What's a Home Without a Cat? ~ Jean C. Gordon

A couple of days ago, Roxanne Rustand introduced her new puppy to us, so I thought I'd introduce the latest addition to our household--Louie.

Some background. I've always been a dog person. Cats are okay and a rodent-deterrent necessity for old farmhouses like ours. For a long-time, we depended on our daughter's family's cats. (Her family lives on the other side of our house.) But about a year and a half ago, our dog Xena died, and shortly after our son needed a temporary home for his cat Jester. We got used to being cat owners and missed it when our son was able to take Jester back. Then a sad event (my brother's death) brought a little sunshine into our lives in the form of five-year-old Louie.

Louie and all his stuff made the 300-mile drive here from Buffalo with no problems. Then when we let him out of his carrier in our living room, he ran and hid behind the couch. When we got up the next morning, we couldn't find him anywhere, but knew he couldn't have gotten out. The next morning, he was waiting by his food dish when I got up but disappeared again. We finally figured out he was hiding out in our walk-in front closet we use for a storage space. The doorknob latch doesn't hold the door shut tightly. Next time he was out and about, we put a hook and eye latch on the door.

Louie moved on and cleared off a spot in one of the cupboard for his hidey hole. For exactly a week, we saw very little of him. Then, all of a sudden he was out and about, friendly as can be, although the cupboard is still his favorite sleeping place. My husband is a little disappointed Louie isn't a lap cat like Jester. But doesn't hesitate to rub against our legs when he needs a petting or flop down on his back to demand a tummy rub.

So is anyone else a converted cat lover?

Something To Watch For

Trusting His Heart, my May release in the Paradox Lake Sweet Romance series will soon be available in print from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

After being widowed and subsequently discovering her husband’s infidelities and shaky business practices, Dr. Anne O’Conner Howard is restarting her life by teaching an environmental program at North County Community College and maintaining her company Green Spaces Environmental Engineering, LLC. The last thing Anne expects is for the boy who took her to Junior Prom to walk into her office as a prospective student.

Neal Hazard had planned to go to college to become an environmental engineer, but instead he became a single dad at 17 and raised a terrific daughter named Autumn. With Autumn in a nursing program and doing well, electrician Neal has left the National Guard and is going back to school to finish his dream. Discovering that Anne is his student advisor is a shock and takes a little getting used to. 

Neither Neal nor Anne’s lives turned out as planned, but both are charting new directions. Then an unexpected tragedy throws Anne’s world into chaos. Neal is a strong shoulder to lean on as Anne once again reevaluates her future. Will these unexpected life changes allow them to discover what their hearts truly want?

Welcome to Paradox Lake

Any fan of sweet romance will love settling into the stories of small-town love in the Paradox Lake Sweet Romance series. Grab your tea or coffee, settle into your favorite chair, and be swept away into the cozy Adirondack town where complex characters navigate challenging situations as they find their way to love. Whether it’s love at first blush, old flames reuniting, or second chance romance, you’ll find pure reading enjoyment and satisfy your craving for sweet, wholesome romance. 
Part of an ongoing series full of familiar faces, each story will stand on its own. With novel and novella lengths available, there’s something for everyone. Paradox Lake is written by USA Today Bestselling sweet romance author, Jean C. Gordon, who’s penned stories for the No Brides Clubs Series, Indigo Bay Series, and Harlequin Love Inspired, as well as for multiple sweet romance collections.

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Meet Selina! - by Magdalena Scott

If you get my monthly-ish email newsletter, you have already met Selina, the new member of my family. I had just about decided it was time to adopt a pet again, when this girl popped into my life. She is a year old, and a total sweetheart. Although she came home less than a month ago, it's hard to remember what my days were like without her. 

I named her after the heroine in a book I was re-reading, by my favorite author, Rosamunde Pilcher.

Do you have a pet? If so, how did you choose a name?

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.

Read her two series, Serendipity, Indiana, and The McClains of Legend, Tennessee.

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/

The Encore Bride - by Denise Devine

On sale May 16th

 

 

One of eight great stories in the Wedding Pets & Kisses boxed set on sale tomorrow!

A sweet romantic comedy about second chances.

Jenny Landon doesn’t believe in happy endings…

The tragic death of her husband has convinced her that her dreams don’t last and she never wants to risk losing her happiness—or her heart ever again. She’s totally unprepared to fall in love a second time, but when she meets Luke McCarran at her sister’s engagement party, his ability to understand her pain suggests he isn’t like other men. Can she bury the past and learn to love again?

Luke McCarran believes true love doesn’t get an encore…

Luke has his hands full with his business and a difficult teenage son. At thirty-eight, he’s too young to be widowed, but doesn’t believe he’ll ever fall in love again because he’s lost his soulmate. Then he meets Jenny Landon and he learns that although falling in love this time may be different, it is just as real. Will he convince Jenny they were meant to be together?

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Denise Devine is a USA TODAY bestselling author of romantic comedy, contemporary romance and she also loves to write inspirational fiction. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at thirteen and has been writing ever since. She writes about true love, happy endings and stories that touch your heart.

 

 

 

 

Wedding Pets & Kisses – On sale May 16^th!

Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love offers a fairy tale. You are cordially invited to celebrate family, friends, laughter, even a few tears, as cute, furry, four-legged pets play matchmaker and lead their owners to happily ever after in these 8 new, never-before-published sweet romances by New York Times, USA Today, and National Bestselling authors.

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Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

I hope you are enjoying the summer and a well-deserved vacation. Whether you are traveling, receiving company, or hosting children and grandchildren, don’t neglect your health. Remember it is so easy to catch germs when surrounded by people.

Here are a few precautions that help me maintain a good health while traveling or cruising.

1- I always take a tablet of Airborne before a flight. On all modern aircraft, passengers and crew breathe a mixture of fresh and recirculated air. Studies have shown that a crowded airplane is no more germ-laden than other enclosed spaces—and usually less. Yet, I prefer to play it safe and take my own precautions.

2- Gargle with Cepacol to kill germs in your mouth and throat. Years ago, I worked as a pharmaceutical chemist in the analytical laboratories of Dow Company. In every restroom, there were bottles of Cepacol. The company managers insisted that all employees gargle every time they visited the restroom. During the five years I put in practice this good advice, I never got sick.

3-Zinc fortifies the immune system. A daily tablet containing calcium/magnesium/zinc will increase your resistance to germs.

4- Don’t forget to take the flu vaccine. I have been taking it for twenty years. The only year I didn’t, I was so sick I ended up at the hospital. A lesson learned the hard way.

5- Use hand sanitizer. On a cruise ship, they will ask to use the sanitizer dispenser when you enter the restaurants. I noticed that cleansing-wipe dispensers have been appearing next to shopping carts at grocery stores.

And here is my mother’s golden rule: carefully wash all vegetables and fruits.

Two Loves for Christmas by Mona Risk
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B017L6Y9PM

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/two-loves-for-christmas

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1052930047

Google:  http://tinyurl.com/ntj2jo5

 B&N http://tinyurl.com/j9uhu8k

 

Meet My Pet Family by Karen Rock

I'm a proud pet mom! Having grown up with pets, I've never considered a family complete without them. Each animal that's come into my life has taught me so much about unconditional love, about giving, about loss. The good times with a pet are some of the best moments of my life and the bad times have been some of the worst. Still, I would never want a day to pass when it's not filled with wagging tails, sloppy kisses and a furry snuggle.

Here's a peek at the wonderful pets that complete my family!

Angel is my fifteen-year-old Birman cat, called the Sacred Cat of Burma, who, legend has it, acquired its striking appearance through the intervention of a blue-eyed goddess, who rewarded a temple cat’s love for and devotion to his priest by turning his white coat golden and changing his yellow eyes to blue. Angel is quite the character. He hides when strangers come over, but when it's just family, he runs the household and is the alpha pet despite only weighing about nine pounds! He loves Christmas because he can lay under the tree like a lion in the Savannah and pounce on my poor, unsuspected dogs!

He's addicted to whatever chemical is on photographs and will lick anything glossy. He also loves to pull off present bows, wrestling with my puppy, laying on his back by the fire, and pressing every bit of his body against yours while flicking his plume of a tail in your face. He's quite the character and we adore him.

Lizzie is my fourteen-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel. She's always had health issues and we nearly lost her in her early puppy days because of low blood sugar. When she was ten, she was diagnosed with diabetes. Despite being a little fussy about things, Lizzie shocked me by never complaining or giving me a hard time with her twice a day insulin shots. I was actually more squeamish that her and her stoicism helped me! Lizzie loves to bark at her toys like they are real threats. It's sometimes so convincing that I'll race to her "rescue" only to find her distress is over a small, purple dinosaur... haha.

She hates going outside in the rain, though she loves a warm bath. She lives for car rides, walks and anything peanut butter flavored. In the past few years, Lizzie lost our other dog, Little Bit, lost her hearing and, most recently, her sight. Despite all of this, she follows my lead when I take her on walks, going on trust and love alone. She still goes outside a lot, navigates the house and will bark like mad at a toy she can only smell. I know my time with her is coming to a close, but I can't imagine my life without my little fighter who loves us too much to leave us yet.

Zoey is the latest addition to our family. A year ago we drove to an Amish farm in PA to buy a breed of puppy we'd never heard of: Cava-poo. She's half Cavalier King Charles spaniel and half mini poodle. Since we'd lost our dog, Little Bit, the previous summer, I wasn't in the mood for a new dog. However, my husband surprised me with her because he saw how much I still grieved and was also down about Lizzie losing her sight and hearing. The farmers had named her Courtney, but her picture was so zany and I knew instantly she needed a quirkier name; eventually, we landed on Zoey. It fits her perfectly. She's a very upbeat outgoing dog who loves people, kids, and other dogs--even really big ones.

When she met a huge German Shepherd recently, she was wiggling all over in delight and the Shepherd put a massive paw on her shoulder as if to say "Stop moving!" and she froze, lifted her chin, and sat there like a statue until he'd sniffed all around her. We all agree that her coat is softer than fleece and her dark eyes in her blonde face is so cute. She loves to walk, run errands with us, and is addicted to Wendy's Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers which has made her a little chubby lately :)

Most of all, she has a HUGE heart and caring nature that makes her never retaliate when a defensive and insecure Lizzie growls at her. In fact, Zoey, from a very young age, must have realized that Lizzie was blind, deaf and diabetic because she always sticks by Lizzie's side, guiding her down the stairs outside and watching out, even if she doesn't need to go out herself. She also brings Lizzie toys and stays by my side as I feed Lizzie, as if she knows how important it is that Lizzie eat to keep her sugar up. She only eats once Lizzie has her shot and will actually bark at me if Lizzie starts to go upstairs without getting it. In that way, and others, Zoey is a little bossy, but in a funny way that just melts my heart.

I love all my pets, past and present, and I hope you enjoyed getting to know my pet family :) Please tell me who's in your pet family. I'd love to meet them!

Mornings....

Though I don't go to a day job, morning starts promptly around here.

Our two dogs feel they have to be outside before seven to oversee the comings and goings of those who do drive past on our little country road, on their way to work...and mornings are my most productive time anyway, so I've usually been making some progress on a manuscript before the dogs start barking at the door.

What a beautiful morning this was today!  Rather than rustle around for my D-SLR camera, risk waking up my husband and also risk missing this fleeting moment, I grabbed my cellphone and took a quick picture to share it with you.  There was a glorious sunrise beyond our neighbor's farm to the east...and it's a balmy (comparatively speaking) +19 degrees!  Running out to the barn to feed our three mares will be delightful in the warm  sunshine in an hour or two. In the Midwest, we need to appreciate these days, because next week could bring bitter cold, ice or snow--you just never know.  But fall and winter are my favorite seasons, and I love it all.

Days like this fill me with such joy, anticipation and gratefulness for all the things that are possible within the hours until day's end. Today I'm finishing up AAs  (author alterations--the last time I can review the Love Inspired novel that will be out in July) and can then get back to work on the Love Inspired book which will be out this coming November.  What fun, getting to know a new set of characters, and the challenges they will face!

But I'm also filled with anticipation and excitement over some travels this year, and best of all, a new grandbaby this February!  I can't wait to meet this new little one!   What are you looking forward to in 2016? Do you have plans with family, travel plans, or plans to pursue a hobby in greater depth?  I would love to hear about it!

Best wishes to you all for a wonderful year!

Roxanne Rustand

USA Today Bestselling Author

The Single Dad's Redemption, Love Inspired 7/2016

An Irish Christmas Blessing (Sweet Christmas Kisses Anthology 2015)

A Scottish Christmas (Sweet Christmas Kisses Anthology 2014)

www.roxannerustand.com 

www.facebook.com/Roxanne.Rustand 

http://www.SweetRomanceReads.com

https://www.pinterest.com/roxannerustand

Pets: the Ultimate Inspiration- by Karen Rock

Pets: the Ultimate Inspiration- by Karen Rock

As some of you may already know, I'm a huge animal lover. I'll do anything to help animals, from aiding the ASPCA down to snatching a squawking blue jay from the mouth of a large Tom. (True story and the bird lived :) I'm especially attached to my pets, Angel, a fifteen-year-old Birman with only four teeth, Lizzie, a thirteen-year-old Cavalier King spaniel who is blind, deaf and diabetic, and our newest addition, Zoey, a passionate nine-month-old with a nervous bladder.

My husband, Greg, daughter, Danielle, and I consider our pets as a part of our family. I'll always say, "Zoey, go give your sissy a kiss" or "Angel, it's not nice to bite your daddy." (Those four teeth are sharp!) Lizzie hasn't been getting up and around much lately except for her meals, which I sometimes bring to her. Our veterinarian assured us she isn't suffering from anything that causes her pain and if she can get around using her sense of smell, then she's fine. Phew! When we had her diabetes diagnosis the doctor told us to expect her to pass away last year, so every day more I have with her I treat like the gift that it is.

Yesterday, we made our annual trip to Rulf's apple orchard's pumpkin patch. It's always so much fun to choose from the rainbow of mums, get our donuts and cider, select different canned jellies (this year we went with Red Jalapeño, Black Raspberry and Apple Cider), purchase a peck of Macintosh apples and refuel our local tapped maple syrup supply. Best of all, we knew we'd get to do something we haven't done in a while since losing my other dog, Little Bit last summer and Lizzie's decline in health: take a pet with us for the wagon ride into the pumpkin patch. It's the highlight of the fall to see dogs bounding through the tangled vines, frisking with other dogs, and getting excited over just about everything.

So, what a complete shock when Lizzie didn't return to her bed after eating and started barking at the garage door as we donned our shoes to head out. She rarely wants to leave the house, so why the ruckus? After some debate, (could a blind and deaf dog navigate being on a wagon ride and maneuver through a pumpkin patch?) we decided to take her with a "Handle with Care" policy. As it turned out, Lizzie didn't need us to hover over her. She must have remembered the smells of Rulf's from previous years because as soon as we got out of the car, she made a beeline for the spot where they give out free popcorn (her favorite snack) and actually tried to climb up the stairs into the wagon on her own! She was so happy to stand in the center of the wagon, the air whipping over her ears, then trot through the farm fields, sniffing everything!

It was a beautiful day and another precious gift to have spent it with her. Her indelible spirit to enjoy every bit of her life, no matter the adversity she faces, is a true inspiration and a reminder to always think positively and embrace the good parts of our lives. By doing that, we can overcome anything.

How have your pets made your life more positive? In what ways have they inspired you? Please share your thoughts below; you know how much I'd love to hear them :) Oh- and in Lizzie's honor, I'm giving away an autographed copy of my multi-award-winning Harlequin Heartwarming novel, WISH ME TOMORROW, which features an adorable diabetic Cavalier King spaniel, Sweet Pea. Please include your email address with your comment if you wish to enter the contest. I'll announce the winner here, tonight, at 10 pm EST.

Thanks!

Do You Have a Green Thumb? by Helen Scott Taylor

Hubby and I have tried to grow different sorts of vegetables over the years and we’ve come to the conclusion that neither of us has the gift! The veg fairies do not like us, or most of them don’t.

My husband is great with all other aspects of the garden. We have a thriving wildlife meadow area, a beautiful woodland full of bird boxes that always house nesting birds each spring, a pond full of water lilies and fish and many healthy shrubs and flowers. But the veg patch is not a huge success.

In the UK, one of the staple plants in every vegetable garden is runner beans. Instead of the healthy climbers that most people grow, ours turn into sad spindly plants with few beans—and to be honest the beans aren’t very nice either. Too stringy. But that might be because I picked them late.

We do have some successes, though. Courgettes as we call them or zucchini to you in the US, are always a success. This year we’ve also grown patty pan squash, and they have thrived as well, giving us lots of flying saucer shaped summer squash—enough that we have them for just about every meal!

We are also growing winter squash, and they seem to be coming along okay, although the jury is still out on them. Peas are usually a success and so are the tomatoes we have in our greenhouse.

To be fair to us, this year the weather has been terrible in the UK. A cold spring that held everything back gave way to a wet, dreary summer. Even our friends who are a whiz at growing vegetables have had less success this year.

What about you? Do you grow vegetables? What are favorite things to grow?

Helen lives in South West England near Plymouth in Devon between the windswept expanse of Dartmoor and the rocky Atlantic coast. As well as her wonderful, long-suffering husband, she shares her home with a Westie and a burmilla cat. Helen's latest project is a boxed set called Christmas Pets and Kisses, full of wonderful stories about love and pets. Her book in the boxed set is Golden Christmas. Find Helen on FaceBook and Twitter, or visit her website.

Golden Christmas 

Two wounded hearts are brought together at Christmas by a trusty golden Labrador and an adorable golden retriever puppy.

Every Christmas Vicky hides so she doesn’t have to celebrate the date she lost her husband and son. She doesn’t want to see anyone but when she finds a dog’s lost ball she meets Jon, a wounded ex-soldier who’s struggling with his own problems. This brave man touches Vicky’s shattered heart and makes her realize she can’t hide forever. With his support, can she find the strength to love again? 

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Dedicated to a True Lion King

If you’re like me, you’re absolutely sick over the death of Cecil the Lion. It’s a sad thing to see such a beloved animal killed for sport. You can’t avoid hearing or reading about it because it’s all over the news. Social media is currently bombarded with the story and pictures of the beautiful cat. A lot of people are posting about him on Facebook and many are saying that the animal’s cruel killing is bothering them so much they can’t stop thinking about it. Me, too. Why? Because he trusted humans (to a certain extent) and one broke that trust. Now we must all live with the sorrow of that tragedy.

So, why do we love animals so much? Why is Facebook and other social media bombarded with pictures of our beloved pets? I can’t answer that question for others, but I can tell you why I’m so attached to mine. I love my pets because they love me—unconditionally. I love having them with me all the time and I love taking care of them. Even though most of my pets have passed away, their love is still in my heart.

From Hollywood Reporter Article

I once had a white kitty that had to have both ears removed due to skin cancer and I suffered just as much over it as she did. To this day, I still get emotional when I think of her. (Timeout for a Kleenex here…)



Pooh Bear before losing both ears

Have you hugged your pet today? If not, go and do it right now. And when you come back, post a picture of your current pet or one in memory of a beloved pet that has passed on.

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Denise Devine is a USA TODAY bestselling author who has had a passion for books since the second grade when she discovered Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at age

Sadie is in my next story.

thirteen and has been writing ever since. She lives on six wooded acres in East Bethel, Minnesota with her husband, Steve and her problem (feline) children, Babygirl and Tigger. She’s presently a cat person, but she loves all animals and they often find their way into her books. You can visit her at www.deniseannettedevine.com.

 

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