Last Day To Enter To Win!

Today is the last day to enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card and a print copy of my romance, Love's Broken Road!

(You saw the cover to the next book in that series yesterday. Don't they look pretty together? I love it!)

Anyway, I really want to announce your name as a winner in this giveaway, so be sure to enter before it's over!

Click here 

It's Cover Reveal Day For My New Novel!

It's cover reveal day! I'm so excited to show you all the cover of my new novel, Love's Journey Home, that comes out in October! 

*drum roll*

I love it and can't wait to share this story with you!

Here's a little teaser about it: 

Olivia Dalton has a reputation in the DA’s office---tough, thorough, and fierce when she’s closing a case. Those skills are essential in the courtroom, but not in the relationship department---until Mick Donovan crosses her path. Everyone thinks he's a player, but when an unexpected situation arises, she glimpses an honorable man instead. Olivia is drawn to him, but he pushes her away, unable to shake the past that still haunts him. Can he drop his guard long enough to let her in and take a chance at love?

*happy dance* 

What do you think?

Freebie Friday!

Today's Freebie Friday is a culinary mystery by Heather Justesen called Brownies and Betrayal! I really enjoyed this one.

Here's the back copy:

Pastry chef Tess Crawford thought moving from Chicago to quiet Silver Springs, Arizona would simplify her life. That was before she found the body of a woman with whom she had traded heated words the previous night, left her fingerprints on the murder weapon, and came under attack for trying to clear her name. When her cheating ex-fiance shows up, intent on convincing her to come back to work for him, Tess—armed with an extra batch of éclairs—decides to take control and solve the mystery herself, with the help of friends and frenemies alike.

But will that be enough to save her when she gets too close and the killer decides it’s safer to get her out of the way?

You can download your free Kindle copy here

A Writing Time Capsule

photo credit: suzyhazelwood DSC03545-05 via photopin (license)

My first grader had an assignment this week to put together a time capsule that they will open at the end of first grade. They've been putting things in like handwriting samples, letters from parents, a treat, an information sheet about all their favorite things, and a ribbon to show how tall they currently are.

As I was helping him put it together, I was thinking about this in regards to my books. Each one of my books is like a tiny time capsule into my life at the time. My very first book has each one of my family members' name in it--all of my favorite things! It also included a lot of moments that really happened, like a little peek into my life at the time that shows where my growth as a writer was. A real treat for me.

As I look back sixteen books later, my writing style has changed. My approach to outlining and dialogue and craft has grown, so if I had a ribbon from my first book to my last one, it would show that. Some writers are embarrassed by their first books, but I love mine. It's just a snapshot of my writing life and I'm proud of where I've been and how far I've come. It's like a little letter of confidence from my beginning writer self to now.

It's hard to believe that my first book was published in 2004. It doesn't seem that long ago. But I've learned so much, met so many amazing people and mentors, and been changed by the stories that I've researched and told. My children have grown up seeing that their mom had goals and dreams and she worked hard to accomplish them. I love that. I want them to know that we can all make time to develop our talents, no matter what stage of life you're in. There were so many times when it was hard, when a review wasn't great, when I had thirty minutes a day to write while I juggled my family life, or when I was scribbling in a notebook while I waited for carpool just so I could get in a tiny bit of writing.

But it was all worth it.

It's a blessing to be able to do what I love. And even more of a blessing to see how its affected my life for good.

It makes me look forward to the future and what's in store!

The Last Romance Awareness Month Giveaway!

This has been such a fun month to read new romance authors. And I loved giving away copies of some of my favorite books in the Proper Romance line!

Today I'm giving away a print copy of my romance, Love's Broken Road and a $10 Amazon gift card. This story is about two wounded souls who have a second chance at love. (And the next book in the series comes out in October!)

Be sure to scroll down and enter to win!

Here's the back copy:

After surviving an abusive marriage, Victoria Newel needs a clean slate for herself and her son. Taking a job as a math teacher, she moves across the country to the small town of Lincoln, Utah, where no one knows her and she can start over. However, her new colleague, Drew Dalton, offers her friendship and maybe something more. But has her heart healed enough that she could trust again?

Drew Dalton lost his wife to cancer years ago and he locked his heart away, throwing himself into his teaching job. But when Victoria Newel starts working at the high school, she awakens something in him that he never thought he’d feel again. Her gentle nature and quiet strength draws him to her, but it’s obvious she’s hiding something in her past from him. Can he open his heart to a woman who harbors so many secrets of her own?

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fresh From Heaven

photo credit: callocx The Touch via photopin (license)

My grandson was born yesterday. It sounds so cliche, but as I sat there holding this precious sweet boy, it just reminded me of the miracle our lives truly are. How amazing it is to have someone fresh from heaven in your arms, looking at you as if they know you and love you already.

The thing that melted my heart, though, was watching my son hold his own son. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was holding him in my arms, worried if I'd be a good mother to him. He was my firstborn and I was so unsure about doing everything right. But we learned together.

He was my buddy, my little boy who loved to laugh and rarely cried. Always my little shadow who loved to play cars with me and Legos and go swimming and for walks around the block. That little shadow quickly outgrew mine, though, and I've watched him grow into a thoughtful and kind man, who is now a husband and father of two little boys. I can hardly believe it. When all those older mothers told me time goes so fast I didn't believe them. But it really does.

It's these eternal moments that make me look back, my heart overflowing with love on what an incredible blessing parenthood is and the even greater joy of being a grandparent.

There really isn't anything better.

Book Review

First of all, our winner of the print copy of The Secret of the India Orchid, by Nancy Campbell Allen is

*drum roll*

Erin Kasper!

Thank you to all who participated. I will be contacting Erin about claiming her prize. Don't forget to check back for the new drawing!

If you love the Timeless Romance anthologies like I do, you will really enjoy this one. Summer Holiday, with three stories from Nancy Campbell Allen, Sarah Eden, and Annette Lyon, will kick off your back to school days with just the right amount of wit, humor, and romance.

I loved Nancy Campbell Allen's story of Tessa Baker who is qualified and prepared to take on a supervisory position at a department store, but because she is a woman, she is forced to do a silly scavenger hunt to "earn" it. When an Italian conte, David Bellini, enters the picture, the scavenger hunt gets really interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between Tessa and David and how, even though this was a novella, I still got a wonderful romance with more depth than I was expecting!

The second book by Sarah Eden had so much angst in it, I could hard turn the pages fast enough to see if they got their second chance at love! Carina and Grant are sweethearts, but he's forced to go to the city to establish himself in business and support their future family. But when they drift apart and Carina's parents want her to accept the suit of Mr. Baskon, can she truly give up on the love she shared with Grant? The characters are so well-drawn for this emotional story that readers will feel like they are experiencing it right along with them!

The last story by Annette Lyon is a love story between two servants, Sarah and Jacob. They have been writing letters to each other and their feelings are deep and mutual, but when they are finally in a place where they might actually court face-to-face, Jacob has some secrets that could destroy their budding romance. Not many stories are set around the servants, so I really liked this fresh take on the era and how difficult it was for servants to have a life beyond their job.

This was a quick-read, but all the stories were still a perfect length with everything a story needs to draw a reader in, and they all will put a smile on your face!

You can download your Kindle copy here

Here's the back copy:

BREAKFAST AT SOMMERPOOL’S by Nancy Campbell Allen:
As Tessa Baker competes for the supervisor promotion at Sommerpool Department and Mercantile, she’s faced with a ridiculous list of tasks to complete in order to “win” the job. Tessa would love to be the first female supervisor ever to work at the Sommerpool, but her competitor is cheating at every turn. Discouraged, Tessa agrees to let David Bellini, a family friend and Italian Conte who is new in town, help her. When she discovers that he’s the new owner of Sommerpool’s, but wants to evaluate the employees unobserved, Tessa has mixed feelings. She soon realizes that she’s falling for David, but what chance does a working-class woman like her have with an Italian Conte? And would falling in love with the store’s owner mean giving up her dreams of a groundbreaking career?

HOWEVER LONG THE WAIT by Sarah M. Eden:
Carina Herrick says goodbye to the man she hopes to marry, knowing their separation will be temporary. Grant Ambrose is off to follow his dream and become established in business so that he can provide for Carina and a life together. He promises to write; she promises to return his letters. Yet, only a few months pass and already their letters become shorter and fewer. Finally, Carina is forced to give up on Grant if only to protect her breaking heart. Her parents are dead set against her becoming a spinster and insist she accept the proposal of the odious Mr. Baskon. With no hope of another marriage proposal, Carina is forced to make a difficult decision, one that can lead her either to happiness or misery.

THE LAST SUMMER AT IVY HOUSE by Annette Lyon:
Every summer Sarah travels to Ivy House in London as one of the household servants to the Millington family. This summer, she’s particularly looking forward to seeing Jacob, a servant who lives at Ivy House year-round. They’ve been exchanging letters since the previous summer when their friendship deepened. But when Sarah arrives at Ivy House, Jacob seems more reserved around her and less forthcoming. Has she put greater meaning in their budding relationship than she should? When Sarah discovers that Jacob has a dark secret and wants her to give up her dreams in exchange for helping him, she’s not sure if she’s willing to make the sacrifice.