I’ve Seen Sunshine and I’ve Seen Rain with Shaleen Kapil

I’ve spent the past month in the doldrums. For five months, I have had a foot injury that has kept me from training for the runs and triathlons that have been “my thing” for the past several years. After the holidays, the cold, dark days of January and February without a festive holiday from work seem never ending. The cold and rain kept us bundled inside wondering what to do other than watch Netflix (no cable even!) and read my stacks and stacks of books.

Today, the sun is shining and my windows are open. These open windows have opened up my heart as well. Suddenly, I am once more smiling and enjoying my family. We hit balls at the tennis court, I painted the baseboards, and we all cleaned out the playroom- nothing spectacular and out of the ordinary, but I have felt at peace.

So, what is it that makes the difference? Is it that I can only be happy during warm, sunny days? I don’t think so. But I do think all of the bleak winter days have primed me to enjoy the sunny day just for being sunny. And my injury has prepared me to look at my first run back as a gift, not a chore to be done. Winter makes us even more thankful for spring, and bad luck makes us thankful for good.

It also works the same that sometimes the heroine in a book must suffer a little to recognize her good fortune. Would we love a character like Jane Eyre if her life were all roses? It is her struggle and misfortune that makes the life she finds afterwards so sweet. A life by Mrs. De Winter from Rebecca should seem deeply disturbing to be in self exile, but instead, her triumph over the memory, the very ghost of Rebecca is inspiring. The transition makes us root for the characters and their happiness. Which heroine have you suffered with and loved to its happy ending?

~*~

Shaleen’s first attempts to write were played out in her home as she wrote murder mystery parties. Eventually some characters without murder and mayhem in their hearts snuck out, and Shaleen is still working to get them to tell their story. She also writes an ongoing blog on health and fitness (and the struggles of this triathlete) at www.havematwilltri.com

Things that motivate… by Raine English

I find it interesting to discover what motivates people…and it seems many feel the same, because the number one question I get asked as an author is where I get my motivation.

 I’ve always had a very active imagination. Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a writer. It’s my creative outlet—the way I choose to express myself. Stories pop in and out of my head, triggered by anything that might happen in the course of a day. A news headline, bits and pieces of a conversation overheard at a coffee shop, or the faded, sad eyes of an elderly woman in the supermarket as she puts only enough groceries in her shopping cart for one. These little pieces of human emotion are the seeds of stories.


Writing is a way of leaving reality behind for a while and becoming immersed in make-believe. In Tin Angel, a Christmas fairy tale, a lonely old woman’s wish to relive her life is granted by a magical angel tree topper. The idea for the story came from a beautiful tin angel my parents purchased right after they married. Placing that angel on top of the Christmas tree was my favorite part of trimming the tree.

My latest release gives a couple a second chance at romance when they embark on a snowy journey to return a lost engagement ring found inside the drawer of a music box. My daughter began collecting music boxes when she was a little girl and has nearly twenty now. One day as I was dusting them, a story idea began to form, resulting in Forever My Valentine.

Motivation is everywhere. We just have to look for it. What motivates you?

~*~

Raine English lives in New England with her family and her constant companion, Bailey, a French bulldog. To find out more about Raine and her books visit RaineEnglish.com.

Her newest release is Forever My Valentine available on Amazon.

Is Your Workspace Special to You? By Margaret Daley

I remember when I first stated writing back in the Dark Ages when I used a typewriter. I had my typewriter set up on the kitchen table. I’ve come a long way since then. I’ve advanced to a computer (and so glad I don’t have to revise a manuscript on a typewriter—a lot of work) and I have my own office with a door I can close when I want to keep the world out.

Have you ever tried to write (or do any kind of work) and family members keep interrupting you and you lose your thought in mid-sentence? Or, you don’t have anywhere to spread your stuff out? There are times when I’m on a deadline that my office gets messy, but I don’t have to straighten up until I’ve sent my book off. I just shut the door so no one has to see the mess but me.

When I set up my office years ago, I put a lot of thought into its layout and furniture. I wanted something that inspired me and was comfortable. After all, I was going to spend hours and hours in that room. I spend more time in my office than any room in my house—even my bedroom. Okay, that may read that I’m a workaholic and I probably am but I have everything I need at my fingertips.

My office walls are painted hot pink with white trim. I didn’t know how I was going to like hot pink and thought if it didn’t work out I could paint over it. But I love the walls. I find the color is invigorating, and I haven’t grown tired of the hot pink yet. In fact, the color has grown on me.

Over the years I began collecting flamingoes. I love animals and flamingoes are hot pink. What better accent than that in my office! Now I have so many—from a giant six-foot stuffed flamingo to a Christmas tree with mostly flamingo ornaments on it. The tree is up year round. And if my cats leave the tree alone, the ornaments stay on it.

When I published my first book in 1981, my husband starting framing my books to hang on the wall. Now I have over eighty on the walls in my office. When I get discouraged, I can look at what I’ve accomplished in almost thirty plus years in the business.

How important is your workspace to you? For me it is my getaway where I can go to dream up stories to entertain readers. I usually read books for pleasure even in my office. I have a couch that is quite comfortable. I have been known to fall asleep on it.

What do you think is important in an office or a workspace?

Bio of Margaret Daley:

Bestselling author, Margaret Daley, is multi-published with 94 books. She had written for Harlequin, Abingdon, Kensington, Dell, and Simon and Schuster. She has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Carol Award, Holt Medallion and Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest.

She has been married for over forty years and has one son and four granddaughters. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com.

Blurb for In Defense of Love:

Maggie Summers thrives on the challenge and excitement of working on Capitol Hill—and can't wait for a little time away from it all every year. But this spring her peaceful vacation is threatened when her political adversary joins the bicycle tour she’s taken. Maggie finds herself irresistibly drawn to Congressman Nick Prescott who’s impossible to overlook in the flesh. For a short time she forgets the cutthroat competition of the Hill. For a short time she forgets her work demands she keep her private life just that—private. On the back roads of Virginia she loses her heart. How is she now going to fall out of love with one of her greatest political opponents?

Why We Love Cowboys by Patricia Knoll/Patricia Forsythe

Last week was Fiesta De Los Vaqueros in Tucson, Arizona – better known as Rodeo Days. Every year for the past eighty-nine years, the city of Tucson has spent several days in February remembering -- and sometimes reinventing -- its Wild West roots with a parade and a full program of old-fashioned rodeo events like bronc riding and roping. My dad was a cowboy – that’s his hat in the picture – and I attended many rodeos with him when I was a little girl. Nowadays, new twists have been added to rodeos with events for kids and a full day of activities promoting breast cancer awareness. Yes, some things have changed, but one thing that endures is the American love for cowboys.

In the 1800’s novels with Old West settings and themes were popular because they were often sensationalized accounts of the activities of real cowboys or western lawmen – basically a cowboy with a badge -- who had a code of honor that they followed strictly. It consisted of doing right for others by protecting the innocent and punishing evildoers. This attractive stereotype carried over into the early days of silent pictures, then into the serialized westerns and full length movies without -- and then with -- sound, and it still carries on today to a limited degree. Few western-themed movies and television shows are made today, but the cowboy carries on. Today’s cowboy may not be dressed in jeans, hat, or boots. He may be a superhero with cape, mask, and the ability to fly, but beneath the leotard and tights beats the heart of a cowboy. He’s still protecting the innocent and punishing evildoers.

One place that cowboys still show up in their original version, though, is in the romance novel. Whether it is one set in the Wild West, or in a modern western setting, they remain popular heroes. I’ve written several romance novels with cowboy heroes and they are a major feature in my Lucky Break, Arizona series of romances. There is something attractive about a businessman who owns a large piece of land like a ranch and has employees, and often families, depending on him. In one way these men are loners, but in other ways they’re the heads of big corporations. Their pursuits can be as basic as shoeing a horse, or as complex as negotiating a multi-million dollar deal for the sale of land or cattle. Either way, we love them and the spirit of independence and self-sufficiency they represent.

~*~

Patricia Knoll tells people she is that rarest of all creatures, a native Arizonan of ‘a certain age’. She writes books set in the west in order to shamelessly take advantage of the colorful characters, traditions, and history of her native state. Contact her at www.patriciaknoll.com

Love is All Around by Magdalena Scott

 I have enjoyed reading about, and seeing pictures of, exotic places where some of my fellow Sweet Romance Reads authors have visited. Although I’ve been fortunate to travel through quite a bit of the United States, I’ve never been overseas. I have seen the gleam in my cousin’s eyes when she talks about her trip to Paris, and always enjoy travelogues when friends return from places I have yet to see. Books set in other countries (especially the UK) are among my favorites. I hope I’ll be able to visit some of those places in person eventually.

But romance can also be found on a quiet trail through the woods of Southern Indiana, or lying on the hood of a big old car, watching for shooting stars. Love can grow at the rehearsals of a non-famous church choir, or around a smoky open fire pit at a small-town festival. It can have its beginnings in the trips to visit your boyfriend at college, when the pal who’s traveling with you becomes, after the boyfriend has moved on, more than a pal.

What a lucky girl was I, to have found love in the town where I grew up. So fortunate that I didn’t have to go looking for it at all—it found me, literally where I lived, and it lasted (‘til death do you part”) for 30 years. This is why I write romances set in small towns. Each story, intentionally or not, has some of my own hometown in it. And, I hope, some of the love that has been blessed my life.

***

Magdalena Scott lives in a small town in Southern Indiana. A widow since 2012, she is rebuilding her life by practicing gratitude and getting back into writing. She shares her jewel box apartment with a cat named Attila, is the very proud mother of The Progeny, and soon-to-be-mother-in-law of The Progenette.

Magdalena is the author of six novellas in the Ladies of Legend series. Her first story in that series is Midnight in Legend, TN. You can find all of her books at Amazon. Catch up with her on her [sometimes silly] blog, Welcome to Magdalenaville, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Shorthand of Love by Sierra Donovan

After 20 years of marriage, do my husband and I finish each other's sentences? Well, not that I've noticed. But over the years, we've definitely developed a vocabulary that makes sense to very few other people.


For instance, we watch so many versions of "A Christmas Carol" together each year that it's scary. It could be July, and I might toss out a quote like "I'm beginning to think you've gone through life with your eyes closed." He'll immediately know, not just what I'm quoting, but which version of the film. (Answer: 1984, starring George C. Scott.)


My husband might give me "the Fluke look" when I suggest something he finds ... questionable. Years ago, we were picking out a movie when we didn't know a lot about the choices at the theater. I suggested "Fluke," about a man who's reincarnated as a dog. He was dubious, but we went with it. Two hours later, he was still dubious, and he's kidded me about it ever since. Obviously, I can't replicate the expression here on the blog ... but you'd know it if you saw it.


Sometimes we call an expense "the best hot water we've ever had." A while back, we had to replace our water heater, to the tune of about $2000. We groaned because it's not even like needing to buy a new car or a new refrigerator, where at least you can see the difference. Now it's turned into a wry joke we make whenever we have to spend money on something that's absolutely necessary, but doesn't make a noticeable difference in our lives.


And on and on, most of them with background stories that take a long time to explain. But even with an explanation, it's not the same. Because you had to be there. And I'm so glad both of us were. (Hey, it beats facing a broken water heater alone.)


Movie lines, song lyrics, funny or embarrassing moments ... it's all part of the vocabulary we've built up through the two decades of our marriage.


I write -- and read -- romance novels because the discovery of new love is fun and exciting. Stories on the printed page let us experience that discovery again and again. But for my money, nothing beats a love that's been around the block. As the years go by, we gain more and more shared history. And with it, we build a deeper and richer relationship.


It's one of the major rewards of a long, loving marriage ... and it's one I wish for the couples in every romance as they head down the road toward their happily-ever-after.

* * *

Sierra Donovan is a wife, a mother of two and a writer, though not always in that order. Her job and greatest joy is helping people find true love on the printed page. She's a firm believer in old movies, Christmas, chocolate fudge and happy endings. To find out more, feel free to drop by her website.

* * *

Sierra is the author of Meg's Confession and Love on the Air, which was a Holt Medallion finalist. Her next novel, No Christmas Like the Present, is due out in October from Kensington Books. Her books are available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

“Sweet Romance Novels”, and the Smart Men Who Learn to Appreciate Them by Christine Bush

 When we think of Sweet Romance novels, we usually think of our readers as the feminine gender.  Women and romance stories go together.  Basically this is true.  The demographics of our readers show a much higher percentage of female readers than male.  Of course, there are a few writers of books who   crossover genre lines (mostly in romantic suspense, a few paranormal) and have garnered a nice percentage of readers from both genders.  

But among our sweet romance readers, we do find some males who are buying and enjoying our books. I consider them very smart guys.

One of the hats I wear in life, when I am not writing, is working as a Marriage and Family Therapist.  In this role, I hear a lot of stories of what works and what doesn’t work in today’s relationships. I hear how things can fall apart, but have witnessed the joy of healing, growth and new understanding and respect in couplehood in many instances. In my role as a therapist, I use many different  therapies and approaches when working with people.

One of the things that can break down a relationship is simple misunderstanding, or miscommunication. This seems to be sometimes fueled by  the differences in how men and woman approach love and relationship.  I’ve heard so many frustrated men exclaim, “I just don’t understand how she thinks. I can’t understand what she wants!”  

There are two suggestions I have dared to make in these cases.  One is to read Chapman’s book called “The Five Love Languages”, which is the most clear and insightful explanation of how we can each express and/or have differing measures of love.  Powerful.

The second idea is a bit more unusual. I have occasionally suggested reading a particular romance novel.  Often it’s a favorite of his wife/girlfriend.  This works because if she has a favorite hero type, it’s easy to see. But more importantly, a well crafted romance today is a direct line into the workings of a modern day woman’s brain and heart. Think about it. These books that steal our hearts, also explain our hearts. And  a fictional novel can do this in non confrontational way, if the man dares to do his homework and read.   This may not make sense to someone who has not explored the character deep/ real life conflict nature of a well written book.  But it works.

I focus on sweet stories, because those stories focus on feelings.  I’m not talking about the purely sexual side of a relationship.  That’s another issue. I’m talking about the expectations, the emotional needs, the communication side of a relationship. Our books emphasize those issues.

But sometimes (imagine this!) she hasn’t read romance novels in the past.  So reading one, like it or not, can be a great conversation starter for both parties.  It’s amazing how successful it can be to get couple’s communicating. Talking openly about love and needs and conflict and frustration and sensuality after reading one together can be as empowering as a weekend getaway. Romance is fun.

Sometimes men are threatened that they can’t “compete” with these alpha heroes on the page. When they read one who shows the hero as human, learning as he goes, if often turns out to be a good thing.  For a man who is clueless how to romance his wife, it can be a great example of how to relate to the ‘romance needs’  and imagination of their real life woman.

Though I don’t think that men will ever be our main readers, the ones who dare to open the cover can find a lot of insight into how we think.  Have a favorite and powerful romance story?  Read it with your guy. And tell him why.

~*~

Christine Bush is the award winning author of many books and novellas of sweet romance and light mystery. When she isn’t writing, she can be found working with clients as a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, or teaching Psychology at a local college.  She lives with her family and two crazy cats in northeastern Pennsylvania, and loves to hear from readers and aspiring writers.

www.ChristineBush.com

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