Wednesday Writers Christmas Reads–Grace-Brides of New Hope by Jo-Ann Roberts

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book excerpt from Grace-Brides of New Hope, Christmas romance, clean romance, Grace-Brides of New Hope, historical Christmas romance, Jo-Ann Roberts, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest author is Jo-Ann Roberts who will be sharing an excerpt from her Historical Romance Grace—Brides of New Hope. Welcome, Jo-Ann!

Grace-Brides of New Hope

By Jo-Ann Roberts

Widow Grace Donegan is no stranger to hardships. With winter coming on, and with the impending loss of her home as well as her job at the café in New Hope, Kansas, she has three options. Yet, she won’t give up her two children, refuses to join Miss Jennie’s girls at the Rhinestone Saloon, or condemn herself to a second loveless marriage. When an opportunity to save her home arises, she agrees, never imagining her salvation would arrive with a set of broad shoulders, a charming smile, a kind heart, and a pair of blue eyes making her wish for things long forgotten.

As skilled as he is with a gun, Pinkerton Agent Tripp Walker has spent the last ten years undercover, spying on Confederate informants, interrogating witnesses, and chasing outlaws. Sent to New Hope to infiltrate a gang of bank robbers, he intends to focus solely on his job. But when a woman with arresting hazel eyes flecked with gold and hair the color of summer wheat turns out to be the widow he’ll be boarding with, keeping his resolve may prove more difficult than tracking the elusive gang.

As Christmas approaches, will Grace accept Tripp’s offer of marriage just to save her home and give the children a father? Or is his proposal genuine, offering her a forever-kind-of-love? 

Excerpt:

Caleb pushed back his chair, heading for the tree. He chose a branch and slipped the loop through the needle-like leaves, just in front of a cluster of gray-blue berries. Grace joined him, looking for a spot to hang her ornament. When she bent down, her eye spotted something among the dense foliage which made her smile.

“Fiona, come look at this,” she called. As her daughter approached, Grace lifted and separated the branches.

“It’s a birdie’s nest,” Fiona breathed, a note of awe in her voice.

“Well, will you look at that,” Tripp said, hunkering down next to Fiona. He reached in, bringing the nest closer for Fiona’s inspection.

Fiona went up on her toes. “Where are all the baby birdies?”

“I guess they got old enough to fly away to start their own family, kinda like Mr. Tripp wants to do with us,” Caleb said, fingering the star he’d put on the tree.

Tripp looked up at Grace and reached for her hand. “You know, princess, there’s an old German tale which says if you find a bird nest in the tree you harvest for Christmas, you will have an entire year of health and happiness.” He squeezed her fingers tighter. “And that’s what I want with you and Caleb and your mama . . . but I want a whole lifetime of it.”

Caleb’s insight, as well as Tripp’s repeated confirmation he wanted to make them a family deepened Grace’s belief that marrying Tripp Walker would help lay to rest the ghosts of her past. When Grace was able to speak around the lump in her throat, she asked, “Is there more to the story?”

Tripp nodded. “At the very first Christmas, as the legend says, all the world’s birds burst into song when Jesus was born.”

“That’s a lovely story, Tripp,” Grace said, a wistful note in her voice. While she had no memories or stories of growing up in a loving family, Tripp’s youth had been shaped by the blending of his German ancestors and his stepfather’s Texas roots. A warm glow filled her heart knowing that when she married Tripp, Fiona and Caleb might benefit from this melding of love, faith, hard work, and commitment to family.

“Can I have the birdie’s nest?” Fiona lifted hopeful eyes to Grace then to Tripp.

Just as Grace started to object, Tripp’s gaze collided with hers, his unspoken warning taunting her. If you want the honey . . .

But it was Caleb who intuitively knew how to handle his sister. “I’ll make a deal with you, Fee. If we keep the nest in the tree like Mama and Mr. Tripp wants until Christmas then you and me will take it to the woods and leave it in another tree. That way maybe another mama bird might use it for her babies. What do you say?”

Fiona twisted her lips to one side and frowned, a sure sign to Grace she was pondering her brother’s suggestion.

“Deal!” she cried, thrusting her little hand towards her brother.

While Caleb just rolled his eyes, Grace and Tripped laughed aloud. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into, Tripp?”

Swinging Fiona into his arm, he gathered her close to his heart. “A lifetime of kisses and more love than any man could ever hope for.”

~ ~ ~

Want to read more? You can find  Grace-Brides of New Hope at Amazon

About the Author:

Born and raised in western Massachusetts, Jo-Ann Roberts was fascinated by America’s Old West  and always felt she was destined to travel on a wagon train following the Oregon Trail. With her love of history and reading, she began reading historical romance during high school and college. Victoria Holt, Jude Deveraux, and Roseanne Bittner were among her favorites. Influenced by her father, she fell in love with John Wayne, James Garner, and her all-time favorite, James Stewart and grew up watching Wagon Train, Bonanza and Rawhide.

A firm believer in HEA with a healthy dose of realism, Jo-Ann strives to give her readers a sweet historical romance while imparting carefully researched historical facts, personalities, and experiences relative to the time period. Her romances take her readers back to a simpler time to escape the stress of modern life by living in a small town where families and friends help one another find love and happiness.

When she isn’t creating believable plots and relatable heroes and heroines, Jo-Ann enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandson. She also enjoys baking, quilting and eating way too much chocolate.

After 38 years in public education in Connecticut and Maryland, she’s now calls North Carolina home. She is the 2018 Winner (Historical Category) of NEORWA’s Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest. Her debut romance, Lessie-Brides of New Hope Book One, is a 2020 RONE Award Nominee.

Contact Links:  Website:  Facebook:   Instagram:  Newsletter:

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A Writer’s Garden–Hoping for a Harvest by Amy R. Anguish

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A Writer's Garden, Amy R Anguish, Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams, Christmas Anthology, Garden blog, Mistletoe Make-believe, vegetable garden

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Amy R. Anguish talking about the uncertainty of gardening. Welcome, Amy!

You Never Know

Every year, when we plant the seeds in our garden, we have no idea what the outcome will be. Obviously, we have our hopes and dreams of what will happen to those plants throughout the summer. But every year brings different weather, bugs, diseases, and sometimes just bad seeds.

Still, we poke the tiny seeds into the earth, give it lots of water and as much sunshine as God will send, and then wait.

Waiting is the hard part.

As the tiny green shoots poke their heads up, branching out and expanding, blossoming and growing, our hope grows right along with it. How can it not? The excitement of seeing those first little green tomatoes or tiny green beans comes every time.

This year, we picked around 40 pints of green beans, canning most, sharing some. We ate and ate tomatoes, as well as making several batches of salsa and spaghetti sauce. And we picked squash until we were all sick of it.

But as we watched and waited for the cucumbers, which last year came in abundance, nothing but disappointment grew. In fact, something destroyed the first two plants we had come up, and we had to replant. Twice.

Same with our pumpkins. And sunflowers.

• 

• 

Just about the time I was ready to give up on the watermelon, it stretched out and actually gave us a nice basketball-sized one.

And just when I had decided we would just settle for the cucumbers we’d gotten from friends, we got a nice big one, with more coming on. In late summer, no less. Only weeks from autumn.

My five-year-old was thrilled, to say the least.

You never know what you’re going to get when planting seeds, but isn’t it exciting when you do get something? Just like in everything in life, it’s always worth it to try. Even if you only get a few carrots from a whole pack of seeds. Those few carrots are always worth it to my children.

And most of the time, anything we’re willing to put a little effort into, will bring us at least a small harvest.

What have you tried that may not have turned out exactly as planned, but was still rather sweet?

About the Writer/Gardener:

Amy R Anguish

Author of An Unexpected Legacy, Faith and Hope, and Saving Grace

Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher’s kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.

Follow her at  her website Facebook  Or Twitter

Learn more about her books at https://www.pinterest.com/msguish/my-books/

And check out the YouTube channel she does with two other authors, Once Upon a Page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEiu-jq-KE-VMIjbtmGLbJA)

Mistletoe Make-believe by Amy Anguish

(From the Christmas Anthology Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams-a selection of five sweet beach read Christmas novellas)

Charlie Hill’s family thinks his daughter Hailey needs a mom—to the point they won’t get off his back until he finds her one. Desperate to be free from their nagging, he asks a stranger to pretend she’s his girlfriend during the holidays.

When romance author Samantha Arwine takes a working vacation to St. Simons Island over Christmas, she never dreamed she’d be involved in a real-life romance. Are the sparks between her and Charlie real? Or is it just her imagination?

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Wednesday Writers—Coastal Christmas Charade by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

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Beach Reads, book excerpt, Christian romance, Christmas Anthology, Christmas romance, Shannon Taylor Vannatter, Sweet romance, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest author is Shannon Taylor Vannatter. Shannon will be talking about her Inspirational Contemporary Romance novella Coastal Christmas Charade, which is part of the Christmas anthology Candy Cane Wishes & Saltwater Dreams. She’ll be sharing a bit of background on the book, an excerpt, and a chance to win a copy of Candy Cane Wishes & Saltwater Dreams to a lucky commenter who follows her blog tour. Information on the tour and the giveaway are at the bottom of the post. So, keep reading to learn more about this beach read Christmas extravaganza. Welcome, Shannon!

Thanks, Catherine.

This year, I wrote my first novella, which is also my first beach read. The novella collection, Candy Cane Wishes & Saltwater Dreams, includes 5 different authors with stories set on 5 different beaches at Christmas. I chose Surfside Beach, Texas as my setting, since it has the best shelling in the Lonestar state. My characters knew each other as kids. But the heroine was a rich girl whose grandparents owned the fancy inn where all the snobby kids spent their summers. The hero was a local, the handyman’s son, who never felt like he measured up. In this excerpt, she’s back to spruce up her grandparent’s inn and sell it. She hires the hero to hang Christmas lights and a massive chandelier crashes down, like Phantom of the Opera. Of course, right after that, the bride/heroine’s high school nemesis arrives.

Do you like pretend romances? Leave me a comment and tell me, why or why not?

Coastal Christmas Charade by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

Lark Pendleton is banking on a high-society wedding to make her grandparent’s inn at Surfside Beach, Texas the venue to attract buyers. Tasked with sprucing up the inn, she hires Jace Wilder, whose heart she once broke. When the bride and groom turn out to be Lark’s high school nemesis and ex-boyfriend, she and Jace embark on a pretend romance to save the wedding. But when real feelings emerge, can they overcome past hurts?

(Included in Candy Cane Wishes & Saltwater Dreams – Five novellas, five authors, five beaches)

Excerpt:

Ever so, gently, he dabbed his thumb over her cheek.

The front door opened, and a brunette stepped inside behind Lark. Hillarie Chambers. Her mouth dropped open, then closed, and opened again.

Lark spun around. “Hillarie, what are you doing here?” She went to work trying to brush herself off. “I didn’t expect you until Friday.”

“What happened?” Hillarie’s high-pitched whine echoed through the massive space. “What about my wedding?”

“Don’t worry. We had a little chandelier mishap, but it’s a good thing we discovered the problem now. This could have happened in the middle of the wedding. Death by chandelier.”

Lark laughed.

But Hillarie didn’t. “Look at this mess. And there aren’t even any Christmas lights up outside.” She wailed in full meltdown mode. “You always did try to sabotage me, and now you’re after my wedding.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Hillarie. I hired Jace to have the lights done by Friday. He’s fixing this too. By Friday, right, Jace?” 

“Jace?” Hillarie focused on him, then squinted. “Tool Face Jace?”

“At your service.” Hillarie recognized him. But Lark hadn’t.

“Why are you here two days early?” Lark leaned on the staircase.

Hillarie tore her gaze away from the destruction. “Your grandmother said we could come early. I said no. But I’ve been stressed, so my fiancé talked me into it.”

“Technically, we’re closed.” Lark smiled. “To prepare for the wedding.”

The brunette splayed her hands. “I left a message on the machine late last night.”

“Is he with you?”

“Oh.” Hillarie’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t know you’d be here.” She grimaced. “Why are you here?”

Lark’s eyes narrowed. “Gran and Gramps had their name on a waiting list for a condo in Dallas. One became available. If they hadn’t jumped on it, they’d have had to wait at least six

months, so I offered to handle the wedding.”

“Great.” Hillarie’s fake smile looked more like a cringe. “Do you know who I’m marrying?”

The door opened again and a blond man with a suitcase in each hand entered. Familiar. One of the summer rich kids.

Lark’s ex-boyfriend. Thanks to Hillarie.

“Warren?” Lark frowned. “What are you doing here?” Her voice went up an octave. “Oh, you must be in the wedding party.”

“Right.” He shot her a million-watt smile, but it faded as he scanned the room. “What happened?”

“Just a little sprucing up before Hillarie’s big day.” Lark’s smile looked as fake as her nemesis’s. “Jace promised we’d be in ship shape by Friday.”

“Look, darling.” Hillarie sidled up against Warren. “It’s Tool Face Jace.”

“Nobody calls him that anymore.” Lark frowned. “They never should have.”

Lark defending him?

Her gaze narrowed, pinged back and forth between Hillarie and Warren. “Darling?”

“Um.” Hillarie’s baby blues bounced to the floor. “That’s what I wanted to tell you. Warren is my fiancé.”

Want to read more? You can find Candy Cane Wishes & Saltwater Dreams – Amazon

About the Author:

Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does.

She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. Shannon is Scrivenings Press Acquisitions/Content Editor. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.

Social Media:

Shannon’s Website           Shannon’s Facebook           Shannon’s Bookbub

Sign up for Shannon’s Newsletter to get a free e-book, recipes, behind-the-scenes info, & enter exclusive giveaways!

Giveaway details:

Follow my blog tour to enter the drawing for a copy of Candy Cane Wishes & Saltwater Dreams:

Sept 28th – https://shannontaylorvannatter.com/shannon-taylor-vannatter-story-behind-the-story-part-1-of-1/

Oct 1st – https://shannontaylorvannatter.com/inkslinger-blog/

Oct 2nd – https://www.inspyromance.com/

Oct 5th – https://jenniferheeren.com/blog/

Oct 5th – https://shannontaylorvannatter.com/inkslinger-blog/

Oct 6th – https://pattishene.com/theover50writer

Oct 6th – https://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com/blog/

Oct 8th – https://shannontaylorvannatter.com/inkslinger-blog/

Oct 12th – https://shannontaylorvannatter.com/inkslinger-blog/

I’ll pick a winner from blog tour comments and announce the winner on my blog on Oct 19th.

Christmas Reads–Christmas Bouquets and Sweet Regency Christmas Romances from Emma Lane

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A Regency Christmas Collection, Christmas Bouquets, Emma Lane, Flower Arrangements, Thursday Christmas Reads

from Emma Lane

I love to create festive bouquets for any season, but my personal favorite is Christmas. The holiday colors are vibrant and a joy to bring together in stunning arrangements. So let’s talk a little about how you can create masterpieces for your home and as hostess gifts. The work isn’t hard. It simply takes a little patience.

It looks easy, but the greenery for bouquets is more complicated than you might think. I’m fortunate because there is a veritable forest in my front and back yards. I deliberately refrain from trimming the evergreen shrubs out front until the holidays. That gives me a very fresh start to my bouquet which is difficult to match with store bought greenery. If you have any type shrub in your yard it will work. If not then you are forced to purchase them. I strongly recommend you visit your local nursery for the foliage you want.

There’s a combination of old-fashioned yew shrub because it holds the needles for a good while. I add cuttings from a blue spruce just because I love the tinted color. Then my secret choice for Christmas is clippings from a juniper shrub for its heady, wintry seasonal fragrance. I once made a bouquet using only juniper but quickly learned why that wasn’t a good idea. They dry out rapidly and lose the rich green color most desired. So, tuck them in to smell good but toward the back. There are plenty of other types of evergreen shrubs for possible Christmas decorations. By all means, bring them inside and test their worthiness.

Next are the luscious red berries. They grow on a native shrub named winterberry (ilex, a member of the holly berry family) in slightly swampy terrain. No, don’t go wild crafting unless you wear high waterproof boots! Fortunately, our brilliant horticulturists have propagated this shrub for home gardeners. Consider planting them in your yard. You must have a male and female to get berries and it takes patience. They are not fast growers, but well worth the effort. Plant toward the back of the garden. The bush itself is not all that attractive until the Fall berries appear. Then you begin a vigil to pick them before the flocks of robins descend during migration. Cedar Waxwings love them too, but they are so beautiful I give in just for the pleasure of watching. Winterberries are frequently found for sale at late Farmers’ Markets and in craft and florist shops. They will dry out but seldom fall off unless bumped or roughly handled.

You all know about poinsettia, the official Christmas potted flower. It’s the brackets that have the color. The flower itself is the small yellow center bloom. I personally find them boring, but one day an idea came to me. I cut them as if for a cut flower bouquet. Here are a few photos to better explain.

 

Once I bought a pink one and lightly sprayed it a tinted blue, as a blue bouquet was what the customer needed, pairing it with sprayed-gold milk weed pods.

The last one is a pale pink mixed with dried dock and milk weed pods, the red berries tucked in here and there with a brass colored vase. I’m particularly fond of this one. Christmas bouquets need not always be red to be lovely.

 

I wish you all a beautiful healthy and happy holiday season!

Emma

Enjoy the holiday season with one or both of Emma Lane’s sweet Regency Romances collections. Here is a brief intro for you.

 

Families can be troublesome, but a next door neighbor can sometimes be even worse. Caroline is
a strong-willed young lady and refuses to be bullied by a handsome duke. Four sweet Regency romances to get you in the mood for the season.

Amazon Link

Winter storms swirling snow and unexpected guests on the eve of Christmas, the pungent fragrance of fresh pine boughs, springs of mistletoe hung with red ribbons, and a stolen kiss underneath the kissing ball comprise scenes of Christmas in the country. Ice skating anyone? Have a cup of wassail and toast your toes in front of a warm fire while you enjoy four short stories of sweet Regency Christmas
romances.

Amazon Link

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane.

She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own.

Look for information about writing and plants on Emma’s new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest.

Wednesday Writers Christmas Reads–Christmas Lights and Love by Joi Copeland

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Christmas Lights and Love, Christmas romance, Clean fiction, Joi Copeland, romance, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers. Our guest today is author Joi Copeland talking about her Christmas book Christmas Lights and Love, anxiety, and how she has dealt with her own anxiety. Welcome, Joi!

Thanks, Catherine.

Have you ever experienced guilt for something you couldn’t control? I know I certainly have. You see, I have anxiety. I have battled with anxiety for years. I’ve been to counseling, given up caffeine and diet coke (aspartame messes with the serotonin in our brains and triggers anxiety). I am on medication that I take daily to help. But before all of those steps, I would have anxiety attacks with my three young kids watching.

I’m talking about the debilitating attacks that leave me crumpled on the floor in a ball, thinking I am going to die. My three boys would gather around me, wrap me in their arms, and tell me I was going to be okay. I didn’t have the tools to deal with anxiety at the time. I didn’t know how to combat these attacks like I do now.

And oh, the guilt that follows! If I were strong enough, I wouldn’t have anxiety. If I had deeper faith, I wouldn’t be anxious. My kids shouldn’t have to see me at my weakest. They should see me be strong. I wondered if my anxiety affected my boys in negative ways. I wondered if my son’s stuttering was due to my attacks. I felt guilty for my lack of strength.

It took a few days to recover from my anxiety attacks. I wouldn’t play outside with the boys or take them to the park. I was a horrible mom and wife! My husband had to stay home from work a few times. What good wife asked her husband to do that? I should have been stronger. I felt guilty for my lack of strength.

Then, through counseling and learning the tools of how to combat anxiety, truth began to speak into my life. God showed me I wasn’t weak because I had anxiety. I wasn’t a horrible mom or wife because I struggled. If I had cancer, would I feel guilty for not feeling well enough to do certain things? No, not at all. Mental health is just as important as physical health. I had to learn to take care of my mental health and not take on guilt for something I could not control.

In Christmas Lights and Love, Denmark Carrington feels guilty for a situation she had no control over. She wears her guilt like a cloak, much like I did. She keeps people at arm’s length because she can’t forgive herself for her role in what happened.

We aren’t meant to carry guilt, deserved or undeserved. That’s what Jesus did on the cross for us. He took our guilt upon His shoulders and nailed it to the cross. If we have played a part in the reason for our guilt, confess, ask for forgiveness, and forgive yourself. Leave it at the foot of the cross. Because by carrying around our guilt, we take away what Jesus did for us. We tell Him the cross wasn’t enough to cover our shame. And it was.

So, whether you are guilty or suffering from perceived guilt, let it go. Live a life guilt free, full of grace and mercy that Jesus gives.

Have I conquered anxiety? No, I haven’t. It’s still something I struggle with. But I no longer live in guilt. Because His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

Christmas Lights and Love

By Joi Copeland

Will the Christmas Lights Festival bring them together or tear them apart?

Denmark Carrigan moved to Snow Globe, Montana, to start over with her two sons. Every year, she participates in the Christmas Lights Festival in hopes of finally winning. But her nemesis, Quinn Burkett, wins again and again. Hardening her heart to his charm and handsome face is easy, until he connects with her kids. 

Quinn Burkett longs to get to know the saucy woman who moved to Snow Globe three years ago. Yet she knocks him down at every turn. When he spies her with a man new to town, he wonders how the man cracked her hard shell. Will he be able to win her over, or will he have to let her go?

Book Excerpt:

Deni’s heart squeezed, pain slicing through her chest. No matter what her sister said, the truth screamed at Deni just as loudly as the empty space in her bed. If she hadn’t badgered Cliff about forgetting the French bread for dinner, he wouldn’t have gone to the store, wouldn’t have gotten into the car accident that took him from her.

Want to read more? You can find Christmas Lights and Love at Amazon

About the Author:

 Joi Copeland is married to a wonderful man, Chris, and has three amazing boys, Garrison, Gage, and Gavin. She lives in Galway, Ireland as a missionary.

Joi’s love of writing began at a young age. She wrote short stories for several years, and in 2009, she began writing her first novel, Hope for Tomorrow. Joi enjoys baking and hopes to one day make a recipe that will have consistent results, though she doubts that will ever happen!

Social Media Links: Amazon Author Page: Instagram: Website

Christmas Reads–A Heartfelt Christmas by Nancy Naigle

Tags

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise, Christmas reads, Christmas romance, Nancy Naigle, Sweet romance

Today’s Thursday Christmas Reads is A Heartfelt Christmas Promise by Nancy Naigle. She’s answering some questions about her book today and also providing a Christmas cookie recipe and excerpt from her Christmas book.

How did you come up with the idea for your Christmas book?

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise was inspired by those adorable Budweiser commercials with the lost puppy. Remember those? I’m a dog lover anyway, but those commercials absolutely stole my heart. I couldn’t wait to find a way to integrate a sweet puppy, and a handsome horse trainer into a novel. Six years later, here we are. I’m so excited for readers to visit the small town of Fraser Hills, NC and get swept up into all that’s going on in that small town.  

Could you give a short synopsis on the book for my readers?

Yes, it’s a sweet small-town holiday love story, perfectly fine for readers of all ages, so mommas, you can share this one with your teenage-daughter and her grandmother, too.

Vanessa Larkin was supposed to be spending Christmas in Paris, France on a business trip she hoped to enjoy as a working vacation. Instead, she’s been assigned to Fraser Hills, North Carolina—home of the Best Fruitcake in the USA—to convert her company’s property into warehouse space and shut down Porter’s, the fruitcake factory. Offering retirement packages and selling locals on new job opportunities may not spread holiday cheer, but Vanessa believes she’s helping secure the town’s future.

Mike Marshall’s family founded Porter’s. For decades, the factory served as the lifeblood of the community until his grandfather sold the business to a Chicago corporation. The sale cost the town its independence—and the Marshalls their family ties. A horse farmer, Mike was never involved with his grandfather’s company, but still felt Fraser Hills lost part of its identity. And as a widower raising a teenage daughter, he’s suffered enough losses in one lifetime. News of the factory’s closing means losing another piece of the town’s legacy.

Far from the skyscrapers and rapid pace of the city, Vanessa finds herself enjoying the easygoing rhythms of rural living. With Mike as her guide, she learns to appreciate the simple pleasures found in shared holiday festivities among friends. Fraser Hills is a town she is growing to love—and Mike is someone she is falling in love with. Now all Vanessa needs is a Christmas miracle to give her newfound friends and home a gift they’ll cherish for many New Years to come.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

Oh gosh, there are so many! One of my favorites is hosting a cookie swap. It makes the daunting task of baking a huge and varied batch of cookies and treats for your family, fun and easy. Each participant makes six dozen of their favorite cookie or treat recipe. On the day of the swap everyone brings six dozen and goes home with an assortment of sixty cookies. A lot less work, and an evening of fun with the girls. What’s not to love?

What’s next?

On May 18, 2021, The Shell Collector comes out. This novel has been in my heart for years. Shells with messages are showing up on Whelk’s Island, and they always seem to be the encouragement or confirmation for those that find them. The Shell Collector is up for preorder so order yours now.  We’ll be doing a cover reveal as soon as we get past the buzz of the holidays so stay tuned. It’s a beautiful story set on the coast of North Carolina, described as a touching novel of love and loss, a friendship that crosses generations, and learning how even the smallest gifts can change a life for good. Don’t hesitate…treat yourself right now: https://waterbrookmultnomah.com/books/668252/the-shell-collector-by-nancy-naigle/

RECIPE FAVORITES

Lilene’s Chocolate-dipped Fruitcake Squares

It’s your choice. Take a shortcut and make your treats from sliced up store-bought fruitcake and dunk the slices or squares in milk or dark chocolate, or use this recipe.

Either way you’re sure to end up with a delightful and unexpected goody to share. The best description I’ve heard is that these taste like a banana split only without the ice cream. All the yummy goodness and no brain freeze.

Fruit Cake Ingredients:

¾ cup butter, softened

1 ¾ cups packed brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 TBL vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped candied pineapple

1 ¾ cups red and green candied cherries, halved

• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then add vanilla and beat just until mixed well.
• Add flour to mix, then fold in walnuts with a spatula.
• Spread evenly into a greased large rectangle baking pan.
• Sprinkle the pineapple, and cherries evenly across the pan, then press the candied fruit lightly into the mixture.
• Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. I like to let my squares rest a day before I robe them in chocolate.
• Dunk each square into your choice of milk or dark chocolate and cool. Enjoy!

And now for a treat of another kind: An Excerpt from

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise (2020)

By Nancy Naigle

Vanessa breezed out of her office and stepped back in the conference room. One of her coworkers, Micky Cooper, was pleading the case for a warehouse project to get moved to one in his portfolio in North Carolina. Something that had been on his books for a long time. It must not be making big profits lately, else why would he offer it up?

     She took her seat.

     “Porter’s has two huge warehouse spaces. Plus, the surrounding area has plenty of space for expansion. It’d be tight to do a shutdown and get ready by January first, but the right person could get it done.”

     Vanessa politely smiled, rocking in her chair as she swung back around toward her boss, Edward Grayson. Yeah, it could be done, but Micky wasn’t the guy to do it. He was always running late on his projects. He was really much better on the front-end negotiations than the execution of things like this.

     Edward’s bushy eyebrows wiggled like restless caterpillars.

     “You’re right, Micky.”

     Micky gave a cocky nod and leaned back in his chair.

     “Only this can’t slip. Not one day.” Edward’s glasses slid farther down his nose as he swiveled his gaze across the team sitting at his table today, and then his focus landed on Vanessa.

     As in a disastrous game of spin the bottle, Vanessa’s insides flipped.

     “Porter’s is a small town. I went out there personally when we closed that deal. It’s the best option we’ve got in our portfolio to make this happen in the short time frame. Execution has to be flawless. Vanessa—”

     “No.” She hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Trying to cover, she said, “Edward, there are plenty of good people on this team who can handle that assignment, and Thanksgiving is next week.”

     “I need you to handle it.”

     “Sir, with all due respect.” She lowered her voice and leaned in closer to him. “Paris? Leavenworth? I’ve earned those.” The words hung like peanut butter in the back of her throat.

     “You’re right,” he said. “You have.”

     She raised her chin, hoping he’d change his mind.

     But Edward looked down the table again and with not an ounce of remorse announced, “I need you in Fraser Hills, North Carolina, on Monday. It’ll be quick, and I promise I’ll give you the next big thing that comes through this door. This has to go right. It’s important.”

     Her throat tightened. “Yes, sir.”

     Micky leaned forward with a sly grin. “I’ll send you the files on Porter’s.”

     She nodded as she sat there trying to hold herself together as the agenda moved on.

     When they got to the two projects she’d been vying for, she

could barely breathe while her dream projects were assigned. Micky and his brother Gary were assigned the Paris project as a team. None other than McAdo landed Leavenworth.

     “That’s it for today.” Edward pushed himself up from his chair.

     Vanessa was thankful Micky and Gary, full of enthusiasm, had cornered Edward so she didn’t even have to make eye contact with him. She pasted a smile on her face and headed straight to her office.

Want to read more? You can find A Heartfelt Christmas Promise at:

Amazon: Barnes & Noble: iBooks: Kobo: GooglePlay

About the Author:

 USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home. Nancy is the author of Christmas Joy and Hope at Christmas, both of which have been turned into film for Hallmark Channel. A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is her 2020 release.

Stay updated on Nancy’s new releases, sales, and upcoming movie news by subscribing to her newsletter at www.nancynaigle.com.

Other places to find or follow Nancy: Amazon Author Page: Twitter: Facebook

Musings from a Writers Brain-Breaking the Age Barriers by Bonnie Engstrom

Tags

Bonnie Engstrom, Christmas romance, clean romance, Her Secret Santa, Musings from a Writer's Brain, Older character romance

I love to write about second chances in love, especially about older people falling in love and overcoming complications and our culture’s politically correct expectations. Heck, old –‘ers’ hearts can do flipflops, too. I refuse to refer to them as elders. Sorry.

Her Secret Santa was especially fun to write because I modeled my favorite character after my granddaughter. It was doubly fun because the idea for the story came from my oldest high school friend, Sandy, who played Mrs. Claus a few years ago.

Sandy is a talented vocalist who sang at our wedding. But mostly she is a fun person who loves a challenge. Comfortable in the limelight, she loves to perform and has even named her little dog Diva. I don’t know if Sandy confides in her vanity mirror like Patti does, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she does. Sandy was the perfect inspiration for this story. Of course the book is dedicated to her.

Here is a teaser from the story.

What did Colin’s kiss, and his comment about brave, mean? . . . Had she done the right thing taking the Mrs. Santa job, or even applying for it? Was she too old to fall in love again? Was Colin?

. . .

Was she ready for love again? Was Colin? She knew so little about him, other than he was a Santa who cuddled children and a grandpa who cared. Surely God had orchestrated their situation. Hadn’t the teen boy who’d collected the application she’d filled out for Mrs. Santa looked at her in a strange way and said, “Good luck”? Silly thought, and she didn’t believe in superstition. But she did believe in signs. The Bible had many. Maybe she should get back to reading the Word every morning. That, and to find out more about Colin.

I hope readers enjoy the humor in HER SECRET SANTA and the loving, but sometimes colliding, personalities of Patti and her precocious eleven-year-old granddaughter, Tabitha. They make a unique team of Mrs. Santa and Elf Tabitha who not only fixes Patti’s knitting mistakes but guides her down the path to love. Oops! Is Tabby right? Did Patti kiss the wrong Santa?

About the Author:

Bonnie Engstrom lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her Santa Dave of fifty-five years. He grumbles putting the nine-foot tree up, but proudly anchors the angel on top. They live near four of their six grandchildren who spend Christmas with them. The other two live on the beach in Costa Rica and surf with their dad, even on Christmas Day. Pura Vida!

To see all of Bonnie’s books go to My Books page on her website www.bonnieengstrom.com.

Join her on her Facebook author page where she gives away books and stash every week. https://www.facebook.com/bonnieengstromauthor/

Chat with her in email at bengstrom@hotmail.com. Be sure to put BOOKS in the subject line so your post doesn’t fly off into cyberspace.

HER SECRET SANTA is on sale in eBook for $.99 all through the holidays! Enjoy!

Wednesday Writers–The Mistletoe Contract by Jennifer Chastain

Tags

book excerpt from The Mistletoe Contract, Christian romance, Christmas romance, clean romance, Jennifer Chastain, The Mistletoe Contract, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today we have another holiday book. A Contemporary Christian Christmas romance by Jennifer Chastain, entitled The Mistletoe Contract. Now that’s an intriguing title. Read on to discover the story behind Jennifer’s Christmas book and an excerpt from The Mistletoe Contract. Welcome, Jennifer!

            What is your favorite holiday? Mine? Hands down, it would have to be Christmas. I love a cheery fire in the fireplace, turning off all the lights in the house, except the lights on the Christmas tree, and watching a Christmas movie. The scents of pine and cinnamon permeate the house.

            After I attended a writing camp three years ago, I had an idea for a Christmas book. I like to read marriage of convenience stories and I’m a fan of Married at First Sight, a reality show where couples are matched and don’t meet each other until their wedding day. The participants go through a rigorous vetting process and are matched on compatibilities as well as temperament and life goals.

            After coming up with the general story idea, I knew I wanted to write a sweet, marriage of convenience, second chance romance that took place during the Christmas holidays. As I delved into Nate and Meredith’s stories, their hopes and dreams slowly came into focus. But for my couple, I added the element of faith, since God is the only one who can heal our hurts. I spoke with my writing friend a couple of times and once we hammered out the details for the story outline, I sat down to write. As I wrote, I noticed that there is a little bit of myself in both Nate and Meredith. I even included a real town in the story, McAdenville, NC. This small town is nestled close to the NC/SC line and used to be an old mill town. After the mills closed, McAdenville had to reinvent itself. So, the town became known as “Christmas Town USA”. The entire town is decorated in Christmas lights, homes have elaborate displays in their front yards, and carols are played over the loudspeakers in the center of town. The lights are so bright, the entire town is seen from miles away. Now, people drive from hundreds of miles away, just to walk through the town, look at the lights, and spend time with their families. This town evokes a slower pace that seems to have gotten lost in the hustle and bustle of preparing for the holidays.

            Christmas is a time of rebirth and renewal. After all, Christ was born to give us new life. I wanted these same themes of redemption, renewal and second chances to be evidenced not only in this sweet, contemporary romance but in all my stories. My prayer for all my readers is that they (and you) will experience the love, peace, and joy that only faith in Jesus can bring. Merry Christmas!

The Mistletoe Contract

By Jennifer Chastain 

Confirmed bachelor, Nathan Rutledge shut his heart to romance when he was forced to break the heart of the only woman he loved. Now, with his father’s retirement from the family conglomerate, the torch has been passed to him. But there are two problems—first, he needs a wife in order to take over the family business. Second, someone has been embezzling company funds. With the pressure mounting, and time expiring to find both a wife he can trust and the thief, Nate needs a Christmas miracle.

Forensic Accountant, Meredith Mitchell’s life is in a shambles. Her mother needs a lifesaving transplant, Mom’s medical bills have bankrupted Meredith’s meager savings, and she’s sold everything of value, but it’s still not enough. Worse, she’s now tasked with discovering accounting errors for a new client—none other than Nathan Rutledge—the same man who gave her a broken heart for Christmas eight years ago.

Meredith wants to run. Nate wants the chance to right his wrongs. When he proposes a modern-day marriage of convenience, she balks at the idea. But he desperately needs a wife, and she really needs the money he offers. Is this the answer to her prayers? Or will this mutually beneficial arrangement re-open old wounds that can’t be healed?

EXCERPT:

Meredith closed the door with a soft click and propped herself against the wall. Tilting her head up, she released a huge sigh. She hated lying to her mother. Weariness settled deep in her bones. Her to-do list for the wedding grew with each passing hour. She had a lot to accomplish between now and Friday morning.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Meredith’s eyes popped open. “Nate! You scared me!” Facing off with her fiancé, she straightened her spine. “What’re you doing here?”

His back against the wall, he crossed his ankles. Even after working all day, Nate still appeared fresh. When she glanced at her gray dress pants, the red sauce stain from her rushed dinner glared at her. She was wrinkly… and frumpy.

Nate frowned, his gaze roving over her.

Meredith moved her purse from her shoulder and held it in front of the stain. “I’m sorry. That was unkind.”

“I didn’t mean to intrude.”

She pulled herself up to her full height. “You didn’t. It’s… I didn’t expect to see you.” At least, not until their wedding day, giving her a couple of days to steel her emotions against his all-American boy-next-door charm. Why did he have to ruin her well-thought-out plan? His nearness sent her pulse into overdrive.

Nate turned toward her and rested one hand on the wall above her head. He was so close she saw the golden flecks ringing his pupils. “Can’t a guy see his fiancée before the wedding?” The low timbre of Nate’s voice raised goose bumps on her arms, and her heart rate kicked up another notch.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and she licked her dry lips before her gaze settled on his mouth. “Yeah, sure.”

Nate’s free hand came up and traced a line down her cheek. Meredith closed her eyes. She had to stop this flood of emotion. Why was he doing this to her? His spicy cologne wafted between them. Comforted her. Shoot. Nate smelled good.

“Nate… please… someone will see us.” Meredith swallowed hard, and her breaths came in short gasps.

“So?”

“This is supposed to be a business relationship. No funny business. You promised.” Meredith scooted out from under his arm and hurried down the tiled hallway, her steps echoing in the empty space. She needed air. And personal space. “Is there a reason you stopped by?”

Nate fell in step beside Meredith. She scampered down the hall to the elevator bank.

Nate touched her arm, and they stood facing each other in front of the elevator. “Have a cup of coffee with me?” His blue eyes held a glimmer of amusement.

Shock or maybe desire rooted Meredith’s feet to the floor.

The elevator door opened, and two nurses in scrubs emerged. Meredith entered and jabbed the first-floor button. When she looked up into the polished steel doors, she met Nate’s steady gaze. Turning to face him, she crossed her arms. “Why, Nate? What are you trying to do to me? We have an agreement.”

Nate matched her stance, a smirk on his face. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

Meredith snorted, and her lips stretched into a sneer. “Oh, come on. You cannot seriously be this clueless.”

He stepped closer, his hands in his pockets, causing her to back up a couple of steps. “This attraction—you’re not immune to it, either, are you?”

Shaking her head, Meredith braced her back against the elevator car. “No, you’re wrong. This isn’t the type of relationship you’re thinking about.” She bit her lower lip.

Nate’s warm breath whispered against her ear, and chill bumps raced up and down her arms. “But it could be. Think of how much fun we’d have.”

His nearness muddled her mind. But she was older now. Wiser. Fool me once and all that. She’d be doggoned if he’d fool her again with his sweet talk. Before she answered, the elevator doors opened with a whoosh. Saved by the bell.

Meredith darted into the parking deck. “I don’t think so,” she said over her shoulder. “I’ll

see you tomorrow at 4:00 to finalize the details.”

Want to read more? You can find The Mistletoe Contract at

Amazon

About the Author:

Ever since she was a little girl, living in her small town in New York State, Jennifer has been a voracious reader. During the summer months, she would ride her bike to their library and return with a basketful of books. Her dad’s job moved them to Charlotte, NC in her teen years, but the memories of growing up in a small community have stayed with her. A Yankee transplant, she has grown to love the grace and charm of the South. In fact, she even married a native Charlottean.

For the past five years, she and her husband have been host parents to several

international high school students. They have experienced the joy of seeing these students blossom into young adulthood.

Jennifer is a member of ACFW, ACFW-NC, and My Book Therapy/Novel Academy. Several of her other stories were finalists in the Blue Ridge Mountains Foundations contest and she was a finalist in the Touched by Love contest, sponsored by the Faith, Hope, and Love chapter of RWA. Her contemporary romance stories contain the themes of redemption, grace, forgiveness, and second chances.

A hopeful romantic, Jennifer loves dark chocolate, Diet Coke, old movies, and a good romantic movie. She loves to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen, and when not cooking, she’s reading. Growing up in the snowy North, Christmas has always been her favorite holiday, with the scents of cinnamon, vanilla, and pine scenting the air.

She and her husband have been married for over 25 years, and they are permitted to coexist with their black rescue cat.

Connect with Jennifer on Facebook: Instagram: www.jenniferchastain.com

 

Christmas Reads–A Kiss Under the Mistletoe by June Foster

Tags

A Kiss Under the Mistletoe, Christmas romance, clean romance, contemporary romance, June Foster

Today’s Christmas Read book is A Kiss Under the Mistletoe by June Foster. June will be sharing how her sweet contemporary romance A Kiss Under the Mistletoe was born and an excerpt from the book. Welcome, June!

Thanks, Catherine.

I love to write stories about identical twins and the mishaps that come their way. I also love to feature a slightly overweight heroine. Probably because I want my girl to struggle with some of the same problems many women of today, including me, deal with. A Kiss Under the Mistletoe contains both elements.

So, when my editor called for a Christmas story about a mistake under the mistletoe, the wheels in my head started churning. What if a really good-looking youth pastor had a brother that looked exactly like him but differed in every other way? Maybe he’d be an alcoholic or a player. What if the youth pastor’s parents always forced him into the role of the good guy, and he’d accommodated them since he was a boy? Afterall, Carson Shumate had to make up for the shenanigans his brother pulled. What if one day he finally got tired of playing the role?

Then I had to ask the same questions, the what-if game concerning my heroine. This is a strategy many authors use to plan their plots. My friend and fellow writer, Fay Lamb, put me onto this method.

So, I asked my heroine, Noel Kendrick, if she trusted men, and she answered emphatically no. She went on to explain. Her father left her mother when Noel was twelve without a word to Noel. Then in college, her boyfriend misled her by dating another girl at the same time. And to make it worse, the guy was a youth pastor.

So, now I’ve set the scene for when Noel meets Carson. Now I know why she fools him into believing she’s a clerk at the local grocery store just to tease him. I also know why she’s even more suspicious of him when she sees him loading beer into his car when he’d assured her he didn’t drink.

I hope you’ll want to read A Kiss Under the Mistletoe and discover all the mishaps under the mistletoe Noel and Carson experience.

A Kiss Under the Mistletoe

By June Foster

The men in Noel Kendrick’s life have always lied to her. When she accepts her pastor’s plea to head the Christmas nativity scene project, she doesn’t realize the job requires her to work with Carson Shumate, the handsome youth pastor with midnight blue eyes. Despite her efforts to keep her emotional distance, she falls hard after a kiss under the mistletoe.

But Carson has a secret of his own. If he reveals the truth about his identical twin to his church, he fears they will fire him, and he could lose Noel.

A Kiss Under the Mistletoe is the sequel to An Unexpected Family.

EXCERPT

Noel gasped.

Carson? What? She walked closer and peered at his midnight blue eyes, shapely nose, and the lips that had so recently kissed her.

The blond glanced up at him as if he were the most wonderful man in the world and tiptoed to whisper in his ear.

He leaned forward and nuzzled her neck.

Noel couldn’t move, transfixed by the surreal scene before her. Then reality smacked her in the face, stinging her cheeks.

Carson peered down into the eyes of another woman as if enthralled by her presence.

The absurd truth impacted her like a slap to the face. He’d looked at Noel the same way. The facts slowly washed over her. Carson wasn’t who she’d thought he was.

After he released the woman, he glanced in Noel’s direction as if he’d never seen her before.

Noel crept closer, first unbelief, then anger mixed with jealousy, threatened to explode. She dug her nails into her palms until it hurt. How could he kiss another woman after he’d promised he’d never do anything to hurt her? She’d been such a fool to believe him, to trust him. He even acted as if he didn’t care whether she saw him or not.

She closed the distance between him and the girl, fury creating a fireball in her gut, begging to be released. She’d believed him when he’d said he found her overweight body alluring. Ha. He cuddled a woman with an attractively thin shape. A burning tear fell to her cheek.

Noel tried to take a breath, but the effort didn’t force air to the bottom of her lungs.

Now standing no more than five feet from them, Noel glared. There was no denying the man in front of her was Carson Shumate. “I can’t believe it.” The words gushed like water rushing along a rain-swollen river.

Carson’s eyes grew large, and he stared at her. The creep. He never thought she’d spot him in Riverview, no doubt.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your other girlfriend?”

“Other girl friend?” Carson took a few steps away from the girl. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play innocent with me.” Noel couldn’t gain control. She turned toward the petite woman. “You may want to know your boyfriend is a player. He’s been stringing me along while he’s with you.”

The other woman glared at Carson. “Is that true?”

“No.” He raised his palms like a thief in surrender. “Let me explain.”

Noel puffed a fast breath. Carson had denied dating her.

She wasn’t about to stand for his concocted story, trying to get himself out of trouble. As one last blast of anger shot through her, her hand obeyed the command her emotions ordered. She tightened her fist and punched him hard, under the sternum.

“Arg.” Carson grabbed his stomach and bent forward.

When he straightened, the girlfriend whacked his cheek. “You jerk. Don’t bother calling me anymore.”

Want to read more? You can find A Kiss Under the Mistletoe at

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother of ten. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written twenty-two contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She’s published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.

Connect with June on her Amazon author page, Twitter  or Facebook

Thursday Christmas Reads-Christmas on Ocracoke by Christina Sinisi

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Christina Sinisi, Christmas novella, Christmas on Ocracoke, clean romance, Sweet romance, Thursday Christmas Reads

Christmas is coming and it’s time for Christmas Reads! I love Christmas, Christmas books, and Christmas movies. So For the next few Thursdays I’ll be sharing Christmas Reads, and some Christmas book excerpts, courtesy of the book authors, with you. First up on the holiday blog is Christina Sinisi with her sweet, inspirational  Christmas novella

Christmas on Ocracoke.

Welcome, Christina! Please tell the readers the origin of your Christmas book.

I’d be happy to share that story, Catherine.

Christmas on Ocracoke happened because of a series of lovely coincidences. First, my sister and her husband purchased a vacation home on Hatteras Island large enough for the whole family to spend holidays together without having to split time between hotels. The purchase actually happened last fall, but I was too swamped with grading to come over Thanksgiving. So, my first visit was for the week between Christmas and New Year of 2019. While there, I drove my mother and myself on to the ferry and we visited Ocracoke Island.

Ocracoke Island, for those of you don’t know much about the Outer Banks—and I was one of you, is the most southern inhabited island of the long, thin streak of islands that make up the Outer Banks. It’s only reached by boat and it was hit hard by Hurricane Dorian last September. Even though the hurricane had also come through the Charleston area, I’d put it out of my mind. Driving down that two lane strip of road on the island, the effects of unbridled nature were all too obvious. There were mountains of debris in several stacks, nestled between trees standing tall as if they’d shaken off the damage where silly humans couldn’t. My mother and I (and my sister, her husband, and daughter in a separate truck) drove to a restaurant I’d found in the little newspaper that advertised to be opened but wasn’t. It was boarded up and may never reopen. The beauty of the island and the harsh circumstances–I fell in love.

The story came about because the drive from Charleston to this little island that looks to be just above South Carolina’s border the way a pelican flies takes eight hours! I was stunned. The miles of bridges and the strips of land between the ocean and the sound–it truly feels like you’re going to another planet. It felt like anyone moving there would be starting a whole new life. Then, why would someone start all over like that? Why would someone move to what feels like the edge of civilization?

She would have to be running from something, or someone. Thus, Annie Hanahan was born. She has a son because there needs to be a really important motive and there is no stronger motive than protecting one’s child (writes a mother). Plus, I love having a child steal the show.

The hero is the man needed for the job in such a circumstance as a devastating hurricane. A man who can fix things and is willing to step up in an emergency. Trey lives there (in a house that strangely resembles my sister’s rental if you’d like to reserve a week) part time, and he is a man of faith who serves others. I don’t know about you, but I fell for him fast!

Christmas on Ocracoke

By Christina Sinisi

Reeling from the upheaval of a failed marriage, Annie Hanahan is desperate for a new start—and when she inherits a cottage on Ocracoke Island, she may finally get it. Without a second thought, she packs up and leaves everything behind: her first name, her job, and her ex-husband, because more than anything, she wants to get her son away. Maybe now she can get her son away from his father’s partying and neglectful ways. But when she arrives in the Outer Banks, she finds the island—and her promised refuge—ravaged by Hurricane Dorian.

When their parents died in a tragic car accident, Trey Kingsley dropped out of college to raise his sister. Now that she’s grown and moved away, it’s his turn to find a life of his own. As a contractor who has given so much of his time to helping Ocracoke recover from the devastation of Hurricane Dorian, it surprises no one when he offers to help the beautiful newcomer, but something is holding her back. Life keeps throwing them together, though, or perhaps God’s hand is giving them a nudge. Will a little bit of divine intervention be enough for a Merry Christmas on Ocracoke?

EXCERPT:

            Annie scanned what seemed like a deserted island at this time of night. Charleston was on the coast, but Hatteras was a different world. There was a stoplight a few blocks away, and a few shops had interior lights glowing, but overall, there was a sense of being at the end of the world.

            And Ocracoke was south, farther away from everything.

            She breathed in air pregnant with salt and moisture and let it go. James would be safe in the SUV while she dragged their suitcases upstairs. He slept with his neck at a jagged angle, his forehead heavy against the side of the car seat. Tenderness stopped her in her tracks for a minute, or maybe it was sheer exhaustion.

            The sound of tires bouncing over the speed bump at the entrance to the motel broke her out of her reverie. The man driving the extended cab monstrosity lifted his chin in greeting and parked a couple of spots down the line.

            Annie ducked her head and gathered James’s things. She lingered for a few seconds until she heard the truck door slam shut, waiting for the man to go inside and disappear. Hoisting the heavy diaper bag on one shoulder, she juggled her purse and overnight bag on the other.

            “Hey, let me help you with that.”

            The deep baritone caught her off guard, and she did a little dance, startled.

            “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I just wondered if you could use some help carrying stuff. Promise I’m not a creep. I could just carry your bags to the top of the stairs, drop them off.”

            Annie narrowed her eyes. “How would you know my room is at the top of the stairs?”

            The man leaned against the cab of his truck, jean-clad legs outlined by the waving street lamps. He held out two hands, palms up in surrender. “Nothing diabolical. When I checked in earlier, the girl said the only room left after that was next to mine. Yeah, I know, she should never have said that, but she did, and she’s young.”

            Annie’s whole head dropped in shock. “She did what? I can’t believe.”

            The diaper bag slipped off her shoulder, and she almost lost the bag. The man crossed the gap between them with a few fast steps and caught the bag before it hit the ground. “Here, let me get that. I saw the car seat earlier, so I’m betting you want to get that little one to bed.”

            “Earlier?”

            “Yeah, has your foot dried yet?”

            “I’m sorry?” Annie knew she was tired, but this man couldn’t be the one who’d come to her rescue earlier. “That was you, back in Florence?”

            “Yeah, thought I’d get it out there. The coincidence is crazy. And I promise you that I didn’t follow you all the way here. I have a construction company, do work out here. Plus, I got here before you did.”

            Annie swayed where she stood. “Okay. This is weird. What’s your name? Did you say?”

            “Trey, Trey Kingsley,” he said and shifted bags to stick out a hand. “I’m working on a rental house, checked into the motel long term while I’m working. Jenny’s just got comfortable with me since I’m almost a local now.”

            “Nice to meet you, Trey.” She shook his hand, barely making physical contact. She’d play nice, get her stuff to her door, and then triple lock it with a chair propped against the handle. “Um, thank you for the help.”

            “You’re welcome.” He shifted the bags and stepped out of the way, waiting for her to retrieve James. “Normally, when one person gives their name, the other returns the favor.”

            “Oh, I’m sorry. I must be more tired than I thought. That last part of the drive was a killer.” She blinked at her horrible choice of words. She babbled to cover up her nervousness, which never worked. “I’ve never been here before, so it was actually a little bit terrifying, no streetlights, and the ocean right on the other side of the dunes like that.”

            Trey chuckled. “So, I don’t get your name? That’s okay, I get it. You don’t know me, midnight, cheap motel.”

            Annie’s mind blanked, and she stared at the hollows in his cheeks, shadowed in the dim street lights, and beyond all reason, she trusted him. “Sorry. Yes, all those things, but no. My name’s Annie.”

            “Good to meet you, Annie.” Trey gave a nod as if to emphasize the point and led the way up the metal steps, his work boots thudding with each riser. “I’m staying here because any remodeling work needs to be done in the off season. The rental houses are pretty booked up here in the summer.”

            Annie hesitated, not taking the leap to tell him why she was here on this chilly November night. “Well, this is my room. You can just drop the stuff there.”

            Trey grinned, and now in the brighter light, she got the full impact of his dark red hair and bright blue eyes. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Annie. If you need anything, I’m right next door in 202. Otherwise, I’ll see you at breakfast?”

            Annie fought to keep her eyelids from closing on her as she stood in place, hand clutching the doorknob. “I don’t know if I’ll make it. I may be sleeping in for a change.”

            Trey nodded, exuding charm and maybe mischief. “Well, on that note, I’ll be heading away from your door. Good night, Annie.”

            Annie found herself alternating between staring at James’s diaper bag and watching Trey walk away. She’d had enough southern charm to last her a lifetime, but it didn’t stop her from enjoying the view.

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About the Author:

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Christina Sinisi writes stories about families, both the broken and blessed. Her works include a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and the American Title IV Contest in which she appeared in the top ten in the Romantic Times magazine. Her published books include The Christmas Confusion and the upcoming Sweet Summer, the first two books in the Summer Creek Series, as well as Christmas On Ocracoke. By day, she is a psychology professor and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband and two children and cat Chessie.

Connect with Christina at her Website/Blog: Facebook: Goodreads