Celebrate Childhood Memories by Pat Simmons

Recently, I spoke with twin sisters from my old grade school. They were one of two sets. I hadn't connected with them since we graduated from a Catholic grade school that has since been demolished and replaced with condos.

I got a call from "Ann", one of the first set of twins about a rumor that a fellow classmate had died. The news saddened me, because the only memory of H.D. was he had a crush on every girl in our class. We promised to get together for lunch or dinner when the other set of twins visited St. Louis.

When I reached out on Facebook to tell "Lisa"--the other set of twins, she told me about another classmate who died. WOW. On a conference call weeks later with "Lisa" and her twin "Luella", we chatted about classmates who died too young, our families and ailments. We promised to stay connected. 

In a moment of reflection, I asked myself am I that old, or too young, to start losing classmates? My mom, who is in her 80s, often tells me about this or that classmate who passed away, but I never thought I would hear it so soon.

Some of the ones who died from my class were women who met tragic ends. Neither of them is in this photo. Yet, I still have memories of them. Reunions are important—class, family, company reunions. Life is short. I'm going to do better to stay connected.

Below is a picture of Wayne, "Ann", "Anita", and me at a grade school reunion a few years before the pandemic. Although Facebook has its faults, I've found about a dozen of them. I hope those I have lost touch with are healthy and blessed.  

Have you attended your high school reunion? What about your grade school? Do you have any old childhood photos?

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Pat Simmons is a multi-published Christian romance author of more than thirty titles. She is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth passionate about researching her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She is a four-time recipient of the RSJ Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance. Christmas Dinner was also an Emma Award winner for Book of the Year. Christmas Dinner and Here for You were featured in Woman’s World Magazine.

As a Christian, Pat describes the evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost as a life-altering experience. She has converted her sofa-strapped sports fanatical husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, and GPS-guided chauffeur. 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. Visit her at www.patsimmons.net.

Check out one of her most popular series inspired by her own family genealogy research.

 

Travel Tips for Long flights by Janice Lynn

 

In my Wrapped Up in Christmas series from Hallmark Publishing, one of my butterflies, Claudia, longs to travel (I think she gets that from me! LOL). Definitely, flying is on my brain as later this year my husband and I will be taking our first trip to Europe. We're doing some land things, but also a Mediterranean cruise. We're sailing out of Barcelona and will be visiting ports in Spain, France, & Italy. We've tacked on a few days for visiting London and Paris prior to setting sail. Wanting to not make amateur mistakes, I've been reading lots of blogs and watching Travel Tip videos. I've a long list of tips. I'm noting anything that stands out, but I'll cull my actually bringing with us list way down prior to our trip. 

Although there are a lot of fun and useful gadgets out there, I want to keep my packing simple and light. I doubt I'll end up doing it, but I've been contemplating only bringing a carry-on bag and handbag as that's what lots of travel blogs recommend. My best friend keeps saying No, don't do it!! LOL. I'll make the final determination based upon how much of my stuff fits into my carry-on. For now, as we plan ahead, I have ordered a few items and have them ready for use. 

Some of the more fun items are a collapsible cup. Most of the videos I've watched have recommended bringing your own water bottle. I kept thinking how I didn't want to have to carry a bottle around with me all the time and how much room it would take up in my suitcase. One of the videos recommended using a collapsible cup/bottle. I read lots of reviews and ended up ordering two of this one. We plan to try them out prior to traveling, but I really like how convenient they are. 

Another find I'm happy with is my travel pillow. The gray bag hooked next to the cup has the pillow, an eye mask, and ear plugs in it. When I removed it from the bag the first time, I worried that I would be able to get it all back into the bag, but I got it without a lot of trouble by rolling it up tightly the way the instructions recommended. Yay! Both the cup and the neck pillow bag are easy to unclip. I have the heart clip on my bag as it was something I already had to make my bag stand out from all the other black suitcases. It's small, useful, and easily hooks to the zipper. 

I've bought packing cubes, TSA approved toiletry holders, European & UK plug converters, a selfie stick that works as a tripod and has a remote, and another eye mask for hubby. 

I'd love to hear about your travel must have items. Something I'm still hoping to find is a great personal item bag for international travel. I have a few bags saved, but I haven't purchased one, yet as I haven't found exactly what I want. 

In case you're traveling and interested in some of my finds, I'm sharing links below for your convenience. I am not endorsed by any of these companies. These are just things I found via research that I liked enough to buy and that are in my photo. There may be way better items, but when I compared my options these worked well for me.

Packing Cubes

Toiletry Bags

Neck Pillow

Collapsible Cup

UK Plug Adapter

European Plug Adapter

Carry-On Bag

Also, I may already have them on my list, but I'd love to hear your cruise/travel tips. Any dos or don'ts that you feel I should know when going to Europe? Am I crazy if I only bring a carry-on?

Janice's Wrapped Up in Christmas books from Hallmark Publishing are available!

Buy Your Copy HERE

USA Today, Wall Street Journal, & Publishers Weekly Bestselling author JANICE LYNN lives in Tennessee with her Prince Charming and their princes and princesses, her vivid imagination, an adorable Maltese named Halo who's the true royalty 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  The WRAPPED UP IN CHRISTMAS books are available at AMAZON Barnes & Noble WALMART & many other place where you buy books. WRAPPED UP IN CHRISTMAS LOVE  coming Christmas 2023.

Signs of Spring by Merri Maywether

Last week, my principal entered the building, beaming. He had good news and was excited to share it. He barely made it in the hall when he announced, “I saw geese.” We hooted, high fives were shared, and everyone smiled for the rest of the afternoon. His news was truly good. 

This was a big deal because we still had snow on the ground, and probably will until after Easter. While our friends are posting pictures of budding trees and flower blossoms, we’re looking at snow and mud. That doesn’t deter us from our appreciation of spring. We just have to look for different signs.  In this post, I will share the signs that spring is on the way. 

Signs of Spring When You're From Central Montana

🌱 We hear the geese flying north to Canada.
🌱 We see the male gophers running along the dirt roads.
🌱 The sun rises minutes before our school day begins.
🌱 4H has its annual butter braid sale.
🌱 The three churches join together for the weekly pot luck soup supper.
🌱 The kids are anxious to play outside–they just as quickly want to return indoors because the sunlight is deceptive and it’s still cold. 
🌱 We can get away with wearing hoodies in the afternoon.

🌱 People switch from hot cocoa to tea.
🌱 The sun is still up when we drive home at the end of the day.
🌱 We can hear the high school students talk about prom dresses and tuxedo styles.
🌱 The local drive-in opens, and regardless of the weather people will visit it to buy a chocolate milkshake. (This is my favorite sign)
Sure this is a list, but it is something even more exciting to us. It means that the days of eating fruits and vegetables fresh from our gardens, sitting around the outdoor fires and chatting, and exploring the state are just around the corner. 

All of us sweet romance readers are from different parts of the country. What is your favorite sign of the changing season?

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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.

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Welcome Home is the first book in my Three Creeks, Montana series.  Abigail Cahill returns to her hometown of Three Creeks, Montana. The traditions are the same, but the people are different than she remembered. In this feel-good, love story, her brother's best friend will help her find the beauty of second chances and the meaning behind Welcome Home. 

Welcome Home is available for 99¢ at your favorite online retailer.

New Release: Maybe I'm the One and a Playlist

 Nashville fans will enjoy this story of a beloved country singer who returns to her roots and encounters the cowboy whose song she unknowingly stole.

Audrey Knox sacrificed to make a successful career in Nashville, but the bigger her star shines, the smaller her world has become. After an eye--opening incident on tour, she wants her daughter to experience small-town life as she knew it, so she takes a break from touring to reconnect with her roots and introduce the eight-year-old to life on Big Pines Ranch. Facing the past might be her biggest challenge yet.

Jericho Tanner has loved Audrey since they were children on adjoining ranches, their families entwined. He fills the void of intimacy, love and belonging with ranch work and his deputy position in Rockwell County, with aspirations of taking over as sheriff. Emotional vulnerability is frightening, and his walls are sturdy and tall. When Audrey and her young daughter show up in Spencer, he’s forced to see his wounds in a new light.

Sweet romance from a USAToday award-winning author

I create a playlist for each book while I'm writing it, and it goes through a metamorphous before the book is finished and ready to share with the world. The songs must convey a mood or portray how a character was feeling during a scene. In Maybe I'm the One I'd have been remiss if I hadn't used a Maybelle Carter song, since Maybelle was Audrey's idol, and Audrey owns something really special of hers.

Maybe I'm the One is available print and digital.

MAYBE I’M THE ONE PLAYLIST

 

You Are the Reason – Calum Scott

Adore You – Harry Styles

To Love Somebody – Beyries

Have I Told You Lately – Rod Stewart

Good as You – Kane Brown

To Fight is to Lose – Mia Dyson

This Time – Connie Britton

Changes – Langhorne Slim

Fade Into You – Sam Palladio & Clare Bowen

This Little Bird – Marianne Faithful

Wildwood Flower – Maybelle Carter

Fearless – Cyndi Lauper

Landslide – Liam Titcomb

Time After Time – Eva Cassidy

When the Right One Comes Along – Sam Palladio & Clare Bowen

A Groovy Kind of Love – Phil Collins

If you have Amazon Music, you can enjoy listening here.

Cover Reveals from Author Kimberly Rose Johnson

 There are times in life where everything comes together at the same time. That is how 2022 has been for me. It's been quite a whirlwind for sure!

When this post goes live, movers will be at my house packing it away into storage until our little cabin is finished being built, hopefully sometime soon, but I'm not holding my breath. 

At the same time, I have a book releasing on audio, and I received the cover art for the final audio book in my Protection Inc. series. I will picture both below.

Love Finds You in San Antonio is also a movie! This will be my first credit pictured on the TV screen. When my publisher called me up and asked me to co-write this book, I jumped at the opportunity. I've been writing screenplays for a couple of years now, so to be able to write the book for a movie was a no brainer. 

I was assigned to write the story for Sandra, a strong secondary character. Talk about fun! I hope you check out the book on GoodReads or Amazon and mark it as "want to read." The book is on pre-order for a discount and it will be in Kindle Unlimited.

Here's the back cover description:

For TV chef Adela Romero, the lights of LA have lost their luster. The grief of her husband’s death three years ago still hangs heavy over her and her daughter, Fabi.

When Adela hears her mother-in-law’s Mexican diner is struggling, she decides to return to San Antonio and try to make a fresh start—though she can’t leave the media attention entirely behind.

Local food critic David Agraponte has a history with Adela. A history he’d like to rekindle. When he interviews Adela, sparks fly—both good and bad. In Adela’s struggle to put her past behind her, she’s tentative about a new relationship, but David hopes she’ll stay at Romero’s long enough to give him a chance.

Sandra always dreamed of managing Romero’s one day, but her chances of proving herself to her aunt are slim with her famous TV-chef cousin taking all the attention. Can’t her aunt see that Adela’s just passing through on her way to her next big gig? Still, as much as she resents it, Sandra may need Adela’s help if there is going to be a Romero’s left for her to manage.

When Adela gets a TV offer that’s sure to shoot her career to the stars, her choice may hold more than just her future in the balance. Can David and Adela find a way to save Romero’s and hold onto their own dreams, or will Adela’s opportunity push them apart?

Kimberly Rose Johnson writes stories that warm the heart and feed the soul. Her books include: contemporary romance, romantic mystery, and cozy romantic suspense. Learn more about Kimberly and see her book list on her website. 

Happy Pi Day by Merrillee Whren

March fourteenth is Pi Day. I have often blogged about Pi Day because my blog day is the fourteenth of each month. This year I was thinking that Pi Day may only apply in places that write their dates with the month first, rather than the day first. 

We recently went to Cancun, Mexico, on a vacation with our younger daughter and her family. When we were filling out the forms for immigration when we arrived, we were reminded to put the day of the month first, which is opposite of the way we here in the USA write our dates. So I'm thinking a lot of places that write their dates with the day first wouldn't even think of March fourteenth as PI Day. Maybe they like to think of it as PIE Day. 

Here is a blueberry pie, marked with the Pi symbol, that I baked on Pi Day a few years ago just for fun.

In the sixth book of my Front Porch promises series, A Baby to Call Ours, a marriage of convenience story, my heroine doesn't know how to cook, but she is learning. She wants to bake an apple pie, but while she's at the store, she hears some disturbing news.

Here's an excerpt.

     Now everything was different. She had no baby on the way. Did Jimmy feel trapped in this marriage? She wanted to talk to him about it, but she didn’t know how to bring it up or what to say. He still needed a wife. A divorce wouldn’t look good to his uncle. She wished she knew what Jimmy wanted. She wished she knew what she wanted. Her emotions floundered in a sea of confusion.

     Shaking away all the troubling thoughts, Kelsey got out of the car. Jimmy would be home tonight after another out-of-town trip. She wanted to buy some groceries to make him a special supper to celebrate his return. She had surprised herself at how much she enjoyed cooking. Besides fried chicken, Mary had told Kelsey that he loved steak and baked potatoes. That should be easy to fix, if she could figure out how to light the grill.

     Kelsey grabbed a shopping cart and pushed it into the store. She headed for the produce department in search of the perfect baking potatoes. After she selected two, one large and one small, she spied the apples. Did she dare try to make an apple pie, another one of Jimmy’s favorites? She would try.

     After she selected the apples, she moved on to the large display of cheeses. Jimmy loved cheese in the sandwiches he often took in his lunch, and she wanted to get him something special. While she perused the cheeses, she heard two women talking as they stood on the opposite side of the display. The mention of Jimmy’s name caught her attention.

     “Do you know who’s back in town?” asked one woman, not waiting for the other woman to respond. “Whitney Hamilton.”

     “She hasn’t been back in years, even to visit. Why is she back?”

    “Her dad’s health has really declined in the last six months. I think her mom begged her to come home to help.”

     “I wonder what she thinks about both Mitch and Jimmy being married.”

     “I don’t think she cares that much about Mitch. She always had her sights set on Jimmy. He was the one she was in love with, even when she dumped him for Mitch.” The woman sighed. “Jimmy Cunningham can sure turn some heads with those good looks of his.”

     “Yeah, but then he runs off and marries some young thing that he barely knew.”

    “Someone told me they thought she was pregnant, a one-night stand that resulted in a rush to get married.”

     “I heard they don’t even live together. Is that true?”

     “I don’t know, but it wouldn’t surprise me, if Whitney has her way, that Jimmy won’t be married for long. Those two couldn’t stay away from each other even when she was engaged to Mitch.”

     Kelsey wanted to run out of the store. If those women saw her, would they know who she was, or were they just talking about some nameless, faceless woman who was part of the small town’s rumor mill? She would forget the cheese, grab the steaks, and get out of this store.

     Hoping the women couldn’t see her, Kelsey kept her face turned away as she found her way to the meat department. Hurriedly she looked over the steaks and grabbed a couple of packages and threw them into her cart and barreled down the aisle toward the checkout lane.

     When Kelsey finally reached her car, she tossed the plastic bags containing her purchase on the passenger seat as she slid behind the wheel. While she drove home, she let those women’s comments replay in her mind. Had people guessed about her pregnancy? Well, now there was no baby.

     Kelsey’s heart twisted, and the tears flowed. She wasn’t even sure she knew why she was crying. The loss of her baby. All the pretending. The thought of losing Jimmy. Maybe all of it pressed down on her spirit. What had happened to the cheerful college student she’d been last fall when she’d first met Jimmy?

 

Is Kelsey able to make a pie? Does Whitney go after Jimmy? Grab a copy of A Baby to Call Ours and find out. Click on the title to find buy links.

So whether you celebrate Pi Day or Pie Day, celebrate with a book.

If you live outside the USA, how do you write your dates? If you live in the USA, have you ever had to write the date starting with the day rather than the month?

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.

Maffie Stage Stop and a New Novella by Vickie McDonough

About ten years ago, my husband and I visited the MaHaffie Stage Stop when I was doing research for a series I wanted to write a series set in Kansas. Little did I know then that my trip to MaHaffe's would inspire me to write a three-book trade fiction series. Years later, I penned a novella called Julia, which is set on the Santa Fe Trail, where MaHaffe's is located near Olathe, Kansas. Now, I'm writing another novella, Laney, with the same setting. 

Mahaffie Stage Stop and Farm

James B. and Lucinda Mahaffie purchased the farm in 1857. In 1858, the Mahaffies used oxen to move the wood frame home from the downtown lot they purchased in November of 1857 to their new holdings, about a mile outside of Olathe. The family lived in that home until the new stone house that still stands was finished late in 1865. The Mahaffie farm was one of the most prosperous in Johnson County in the 1860s and early 1870s. The farm is located on the “Westport Route” of the Santa Fe Trail, which also carried travelers leaving Westport, Missouri and crossing what is now the Kansas City metro region for the Oregon and California Trails as well as the Santa Fe Trail.

  
Julia is on sale for 99 cents / Laney is on pre-order

The Barlow, Sanderson, and Company Stagecoach Line contracted with the Mahaffie family to provide one of the stops needed for their coaches carrying passengers and, in some cases, mail between Fort Scott and Fort Leavenworth, and from Independence, Missouri all the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

It is believed the Mahaffies started serving meals to travelers from their first home as early as 1858. By 1864, coaches began using the farm as a stop. Late in 1865 and until about 1870, coach passengers and other hungry travelers took their meals in the basement of the “new” stone farmhouse, designed to serve as a kitchen and dining hall.

In 1867, Lucinda, her daughters, and hired helpers might have served as many as 50 to 100 meals a day. While coach passengers ate, incoming teams of horses were switched for fresh animals. Follow in the footsteps of these same passengers and travelers when you visit!

What can you see there? The Heritage House Museum gives you some of the history of Mahaffie's, and you can tour the historic farmhouse, barn, ice house, cellar, smokehouse, blacksmith, and more.  Check out www.mahaffie.org