one of my darkest stories about two smokejumpers in a love to hate, second chance, secret child, lost dog romance. Does that get any stranger? Anyway, Summer Love Puppy is available for Pre-Order for 99c [regular price $2.99]

And, since I'm so behind on my schedule, I'm sort of glad the summer heat has extended into September. So, during these last dog days of summer, and before all of the Christmas craze hits, I'm working on my next Hart Family Sweet Romance, Dog Days of Love. This one is lighter-hearted, I promise, and features a high-achieving psychologist (heroine) with a happy-go-lucky charmer (Dale Hart) who walks her dogs and wants to win her heart.

Oh! Before I forget. I just found out Playing for the Save, a love story between an aging baseball player, a single mother, and her sons, one with autism, won the 2017 Readers Favorite Gold Award in Realistic Fiction.

So, how are you spending the last days of summer? Did you know that they call it the Dog Days of Summer not because it is so hot that dogs lie around panting on the asphalt, but because of the Dog Star, Sirius, rising right before the sun, during the hottest time of the year. So enjoy these last sweltering days, take your sweetheart on a walk on the beach, or the kids off to the swimming pool, or even hoofing it through an air-conditioned mall. [They sent out cell phone alerts on Friday telling people to go to the nearest cooling stations - libraries, hospitals, malls.] So stay cool out there! Or if it's already cool in your neck of the woods, enjoy the coming fall weather. Aloha, Rachelle

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash