AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Susan Sands

Releases May 17th

PRE-ORDER NOW FOR .99

AMAZON   B & N   KOBO

 Good morning, everyone!

I am so pleased to kick off this series with author, Susan Sands!

Thanks to Susan's wonderful information on her website, I will be running the authors in order as she has their blurbs listed, with two exceptions. 

1 - Sasha Summers introduced me to this series so I'll be dropping her in next week .

2 - Shirley Jump has asked if I could put her near the end as I had a special request for her. She just got married and was wrapped up in pre-wedding planning. What an appropriate time for this anthology to launch!  I've known Shirley since our very early days on AOL where we both led writing workshops. I will be sharing her post on July 12th, then she will be our July Writer's Nest guest on July 15th.

~ ~ ~ 

Susan has been a tremendous help in launching this Spotlight Author series through July 13th.  I have a BONUS surprise for you at the end of this post. Let's get started!!

BIO:

A self-described late bloomer, Susan Sands began writing her first novel at age forty. She compares her challenging journey to publication as “raising another child—a difficult one.”

Susan has published five southern, contemporary women’s fiction novels set in Alabama. She describes her humorous small-town stories as fun, romantic, and filled with big family love. Susan also writes authentic place-as-a-character southern fiction with a humorous voice in addition to her Alabama series.

Susan has three grown children and lives with her dentist husband in Roswell, GA. She has a degree in elementary education, is a member of the Georgia Romance Writers, the Romance Writers of America, the Atlanta Writer’s Club,  Womens Fiction Writers of America (WFWA), and the Broadleaf Writers Association. She participates in book festivals, book clubs, and writer’s conferences around the South. Susan is the recipient of the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year award for romance.

Each author has crafted a story for this anthology centered around the Wedding theme. Spring is a wonderful time for weddings - full of promise in the season for new beginnings.

Then, And Now – Susan Sands

New Orleans Interior designer Kate Lafitte is thrilled to meet her daughter Casey’s new boyfriend, Drew. But she’s mortified to learn that Drew’s dad, Trevor, is her former college boyfriend, to whom she’s compared every man since. As the kids’ romance becomes more serious, it leaves Kate and Trevor to rehash the past and learn that their chemistry still smolders.

I loved the concept of this story. Imagine believing your have your life in order only to have your daughter re-introduce you to someone  from your past by which you measure other potential suitors! While I admit some things are better left in the past, sometimes they were only put on hold. 

NOTE: I will not be doing individual quill ratings for each story. Rather, I will give an over-all review during the wrap-up post on July 13th. 

You'll find Susan Sands by following the social media links below.

WEBSITE   BLOG   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM

GOODREADS   PINTEREST

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Susan also has a solo book releasing on May 13th. 

Louisiana Series Book 1

RELEASES MAY 31ST

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW

AMAZON   TULE PUBLISHING

It’s not true that you can’t go home again, but do you want to?

Paris gallery owner Leah Bertrand returns to her historic, moss-draped Louisiana hometown to fulfill a deathbed promise to her friend and mentor. She’s been matched as a bone marrow donor to a stranger, yet the match is so close that doctors suspect a family relationship. But how? Leah’s family has always seethed with drama, but this visit home promises secrets as deep, dark, and mysterious as the water in Cypress Bayou. And then her ex arrives, and Leah realizes the feelings and secrets she buried years ago have come back to haunt her.

Dr. Jake Carmichael returns to Cypress Bayou after years away and is shocked to see Leah, his childhood sweetheart and first love, back in town and on his patient roster. The sparks still burn, but when he tries to discuss what went wrong and perhaps rebuild their relationship, Leah refuses.

Jake’s not ready to give up on their future together. But Leah fears she has even more to lose this time…

That's it for me. I'll see you tomorrow with Sasha Summers!

All my best

~ Angela

MONDAY MOTIVATION - Find the Office

 Good morning, everyone!

I had a nice weekend in Springfield. Bob wound up not getting home until Thursday afternoon around 1. We ate an early supper then I was on the road by 3. I was flat tired by the time I got to the hotel. I didn't even go out for supper. Just a quiet night in the room visiting with writer friends in Chatzy.

Friday I got some work done at the hotel, a little magazine/ coffee time at Barnes & Noble where I fell in love with this beauty. 

I refraind from spending almost $40 on her... at that moment. I went back and got her Sunday afternoon. I decided that since I knew there wouldn't be a Mother's Day present coming my way, I'd just treat myself. Hand-tooled leather from Tusany, Italy. I haven't decided what I'll use her for yet, but I wanted her. Sometimes that's all you need.

While in the city, I bought a compact external 1T hardrive to put a copy of the manuscript files on. I don't think I can lose this 3x4 drive. 

My sister and I had lunch together after my talk on Saturday. Was nice to just sit and visit with her for a couple of hours and talk writing. She is an excellent writer just not interested in the publishing end, but she's a great sounding board and bouncing ideas off of. 

The writer's group meeting with OzarksRomanceAuthors went well. Was great to see old friends. I belonged to the group as well as their sister group Sleuth's Ink, but Springfield is a four-hour round trip plus the meeting time, followed by lunch.Since I was coming into the city anyway, I wanted to do some shopping so the Saturday meeting turned into usuallya 2-night stay at the hotel. Mind you, I get an excellent rate based on the number of years I've been staying but I just couldn't afford the expense anymore. 

Saturday night, several of us met up again for dinner at Mikado's Supreme Buffet for Chinese and crab legs. 

Available May 17th

Pre-Order now for .99

I spent time Sunday morning before check-out trying to get blog posts set up. Tomorrow, I'm kicking off nine weeks of the Something Blue series. There are eighteen authors in this series. Rather than the normal Author Spotlight on Tuesday's, I'll be running them Tuesdays and Wednesdays until you've had the opportunity to meet all of these talented ladies and read their sweet romance stories.  

I'll start by showcasing the anthology overall. Then I'll kick off the series with the first author, Susan Sands and her story, THEN, AND NOW.

I look forward to sharing this anthology with you. In the meantime, click the pre-order link above so you'll have your copy as soon as the book releases to Kindle. 

With this being Bob's first week home, I only have one goal this week and nothing to do with writing.

I have a friend in the states from England. She will be here later this week. I MUST find my studio. LOL So, I'm picking one project in there per day until I've made it possible for us to sit in there to craft and visit before she heads for another artist friend's house in SE Kansas for a crafting retreat. When the project is done for the day, then the rest of the time will belong to Bob.

All My Best

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW - Loree Lough

 Good morning, everyone!

Today is the final installment of Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop. Remember, this book releases September 28th, 2021 but is available for Pre-order. 

This week, we're shining the spotlight on Loree Lough. Her face looked familiar - she ages well. ;-) but wasn't until I read her bio I realized why.

Here's a bit about Loree:

At last count, USA Today best-selling author Loree Lough had 122 award-winning books (nearly 13 million copies in circulation), hundreds of industry awards, 7 book-to-movie options), 68 published short stories, and 2,500+ nonfiction articles in print. And in August of 2019, Loree celebrated 25 years as a published author!

Once upon a time, Loree (literally) sang for her supper, performing alone and for the likes of Tom Jones, Dottie West, The Gatlin Brothers, and more. We won’t say how many years ago she traded her 6-string for a wedding ring and embarked on this career but on occasion she dusts off the guitar and croons a bit. But mostly, she just writes (and writes).

For those of you who do not know, while I've listened to 'classic country' most of my life, I've been covering the music scene as a side-line for almost fourty years! You could say I knew about Loree 'when'.  Here is an interview I found on-line about her music career:  EerieDigest

Her story, The Christmas Cupcake, is a heartwarming story. Tessa and Asher both have parental issues and deal with them differently. Tessa fears Asher may have anger management tendancies like her father and, as much as she is attracted to him, she isn't willing to stay on that track. She and her brother do just fine when left alone; Tessa as the local school teacher and Noah running the family pottery business. When Asher asks her to teach him to read, she sets her worries aside. Her teacher heart won't allow her to do anything else. What they both learn is that love can conquer a multitude of fears ... and open the door to that happy ever after we all hope for. 

I'm giving The Christmas Cupcake:

You'll find Loree Lough through the following links:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   GOODREADS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW - Rachel J. Good

 Good morning, friends. 

This week we look at the second story in CHRISTMAS AT THE AMISH BAKESHOP - Best Christmas Present Ever, by Rachel J. Good.

(No photo available)

Here's a bit about, Rachel:

USA Today bestselling author Rachel J. Good grew up near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the setting for many of her Amish novels. Striving to be as authentic as possible, she spends time with her Amish friends, doing chores on their farm and attending family events.

Rachel loves to travel and visit many different Amish communities. In searching for the best Amish soft pretzels, she's visited many Amish markets, auctions, and mud sales. Because of her love of Amish food, she tries to include recipes in her books as often as possible. When she's not traveling, she spends time with family and writing.

RELEASES September 28, 2021

PRE-ORDER HERE

Rachel wrote Best Christmas Present Ever for this anthology. I love a good story that includes animals or children. This story included both! Toss in a 'reunited' or 'second chance' romance an you have me hooked!

While life hasn't been easy for either Christian or Lizzie their circumstances are what makes them the perfect fit for a romance as sweet and adorable as the cupcakes she decorates.  

I'm giving Best Christmas Present Ever:

You'll find Rachel J. Good via the following links:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   GOODREADS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Sign up for her newsletter HERE.

Next week, we'll look at the final story, The Christmas Cupcake and meet Loree Lough

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & Review - Shelley Shepard Gray

 Good morning, friends!

For the next three weeks, I'll be sharing three different authors with you. Each came together for a lovely collection of Amish Christmas stories, releasing September 28th, 2021

This week, we're starting with A Christmas Cake for Rebecca, written by Shelley Shepard Gray.

First, let's meet the author:

Shelley Shepard Gray lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. A busy wife and mother of two, she spends her days writing and keeping track of her two teenagers. Her two dogs keep her company when she writes in her basement.

She enjoys writing about the Amish and visits Amish communities in Adams and Holmes counties several times a year. When not spending time with her family or writing, she serves on several committees in her church.

She also bakes a lot, loves coconut cream pie, and will hardly ever pull weeds, mow the yard, or drive in the snow.

A Christmas Cake for Rebecca was the perfect introduction to the book. While each of the three stories could stand alone, Shelley's story sets the stage as well as creating a backdrop for the other two stories. 

I loved Rebecca's determination, in spite of being overwhelmed with over 150 orders of her famous Christmas cake. Aden is the perfect addition to the story. I loved how he is brought into the very female setting. You have to love a guy that will jump outside of his comfort zone to help the woman he loves succeed! 

That's all I'm going to say LOL.  You can pre-order Christmas At the Amish Bakeshop now. Also... Head over to Shelley's FB (link below) to get details on how to WIN an autographed copy this month! 

I'm giving this series:

Oh, one more thing! If you want to check out some great interviews with Shelley, search her name on YouTube.

Shelley spends a lot of time on line! Please follow her on any of the links below:

    WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   PINTEREST

GOODREADS   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & REview - Jill Shalvis

Good afternoon, friends.

I get a later start to my day when Bob is home. Once we wake up in the morning, we sit and enjoy coffee and each other's company until after we've eaten a light breakfast - somewhere around 10:30 - before starting our individual days.

This morning, my individual project was all about moving 105 roma tomato plants to a new watering station before the temps became too HOT to want to be outside. So here I am.

Today, I'm shining the spotlight on NY Times Bestselling author, Jill Shalvis.  I checked my shelves and I believe the only books I have by her are all Christmas books so I wasn't surprised when I snatched up this anthology of three of her Christmas novellas on Netgalley.

Before we get into the review, let's find out a bit about Jill:

Multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is … mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning heartwarming and full of humor novels wherever books are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures. 

AMAZON

If you've not read one of Jill Shalvis' books in awhile (or perish the thought - ever!), plan to grab this appetizer. HOLIDAY EVER AFTER will release October 26th. 

Holiday Ever After is a trio of previously released Christmas novellas tied up in one neat little gift for your reading pleasure... and I enjoyed every one.

One Snowy Night is all about the past coming together for two High School classmates who'd each gone their separate ways due to a combination of circumstance. Hunky Max Stranton always thought Rory Andrews was the key to his scholarship demise yet he never stopped thinking about her and now she has blossomed from the meek lab partner into a beautiful woman he feels the need to protect.

Rory wants to dislike Max, but he is her best option for proving to her family she isn't a flake. She needs his ride to Tahoe. Blinding snowstorm, dead truck battery and closed roads have them spending the night together. These two could melt any snow bank without touching one another! Add in a huge, loveable canine and this first story is a winner!

There's something about 'second chances'. I love them and it's why I write them so I knew I was in for a treat with Holiday Wishes. 

Sean O'Riley and Lotti Hartford have a past, one Sean thought he could leave there until Lotti shows up where his brother's bachelor weekend is being held.  It's true, you never forget who you lose your virginity to... and some things, as well as people, are meant to be a part of your life forever. 

What do you do when you go on the annual joint family holiday vacay with the guy you once did the jingle bell rock with only to find out - you're the only two on the yacht on the high seas... for days?! Close quarters is the perfect opportunity to find that love truly is sweeter the second time around in Mistletoe in Paradise.

Hallmark isn't the only place for me to enjoy a little Christmas in July! I loved getting into the Holiday spirit without being choked in Christmas tinsel. I'm giving Holiday Ever After:

    

Holiday Ever After will be available through the following links on October 26, 2021 but you may also pre-order now!

AMAZON   B & N   GOOGLE PLAY   APPLE BOOKS   KOBO   

You can connect with Jill Shalvis on the following social media links:

WEBSITE   BLOG   FACEBOOK   INSTAGRAM   GOODREADS   PINTEREST

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best

~Angela

 

 

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW - Jodi Thomas - Picnic in Someday Valley

 Good morning, friends.

I have been waiting months to share this post with you. PICNIC IN SOMEDAY VALLEY - the new release from Jodi Thomas - is finally available for purchase! Did you pre-order your copy? If you're read it, please remember to leave a review. I'd also love to hear your comment below.

AMAZON

Picnic in Someday Valley is Book 2 of 3 in the Honey Creek series. 

I think one of the reasons I fell in love with this book is that, while anyone not knowing the behind the scenes or be familiar with Texas wouldn't notice, the setting resembles a town in the Texas Hill Country.  If you don't know by now, while I was born in Colorado, spent a large part of my life in central IL and now have retired to Missouri, Texas holds my heart. 

The story opens up with the Mayor, Piper Mackenzie, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her love interest, Colby McBride. We first met these two in the Book 1 - Breakfast at the Honey Creek Cafe. I loved that Jodi began by reintroducing these two before bringing on the other characters this story revolves around. She also brought in Marcie Latimer. Texas music is a genre all it's own and I was pleased to see Jodi shine the light on this part of the great state. FYI, while I'm sure Jodi doesn't reference any real place where Marcie sings, Luckebach (it's own zip code)  as well as Poodie's Hilltop Roadhouse (Spicer) would be fitting locales to find someone of Marcie's talent. 

Like pieces stitched together to create a warm, comforting quilt, Jodi Thomas brings smaller intricacies of the story together, forming a larger picture. Each piece compliments the others, taking us from one step to the next. Through the journey we find heartbreak, laughter and love - mirroring our own life while reminding us there is a happy ever after. 

I'm givng Picnic in Someday Valley -

While you're purchasing your copy of Picnic in Someday Valley, go ahead and Pre-Order Book 3 - Dinner on Primrose Hill

You'll find Jodi Thomas via the following Social Media links. She'd love to hear from you!

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   BOOK BUB 

GOODREADS    AMAZON

WEDNESDAY REVIEW - THE COWBOY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS

 Hey Book Fans!

I will be reviewing THE COWBOY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS anthology next Wednesday (10/21/20)  

Why wait for the review? You know with these authors, the book is a guaranteed awesome read! 

THE COWBOY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS releases October 27th but you can Pre-Order now!

SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR - June Faver

I know I've had June Faver on here several times but with the release of her newest book up for pre-order, I just had to bring her back to the spotlight. 

June is a prolific author in every sense of the word. She has written every day for 11 years come September. Even when she was hospitalized or had needles poked in her eyes, she has written no less than 100 words per day. In fact, she is so prolific that it wasn't until recently she found out she had 'deadline's with her publisher. She had always turned in her manuscripts and revisions way ahead of expected dates. 

June Faver is my inspiration and my hero... besides being an awesome friend.

Here newest book, The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever, releases in September but you can PRE-ORDER now. This story takes us back to the Garrett ranch. We'll make new friends while visiting with some of our favorite characters from previous books.