Wednesday Writers–All Your Heart by LeighAnne Clifton

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All Your Heart, Christian romance, excerpt from All Your Heart, LeighAnne Clifton, Sweet romance, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest author is LeighAnne Clifton with an excerpt from her book All Your Heart and the story behind the book. Welcome, LeighAnne!

The idea behind the Together for Good series has simmered in my head and heart for decades. When I heard about or experienced tragic, funny, or unusual events, I stored them away, never realizing I’d one day weave them together, heavily embellish them, and create the story of the first book in the series, All Your Heart.

I believe most authors’ first novels, especially first drafts of first novels, rarely see the light of day in their original form. My original manuscript, written many years ago, was organized differently, abounded in shifting point of view, and contained the word “that” about a thousand times. Much of the writing advice I devoured in those early days recommended scrapping the first novel. I was advised to learn from that failed attempt and try again.

When I considered doing this, though, I felt a stirring in my heart. I truly believe God intends to use the words He’s inspired by my life experiences to help someone. With that in mind, I forged ahead. Polishing. Reorganizing. Polishing some more. I learned how to query a book. And I learned how to accept rejection. Not an easy lesson! God grew me immensely in the birth of this book.

The series, and the pregnancy care home featured in the book, take their name Together for Good from Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” (KJV) Recognizing His sovereignty, His undeniable desire to use us in His marvelous plan is a key aspect of the book. I want this truth to resonate with readers, inviting them to consider how He has and will use their lives to His glory.

The next book in the series, Ready to Forgive, is under contract, release date unknown at this time. The story continues to follow Alex in her journey with God toward emotional healing. There’s joy, sorrow, a wedding, a death, and a whole lot of ups and downs along the way!

All Your Heart

by LeighAnne Clifton

Alex is determined to use college on the other coast to escape her small Southern town and workaholic mother. However, a prom-night assault and the resulting pregnancy require a drastic change of plans. Alex flees with every intention of ending her cross-country trek at an abortion clinic. Instead, finding herself stranded and scared after wrecking her car, Miss Matilda welcomes Alex to town with love and open doors. It just happens that Matilda runs a crisis pregnancy home.

When Alex strikes a deal with Chad, the handsome mechanic with secrets of his own, the citizens of Burton discover Alex’s artistry, prompting a business partnership with Matilda’s nephew. Alex soon discovers the life-altering sweetness of trusting Jesus, but her past hurts make it difficult to trust Chad with her heart. Then, secrets within the pages of an old diary discovered at the home threaten to tear families apart. Can the people of Burton learn to heal the hurts of the past by trusting the Lord with all their hearts?

All Your Heart, a Christian romance, presents the love of God, His undeniable Sovereignty, and His love for the unborn, all woven into a story that will leave the reader surprised and wanting more.

Excerpt

Alex has been assaulted by her step-father. Scared and confused, she hasn’t told anyone. Not even her best friend Brittany. However, when she begins to suspect the attack has left her with more to deal with than emotions, she purchases a pregnancy test, eventually confiding in her friend.

Later, as they waited in Alex’s room for the little stick to reveal its answer, Alex told Brittany the whole story, starting with J.T.’s apology for her mother’s absence on prom night. The girls took turns snatching a tissue from the box on the bed whenever a T-shirt sleeve no longer controlled the tears. Being able to talk about the whole ordeal unburdened Alex in a way she’d not expected, and she admitted for the first time how ashamed she felt.

“Alex,” Brittany’s jaw dropped as she shook her head, “you have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing, do you understand? I can’t believe you haven’t already told somebody about this. Should you go to the police?”

Mortified, Alex answered, “Of course not. Do you know what kind of scandal that would cause? My mother would freak out! And besides, Britt, do you think anyone would believe me?”

Alex launched into her theory about the party being J.T.’s attempt to protect his reputation around Woodvale. She reminded Brittany how attentive J.T. had been to his clients at the party. And why had his clients been invited to a party for Alex anyway? Sure, they all knew Alex through her position in J.T.’s business, but Alex stressed how odd to invite a bunch of adults to an eighteenth birthday party. With each finger Alex raised to count off the reasons her theory was sound, she watched Brittany grow angrier.

…

They sat cross-legged on the bed facing each other. Alex reached into the nightstand drawer, wrapped her hand around the piece of plastic that would determine her life’s path, and pulled it out without looking. She told Brittany to close her eyes, and she did the same. They agreed that on the count of three, Alex would open her hand and they would open their eyes and find out together.

“One, two, three.”

Alex turned her hand palm up and opened her fingers, clearly exposing the plus sign in the test stick window for both girls to see. They stared in disbelief. Brittany hazarded a cautious glance at her friend. But instead of tears or anger, quite the opposite met Britt’s gaze. Stoic and quiet, Alex drew in a deep breath and exhaled through pursed lips.

“Now what?” Brittany whispered. She looked scared, and this wasn’t even her trial to face. Alex knew she had Britt’s unwavering support.

“I don’t know yet, Britt. I’ve got a whole lot of thinking to do. This isn’t how I planned for things to go.”

On this last word, Alex lost her voice and her composure, collapsing in sobs into her friend’s arms. Brittany whispered soothing words and stroked Alex’s long brown hair, giving her the time she needed to process the news.

The two of them had always supported each other during times of boyfriend breakups, test stress, mean girl bullying, or any other normal girl drama. They’d planned their future to include each other. But this current scenario had never even crossed their minds.

Pragmatic almost to a fault but reeling from the shock, Alex dried her tears, blew her nose and issued orders to Brittany.

“My hands are shaking too much to take notes, so I’m going to need some help making a list of the pros and cons of my alternatives. I can search for stuff on the Internet, but if you can write things down, I’d really appreciate it. I know we’ve had a busy day, but do you mind staying up a little bit later?”

“I’m here for you. Just tell me what you need me to do.” Alex knew she’d never forget the depth of sadness in her friend’s voice as she pledged her assistance.

“Okay,” Alex said, taking another deep breath and attempting to regain some control over her circumstances. “Here are my options as I see them.”

Thus, their all-night research, discussion, and planning began. By dawn, Alex felt more informed, even if the uncertain future ahead still terrified her. Now, she just had to put her elaborate plan into action. Still, she felt confident she could pull it off.

Buy Links

Pen It! Publications Amazon Books A Million.com

About the Author:

LeighAnne Clifton and her husband Bill call South Carolina home. After meeting while both earning their degrees in chemical engineering at the University of South Carolina, the pair married and settled in Aiken. They have two grown children, a son-in-law, and a pair of spoiled cats. Before writing All Your Heart, LeighAnne wrote The Little Vessel, a modern-day parable for all who need reminding that God has a unique purpose for their lives.

LeighAnne, like her main character, loves to upcycle old junk into beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. She shares her thoughts on Christian living, easy DIY projects, and the latest book news on her blog: A Live-Leigh Journey

Connect with LeighAnne on her Social Media Links Facebook: Twitter: Instagram:  

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Determining Mr. or Mrs. Right-for-Your-Life by Catherine Castle

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. Love at first sight, A Groom for Mama, Catherine Castle, essay about love, Finding Mr Right, Musings from a Writer's Brain, romance, Sweet romance

from Catherine Castle

How do you know it you’ve met Mr. or Mrs. Right—the one true love of your life?

Now that’s the question of the century. Sometimes you know right away with a “zing” goes the heart strings. Sometimes you don’t know until certain dramatic things happen in your lives. And sometimes true love is revealed only after the loved one is gone. I saw all three of these in the lives of my parents.

Let me tell you a story about my parents, who apparently got it right.

My parents met after WWII, right before Dad was going to enlist in the Foreign Legion. He came to visit Mom’s uncle. Mom peeked at Dad from behind a newspaper during that visit and her interest in him was obvious enough that he asked her on a date. Their courtship was a short one. They met in October and by Thanksgiving the following month they were married. All Dad’s family said, “Don’t marry him. You don’t know what you’re getting into. He drinks. He gambles. He carouses around with his brother.” But ‘Love is blind.’ And Mom didn’t listen to the naysayers. That’s the “zing” goes the heart strings moment.

The dramatic happening for my folks occurred early on in their marriage. True to the warning of his family, Dad did drink and gamble and run around with his brother, leaving Mom at home with two small children. After about two years of this kind of behavior, Mom gave Dad an ultimatum. “It’s me and your daughters or carousing with your brother. You can’t have both. Choose what you love most,” she told him. Dad chose us. He walked away from his old life and built a life around his family.

It took the remainder of their lives together to discover the last expression of love.

Dad was a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Dinner fare for us was always a meat, which ran the gamut from pickled pigs’ feet and cow brains to fried chicken and smoked pork. Some form of potatoes (usually fried) sat next to the meat platter. Then green beans and another vegetable filled out the menu. We’d often have bread, too, from sliced store-bought bread to homemade cornbread or biscuits. Dessert was rare and saved for company. Without fail, meat, potatoes, green beans and a second vegetable appeared on every dinner table.

No matter what combination of those four dishes Mom put on the dinner table, Dad ate it. He wasn’t choosy about what meat Mom served, or how the potatoes were fixed, or what alternate veggie she served beside the green beans. He ate it all, and as I remember it, with gusto. In all the years I sat at the table with them, eating Mom’s down-home meals I never once heard Dad complain about or critique Mom’s cooking. I thought he loved everything she made, even though I always didn’t.

Then, in 1987, Mom died of complications from pneumonia. After the funeral Dad was wandering around the house saying, “You girls should take this, or this. It belonged to your mom and I can’t look at it now that she’s gone.” We obliged him and took the offered items, because, as I’ve since learned, guys can’t deal with looking at stuff that belonged to their deceased wives.

When Dad walked into the pantry where Mom kept all her home-canned goods, he said, “Take all these green beans home with you.”

“I can’t take food off your table, Dad,” I protested.

“I hate green beans,” he replied.

I’m sure my mouth dropped open, because it still does when I think of this story. “But you ate them almost every night,” I said. “If you hate them why did you eat them?”

“Because your mother served them.”

For thirty-seven years and four months, my father ate a hated vegetable every day just because Mom served it. And he ate it without letting anyone at the table know he hated green beans. Now, if that isn’t true love, I don’t know what is.

Ain’t love grand?

Catherine loves to laugh at herself and loves to write comedy. Check out her award-winning romantic comedy, with a touch of drama, A Groom for Mama.

Take your mind off the sound discrepancies between men and women with a copy of Catherine’s award-winning romantic comedy that has a touch of drama. You’ll laugh as Mama searches for a husband for her daughter.

One date for every medical test—that’s the deal. Allison, however, gets more than she bargains for. She gets a Groom for Mama.

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

Amazon Buy Link

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. A former freelance writer, she has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit (under her real name) in the Christian and secular market. Now she writes sweet and inspirational romance. Her debut inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing, has garnered multiple contests finals and wins.

Catherine loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, watching movies, and the theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Learn more about Catherine Castle on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out Catherine’s Amazon author page and her Goodreads page.

Wednesday Writers–Reality Show Romance by Shannon Kent

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book excerpt from Reality Show Romance, book giveaway, Korean Dramas, My Korean Crush Series, newletter giveaway, Reality Show Romance, Shannon Kent, Sweet romance, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today’s guest is Shannon Kent, co-author of the My Korean Crush Series, Asian American sweet romances/Korean Dramas. I have to admit, I’d never heard of Korean Dramas, and I was intrigued. I found her excerpt to be charming and engaging, so make sure you don’t miss it. Shannon is also giving away a copy of Reality Show Romance (ebook or PB, it’s the reader’s choice) to one lucky commenter. Winner will be announced on the post’s blog comment section at end of day, EST, on Tuesday, August 17. So, without further ado, let’s welcome Shannon so she can tell you about her genre and books. Welcome, Shannon!

Cheers erupted inside the school gymnasium and I smiled. They must be playing the K-pop song again. The first time they showed the colorful, bubblegum sweet music video during morning assembly, the kids watched in confusion as the choreographed artists sang in the unfamiliar Korean language. But now the students applauded when it came on. I had done my job as a music teacher to broaden their minds and expose them to another culture. It’s no wonder South Korea affected not only my day job but also my writing. It ensnared me with its romantic television dramas featuring lots of humor and handsome, Mr. Darcy-like heroes who despise the heroine in the beginning and can’t live without her by the end.

I admit it. I’m a forty-one-year-old fangirl.

Did you have posters on your wall of your favorite actor or boy band when you were growing up? I think many of us may look like adults on the outside, but inside we’re still squealing over our secret passions. It can be for anything: reading, television shows, marathon-running, knitting. The important thing is to have one. Don’t let “real life” beat all the wonder out of you with its schedules and bills and dentist appointments. Spend a little time on something that gives your heart a ticklish feeling. (And if you’re not sure what that is anymore, look me up on Facebook and I’ll suggest a good Korean Drama.)

Reality Show Romance

By Shannon Kent

Letty McDonnell—a hug first and ask questions later kind of gal—stumbles into an unexpected scandal with her favorite K-pop star when she spots him at the airport. Is it bad timing or a blessing in disguise? The international publicity leads to a job offer from the reality show Marry My Stalker, where the two pretend to be man and wife as they complete a variety of crazy couple missions.

Wacky challenges, jealous fangirls, and a language barrier can’t slow Letty down. Especially when she has handsome translator, Ben Park, whispering in her ear. He steers her away from cultural faux pas and offers behind-the-scenes encouragement as she maneuvers the unfamiliar public arena. But is he sincerely interested or just doing his job? The affectionate words her fake husband says for the cameras are always repeated by Ben’s caring voice, and Letty begins to wonder if a romance without spotlights or red carpets is the real path to true love.

Excerpt from Reality Show Romance

“You.” An assistant rushed up to Letty. “Come now.”

He beckoned with both hands for her to follow him as Ji Ah’s ceremony wrapped. She scanned the room for Ben but didn’t see him. Letty rose from her camping chair and followed the unfamiliar man with shaky legs. Her head turned this way and that as she searched for her translator, but he was nowhere in sight.

She took a deep breath and the chilly air tingled in her lungs. She could do this! Letty’s vibrant red heels stepped onto the equally bright carpet, and she waited with trembling fingers clutching her white rose bouquet. She would have preferred something more colorful. Maybe old fashioned orchids or a romantic spray of forget-me-nots. That would have fulfilled the “something blue” tradition. The “something borrowed” was easy. She’d eventually have to give her pop star husband back, no matter how much she longed to keep him.

The lights around the heart shaped arch on the stage illuminated and her breath caught in her throat. A slender silhouette appeared behind the screen and struck the pose that Letty daydreamed about—hands in pockets, one muscular leg bent at the knee, and head tilted at a pensive angle. The screen rose inch by maddening inch, and she saw a pair of black combat boots, followed by white skinny jeans, a white leather jacket with metal studs, and then finally his face. His eyes blinked as he cast a wavering smile in her direction. Poor thing. He was probably worried she would charge down the aisle and attack him.

Letty took a hesitant step forward and paused at a familiar sound. The music played overhead like it was drifting down straight from Heaven.

“Only for you-ooooh-oooooh. Only for you-oooh-ooooh.”

She expected the wedding march that played for every other bride that day. Why was hers different?

“Someone told me this was your favorite.” She heard a cheerful voice in her earpiece. “Sorry I’m a little late. I was asking the sound guy for a favor.”

The familiar lyrics wrapped around her, blocking the cold and pushing every worry from her mind. They bolstered her courage and she walked forward again with her toes sinking into the plush carpet. Her feet carried her down the aisle until she climbed the steps up onto the stage and stood at the side of a very tentative Ki Tae.

“Hello!” Her unnatural tone sounded higher than normal. Letty cleared her throat and tried again. “Hello. I’m Letty McDonnell.”

She shifted her roses to her left hand and slowly held out her right. Letty tried to give him a smile that said “Welcome, friend” and not “I’m going to lock you in my basement and make you sing to me every day for the next twenty years!”

Ki Tae looked from her hand to her face and back again before he stretched out his own and shook hers. “H-hello.”

Letty wanted to squeal at the intoxicating combination of physical contact and adorable accent, but she managed to hold it together.

“Nice to meet you,” she said instead.

“Nice … to meet … you,” Ki Tae repeated.

Letty leaned forward a little, while still holding his hand, and whispered, “It’s not too late for you to back out.”

She could tell he didn’t understand her as his gaze wandered to the side while he listened as Ben translated her words to his earpiece. Ki Tae’s eyes widened and he looked back at her with a blank expression. Letty let go of his hand and held up both of hers near her face in a non-threatening posture.

“I promise. I won’t chase you down the aisle if you decide to make a run for it.”

Ki Tae’s lips twitched after a few seconds when he understood what she said. He replied in Korean and it was Letty’s turn to wait.

“You might not chase me, but my manager would,” Ben translated.

Letty laughed in delight, not a feminine, ladylike hand-over-mouth titter but a full out belly shaking chortle.

Ki Tae took a step back at the mirthful explosion but he smiled anyway at his soon-to-be-bride. Taking a step closer, he held out his arm like a courtly prince and said something.

“Are you ready to get married?” Ben asked.

Letty rested her hand in the crook of Ki Tae’s elbow and smiled. She knew she should say something witty and charming but only one word came to mind so she said it over and over.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!”

You can ease into the unfamiliar world of dramas through Shannon’s novella Flower Boy Tour Guide. Shannon’s giving it away as a gift to anyone who signs up for her newsletter. Newsletter sign-up link:

And if you’d like to read about another fangirl who finds romance in South Korea, check out the sequel Reality Show Romance available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

About the Author:

Shannon Kent is the pen name of Shannon Sue Dunlap. (You are correct if you assume the last name is a Superman reference.) Her penchant for happy endings began early, and she was thrilled to find more of these in the fun and flirty world of Korean Dramas. Her trip to their beautiful homeland offered many colorful experiences that she included in her two stories for the My Korean Crush Series, Flower Boy Tour Guide and Reality Show Romance. She likes to share her opinions with fellow fans under the pen name Dramarookie at the Dramas with a Side of Kimchi blog. Shannon has also released her first inspirational romantic suspense novel Decoy Valentine. 

Connect with Shannon on her Website; Goodreads;  Facebook 

A Writer’s Garden–Theme Gardens by Emma Lane

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A Writer's Garden, cozy mystery, Emma Lane, flowers, Theme Gardens, Whispers of Danger and Love

from Emma Lane

Theme gardens can be fun for adventurous gardeners who want to shake things up.

Photo by Emma Gossett on Unsplash

Colorful annuals. Their raison d’etra, reason for living, is to bloom and make seeds. To keep them full of their bright and beautiful blossoms frequent culling of the old blooms is the secret. Paying attention to color combinations will enhance bedding petunias such as blue and yellow; red, white and blue; primary colors-red, yellow and blue; all pastels.

 

Perennials are friends forever. The trick here is to plant staggered bloomers. Daffodils and tulips for spring give way to lupine and peonies in April and May. June is for roses (and brides) and July owns lilies. Hibiscus and other members of the family (Rose of Sharon) for late summer, and we all appreciate summer’s wind up with splashes of intensely colored mums and sunflowers. There are many beautiful perennials to be planted in between. Careful attention to foliage varieties is also important for a successful perennial bed: spiky Crocosmia, spreading Dianthus, and pretty round-leafed Baptismia australis which has an herbal gray cast to its foliage.

Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash

Butterfly and humming bird gardens are always fun. Certainly the tiny hummers appreciate blooms where they can dip in and steal a drop of nectar, but I’ve seen them take a tiny taste of flat but colorful yarrow. My son gifts me a huge fuchsia for Mother’s Day which is the very day I usually spot the first humming bird. They love this plant! Hummers prefer trumpet shaped blooms they can dip their long bills to drink the nectar, but I have observed them sipping from a daisy.

 

Shade gardens are wonderful underneath shaded walkways. Besides the enormous varieties of hosta, spring bulbs can be followed with blue bells and other shade loving perennials. Brunneria is a precious substitute for hosta. Deer treat it with disdain. Begonias have a large variety for annual shade; my favorite is non-stop begonia in their vivid colors. Spring blooming shrubs are glorious such as rhododendrons, azaleas, dogwood and many others that liven up the woods before the trees leaf out.

Cutting gardens are wonderful for those who appreciate fresh cut bouquets for inside. Reserve a bed especially for: gladiola, tall zinnias, phlox, sunflowers, snapdragons, lisianthus, lilies, just a few of the varieties that are splendid cut flowers.

 

… which leads me to call attention to my latest Cozy Adventure/ Mystery, Whispers of Danger and Love.

The heroine is a landscape architect who speaks gardening. She struggles with a client who demands a cutting garden midsummer, (and a hunky detective who seems bound to destroy her plants.) I enjoyed relaxing in her garden even as I created it from my own imaginings. It was also fun to watch the sparks fly between a couple who knew each other as children but must readjust their thinking as adults.

About the Writer/Gardener

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma Lane, 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–Interview with Mary Ann Diorio, author of Miracle in Milan

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author interview, Christian fiction, financial suspense, Italy setting, Mary Ann Diorio, Miracle in Milan, romantic suspense, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers! Today we have an author interview with MaryAnn Diorio and an excerpt from her newest release Miracle in Milan. Thanks for being with us today, Mary Ann!

Please tell the readers about the book that is being showcased today.

Miracle in Milan is the story of a young, female auditor who discovers evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler and who must choose between ruining him or ruining herself.

Amy Torelli, Chief Auditor for New York City-based Enson Pharmaceuticals, is assigned to audit the books of Enson’s Italian branch in the enchanting city of Milan, Italy. Having made an inner vow never to trust a man again because of her father’s betrayal, Amy finds herself falling in love with Enson Italia’s American-born Vice-President, Ted McMasters. Will Ted be the one to cause her to break her inner vow?

Ted McMasters is on the run. A run from rejection. From himself. From God. Having been wounded by a father who made him feel worthless, and having been dumped by the woman he wanted to marry, Ted is determined to keep all women at bay. But will Amy be the reason he changes his mind?

How did you come up with the concept for this book?

The Lord gave me the idea for this story several years ago. Italy has always intrigued me, especially since my mother was born and raised there. Having lived and studied in Italy, I wanted to write a story set in that beautiful, romantic country. Interestingly, I ended up first writing my trilogy titled The Italian Chronicles, based on the life of my paternal great-great grandmother. But I knew that another story set in Italy lay dormant within my heart. That story was Miracle in Milan.

 Setting is important in books. I noticed that your story is in set in Milan, Italy. Were you inspired to set the book in Italy because of a visit to the country? If not, tell the reader why this setting inspired you.

As mentioned, I have close ties with Italy through my Italian mother. While a student there, I had occasion to visit Milan, the financial and business capital of Italy. When it came time to writing a novel based on financial intrigue, Milan seemed to be the natural choice.

What genre is this book, and why do you like to write in this genre?

Miracle in Milan is a novel of romantic suspense. Actually, this is the first novel I have written in this genre. My main character is a young American woman who works in New York City for a global pharmaceutical firm. The story flowed organically out of who she is and the lie she believes, a lie that has stood in the way of her fulfilling God’s call on her life. I enjoyed writing in this genre and look forward to writing more romantic suspense.

Do you write in more than one genre? If so, why?

Yes. I started out writing historical women’s fiction with an element of romance. Three of my novels–The Madonna of Pisano, A Sicilian Farewell, and Return to Bella Terra–are all historical women’s fiction set in Italy and America during the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. My novel titled In Black and White is a historical romance set in the 1950s, in the United States and Ghana. I also write fiction for children.

While I particularly enjoy writing historical fiction, I like to use the genre that best fits my character and story. When a character emerges in my heart, she emerges within a time period. I instantly know what century she lives in and, in most cases, what decade. The time period has a lot to do with making my character who she is in the natural and in the supernatural.

Do you have a day job? If so, what is it?

I am blessed to be able to write full-time. I used to have a day job as a university professor of foreign languages.

Name three interesting things most people don’t know about you.

• My mother tongue is Italian.
• I play the mandolin, an instrument my maternal grandfather used to play.
• I am also a visual artist and paint in oils and acrylics.

What’s next for you? Are you currently working on something new?

I’m working on a novella titled The Captain and Mrs. Vye. Summary: When a young widow inherits an oceanfront inn upon her husband’s death, she receives more than she bargained for as a whaling boat captain becomes her first tenant and disrupts her heretofore peaceful life.I am also writing a middle-grade novel titled Dixie Randolph and the Secret of Seabury Beach, the first novel in a six-book series for eight-to-twelve-year-old children.  

It’s been a pleasure having you here today. As you say goodbye, can you leave the readers with an encapsulation of your life’s philosophy? (a quote, a Bible verse, a precept you live by or have tried to instill in your children?)

There is nothing more important in life than accepting Jesus Christ as one’s Savior and Lord and living for Him. This is what Jesus meant when He said in John 3: 3 that a person must be born again in order to experience eternal life. One may accomplish great things in the earth, but, ultimately, unless one knows Jesus, everything else is meaningless. While one’s name may be listed in many records of earthly accomplishments, all that matters in the end is that one’s name be listed in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

There are four quotes on which I have based my life:

1) John 8: 32 – “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
2) Philippians 3: 10 – “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings….”

3. “Only one life; ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” ~ Charles Studd

4. “The true success of my life will not be judged by those who admire me for my accomplishments, but by those who attribute their wholeness to my having loved them, by those who have seen their true beauty and worth in my eyes.” ~ David Grant.

Years ago, I created a mission statement by which I have lived and written. It is this:
To create works of art that communicate Christ’s love and connect people to Him.
CREATE. COMMUNICATE. CONNECT. This is what I’m all about.

Thanks for being part of the blog, Mary Ann. It’s been a pleasure to host you. Good luck with your book. It sounds intriguing!

Thank you so much for featuring me, Catherine. I trust that I will bless your readers.

MaryAnn

Miracle in Milan

By Mary Ann Diorio

When young, female auditor Amy Torelli is assigned to audit the books of her company’s Italian branch in Milan, she discovers convincing evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler.

Excerpt:

      “This way, Ms. Torelli.” Giorgio led her into his private office and shut the door. It was a modest office, as far as offices go. Nothing like Mr. Conklin’s plush space in the downtown Manhattan headquarters. A medium-sized window overlooked a narrow street with another office building on the opposite side. In one corner of the office space stood a large plant about the size of a small fig tree. On a credenza behind the desk was a picture of two small children sitting on either side of a lovely woman who looked to be in her late thirties. Very likely Giorgio’s wife and children.

          “Please, sit down.” Giorgio pointed to a small sitting area in the opposite corner furnished with two barrel chairs and a small coffee table.”

          Amy took the chair to the right and sat down. Her muscles tensed.

          Bassetti sat down in the chair across from her, crossed his legs, and folded his hands in his lap. “First of all, I want to thank you for making the long trip to Italy to help us.”

          Dare she say she’d had no choice but to lose her job if she’d refused? “I’m glad to do what I can.”

          Bassetti cleared his throat. “I don’t know how much you know, but Enson Italia is on the verge of bankruptcy.”

          Amy nodded. “Yes, Mr. Conklin explained as much to me.”

          “Then you know that we are in a precarious situation. The future of our Italian operation depends on your discovering what is going on.”

          Amy stiffened. There it was again. The burden of responsibility resting squarely on her shoulders. A burden she didn’t like at all. She hated having the ball in her court “Yes, I understand.”  She squared her gaze on him. “So, what are your thoughts on the problem?” She loved to toss the ball back to where it belonged.

          Bassetti shifted in his chair. “Frankly, I don’t know.”

          Amy sensed he was lying. “But surely, from your perspective as president, you have some idea, do you not?” His dodging annoyed her.

          Bassetti squirmed. “All I can say is that we have discovered some expenses that do not align with our expenditure categories and that seem to have no correlation with our normal business expenses.”

          “Has anyone investigated those unusual expenses?”

          Bassetti’s eyes narrowed. “That is what you are here to do.” His voice was curt.

Want to read more? You can find Miracle in Milan at  My Book Table  Amazon (affiliate) Print:  EBook:  and Universal Link:

About the Author:

MaryAnn Diorio is a widely published, award-winning author of fiction for both adults and children. Her stories are powerfully moving and deal with the deepest issues of the human heart.
MaryAnn resides in New Jersey with her wonderful husband of 51 years. They are the blessed parents of two amazing daughters, a very smart son-in-law, and six rambunctious grandchildren. You can learn more about MaryAnn and her writing at maryanndiorio.com.

Connect with MaryAnn on her Website: Facebook: Amazon Author Central: BookBub

A Writer’s Garden–What COVID Did for My Garden by Caroline Warfield

Tags

A Writer's Garden, Caroline Warfield, COVID garden, garden pictures, historical romance, Longwood Gardens, The Ahsmead Heirs, The Wayward Son

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 Caroline Warfield who is sharing the good things that COVID did for her garden. Welcome, Caroline!

Gardens are one thing; gardening is another. I generally say I love the first, but I’m not fond of the second, nor particularly skilled. Covid turned that on its head.  We could no longer plan visits to the public gardens we’ve known and loved—from Longwood near Philadelphia to Versailles and the Vatican Gardens. Worse, we had no way  to visit ones still on our bucket list, such as Kew. All we could do is stare at our own piece of earth. Perhaps that was a blessing.

The plantings across the front had to go first. At the very beginning of the pandemic, we hired a crew (masked and outside) to remove ugly yew bushes and plant flower beds. We thoroughly enjoyed the sequence of blooms all spring and summer. Four little plants, short and unassuming in the very back puzzled me. I didn’t recognize them and worried they were unrecognized weeds. They weren’t. Imagine my  delight this spring when they shot up  into glorious bloom—Foxgloves.

We spent weeks staring at sprawling patch of grass out back. We removed the dead and dying pines that lined the back lane, and planted four trees.

Charging into the second spring, we raised the vegetable patch three inches and  filled it with mushroom compost.

Then  we plunged into a tougher project, a flower border along our back patio. Removing sod  to create a new bed exhausted us, particularly when we realized the spot was heavily  clay. We learned about the uses of gypsum and hard work, but we did it. We used the rest of the compost, and lined the patio with  bee balm and other hummingbird-friendly flowering plants. I’m rather proud of it!

By then restrictions were lifting and a visit from a friend gave me an excuse to visit Longwood Gardens again. Next year it will be back to visits to great public gardens, but our own ground will be much the better for our year of Covid.

Book Two of The Ashmead Heirs has a pivotal scene in a rose garden… but that is a story for another time.

About  the Writer/Gardener:

Award winning author Caroline Warfield has been many things: traveler, librarian, poet, raiser of children, bird watcher, Internet and Web services manager, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer, genealogist—even a nun. She reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart.

Connect with Caroline on her Website and Blog   Facebook    Twitter   YouTube                                            

The Ahsmead Heirs

About the Series

When the old Earl of Clarion leaves a will with bequests for all his children, legitimate and not, listing each and their mothers by name, he complicates the lives of many in the village of Ashmead. One of them grew believing he was the innkeeper’s son. He is the first of The Ashmead Heirs.

Book One: The Wayward Son

Sir Robert Benson’s life is in London. He fled Ashmead the day he discovered the man he thought was his father had lied to him, and the girl he loved was beyond his reach. Only a nameless plea from his sister—his half-sister—brings him back. He will not allow a ludicrous bequest from the earl who sired him turn him into a mockery of landed gentry. When a feisty little termagant with flashing eyes—and a musket—tries to turn Rob off the land—his land—he’s too amused and intrigued to turn away. But the longer he stays, the tighter the bonds that tie him to Ashmead become, strengthened by the powerful draw of the woman rooted on land he’s determined to sell.

Lucy Whitaker’s life is Willowbrook, its land, its tenants, its prosperity—and her precious  apiary—but she always knew it wasn’t hers, knew the missing heir would come eventually. When a powerful man with military bearing rides up looking as if he wants to come in and count the silver, she turns him away, but her heart sinks. She can’t deny Rob Benson his property; she can only try to make him love the place as she does, for her peoples’ sake. A traitorous corner of her heart wishes Rob would love it for her sake.

His life is London; hers is Ashmead. How can they forge something lasting when they are torn in two directions?

Available on Kindle Unlimited or for purchase: 

Tasty Tuesdays–Quick Oven Quesadillas

Tags

books, Catherine Castle, entrees, food blog, Mexican food, Oven Quesadillas, Recipes, Tasty Tuesdays, The Nun and the Narc

The other day I wanted a quick easy meal, so I peeked into the pantry to see what I had on hand. I found cans of chicken, green chiles, corn, black beans and cream of chicken soup, and some tortillas, so I set out to create something. Here’s what I came up with. We liked it, and I hope you will too.

Quick Oven Quesadilla

Ingredients: 

• 2 12.5-oz canned chicken, drained and broken up
• 1 4-oz can diced green chilies
• 1 2.5-oz can sliced black olives, drained
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-11-oz can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 or less cup water (start with a smaller amount. You only need enough water to allow the condensed soup to mix with the other ingredients )
• 1 cup finely shredded Mexican style cheese.
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning, or to taste if you like it spicier.
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 high-fiber large tortillas (or corn tortillas) or  enough to fit a straight sided cake pan, or 2 high-fiber street tacos to make individual servings in a smaller pan

Directions:

• In a skillet over medium high heat brown the tortillas on both sides.
• While tortillas are browning, mix chicken, corn, beans, chilies, olives, soup, cheddar cheese and water. Heat the mix in a large saucepan stirring until well mixed and beginning to bubble.
• Lightly spray the bottom of a cake pan or baking sheet. Lay one tortilla in the pan, top with about 3/4 cup mix (for a large tortilla, less for smaller tortillas) onto top of browned tortilla, spreading mix almost to the edge. Top with 1/4 cup of finely shredded Mexican cheese.  Repeat with other tortilla and 3/4 cup mix. (You will have mix left over for another day’s use, or you can double the tortillas and make a bigger meal the first time)
• Bake in 350 degree oven about 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top has melted and you can see filling bubbling. (I’ve also baked this for a shorter time at a higher temp when was in a hurry.) Turn off oven and switch to the high broil setting on the oven and broil until cheese on top begins to brown.
• Remove from oven. Cut and serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions, guacamole, salsa or other Mexican side toppings.

If you want to make several stacks at a time lay the base tortillas on a baking sheet and assemble as many as your ingredients allow. Number will depend on the size of your tortillas.

If you only make one stack, or 2 smaller individual servings, the first time you can use the remainder of the filling for a second quesadilla meal or as filling for enchiladas. It will make about 4-6 enchiladas depending on the size of your tortilla. Warm your ingredients before assembling the stacks or enchiladas to cut down on heating time in oven. Make a cheese sauce, or other Mexican sauce to cover the enchiladas and top with shredded cheese. Heat in a 350 degree oven until cheese has melted and is beginning to brown. 

While your dinner is cooking, check out Catherine’s multi-award-winning Inspirational Romantic Suspense The Nun and the Narc. Partially set in Mexico, the heroine, Sister Margaret Mary, an adventurous novice, dines on some unusual marketplace snacks.

The Nun and the Narc

by Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

Buy Links Amazon and Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain –The Danger of “Inspiration” by Christina Sinsi

Tags

Christian Author, Christina Sinsi, essay, Inspiration, Musings from a Writer's Brain, suspense, Sweet Summer Romance, Writer's ideas, writing tips

First, let me thank Catherine for hosting me on her blog. I appreciate this opportunity! Second, also allow me to say that I still myself as a new author even though I have published three books. I feel like there is so much I have yet to learn!

At the same time, I feel called to discuss the danger of “inspiration.” As a Christian author, I understand that we should be careful when taking bible verses out of context. For example, on my drive to visit a friend today, I heard the lyrics of a contemporary Christian song include Philippians 4:13 NSV “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” I hope the writers of the song realize that, in context, Paul wrote about being content in all circumstances. He was in prison! He certainly couldn’t do just anything he dared to dream—break the chains (even though that did happen at one point) or just walk out of prison (even though that happened at another time) unless God so wills. We need to remember that we can do all things that glorify God and not just any old thing.

So, now, I get to the topic of writing and inspiration.  In many interviews, I am asked where do I get my inspiration? My go-to answer is everywhere—the newspaper, dreams, other people’s lives and stories, things that happened to me, and nudges from previous stories I’ve written. I have been listening to songs on the radio and the lyrics trigger an idea. Other authors have told me of ideas coming out of nowhere while they are driving, watching television shows, reading other books, you name it. There have been times when I have an issue I need to deal with in my life and a story arises to let me get the hurt out of my system.

I have stacks of folders with ideas just sitting on the shelf. Those folders may contain my notes, magazine or newspaper clippings, and other snippets that are the seeds of a book.

If you’re having writer’s block, I hope and pray that I may have just given you an idea as to where to get an idea.

My point is the next step, however. If you have all those ideas just lying around, how do you choose which one to turn into a short story or book, which one to allow to consume your life for maybe months?

First, you pray. Sorry I didn’t mention that earlier, but of course prayer can and should happen at any and every stage of your calling.

Second, which story is haunting you? Which one comes back to bug you when you’re taking a walk around your neighborhood, when you soak in the tub, or as you’re trying to go to sleep at night? By the way, bed, bath, and bus are famous in psychology as places to stir those creative juices.

Third, which one can you hold up to the light and see how the story might glorify God? This is where I may be different than others in my advice.  Just because a story haunts you, just because it seems like something that could sell, just because you feel the need to write this particular story, doesn’t mean you should. This is the truth I want to leave you with, if I may. Be careful that inspiration doesn’t dictate your writing choices.

In so many areas of our lives, we are tempted. Our temptation sticks around and can be very strong. So, don’t think a particular story idea can’t take the form of temptation.

In conclusion, I think inspiration of any kind can be dangerous if we don’t hold it up to the light and see if it shines.

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 Sweet Summer, the first two books in the Summer Creek Series, as well as the Christmas On Ocracoke and the upcoming Why They Call it Falling. By day, She is a psychology professor and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband, two grown children and Hemingway cat, Chessie.

Connect with Christina on her Website/Blog:   Please sign up here for my newsletter! Facebook:  Instagram: @csinisi123 Goodreads:  

Sweet Summer

By Christina Sinsi

 

Shelby Marano is the youngest of three sisters and was always Daddy’s baby girl–until her father was murdered. Ever since, she’s been running from anyone or anything that could truly hurt her. Instead, she seeks calculated thrills that leave her exhilarated, but when she’s caught outside during a summer storm, she quickly realizes not all adventures are within her control.

Tyler Burgess offers her both refuge from the rain and a safe place to land.

Time spent with Tyler proves him to be much more than just a nerd in a history museum, but what she finds out about him is a deal breaker for her. As Shelby’s perfect little world is threatened by family health issues and an unknown stalker, she learns the hard lesson that no one can hide from the dangers of life. Can Shelby let her sisters, Tyler, and even more importantly, God, show her in one Sweet Summer, that love is worth taking the risk?

BUY LINKS: Find Sweet Summer on Amazon and Anaiah Press

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Are We Normal Yet? By Catherine Castle

Tags

A Groom for Mama, award-winning romance, scam calls, Sweet romantic comedy

photo Courtesy of Pixabay

While Ohio is mostly opened up from Pandemic status, I hear lots of newscasters asking “When will we get back to normal again?”

This question now is mostly related to the economy, workers going back to work, restaurants having their normal hours and normal menus back, schools and businesses being fully opened again, hospitals, airlines and nursing homes going maskless, and whether a new wave from a variant virus will set us back to 2020 shutdown status again.

There is, however, one thing that has come back to normal in record speed—Scamming and Phishing!

I’ve talked about phone scamming and phishing in the past, but I received a couple of calls that I think bear repeating. This past week or so our phone has gone nuts with scam calls. I received a call from a local hospital where my sister had been admitted a while ago. Not thinking about scamming, but wondering instead if she was in the hospital, I answered the call. It was a Medicare scammer. I bawled him out and hung up with a threat to report him to the FCC.

I had another interesting and doozy of a call the other day from Beverly Hill, California. I didn’t answer, but they left a voice-mail message. Our voice-mail system forces us to listen to the messages in order to clear them. Most of the time they are truncated messages that don’t give us much of a clue as to what the caller wants. As I punched the replay button that day, a computer-generated voice said. “Sorry. You did not reveal yourself to be human.”

If that’s not the pot calling the kettle black, I’ll eat my garden hat! It’s too bad all the other scam phone calls don’t recognize my computer-generated message isn’t worth their time as well. That would solve my constant ringing phone issue.

I’d love to hear your craziest scam phone call message.

There are no scam phone calls in Catherine Castle’s award-winning comedy with a touch of drama, A Groom for Mama, but there are plenty of scammy dates.  Follow the antics of Alison Walters and her mother Beverly as the pair works at cross purposes why gallivanting  across the country—one wants a wedding and one doesn’t. 

A Groom for Mama

By Catherine Castle

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

A Writer’s Garden—A Season of Roses by Everley Gregg

Tags

A Writer’s Garden, Diamonds, Everley Gregg, flowers, Forgotten Flowers of Flanders romance series, Garden blog, gardening, Horses, medieval historical romance, perserverance in the garden and in life, roses, The Knight and the Rose

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 Everley Gregg. Everley will be talking about the roses in her life. Welcome, Everley!

As far as gardening talents go, mine are a bit weak. Although I absolutely love delicate flowers like the orchid and cyclamen, I struggle to keep them going. Either I water too much or not enough. Too sunny a window or not enough light. My son gifted me a miniature gardenia for Mother’s Day and I keep hoping I don’t kill it! Nearly two months and it hasn’t bloomed yet…

Roses, however, are tough. Thank goodness this flower is such a sturdy specimen.

Scattered about our home are a number of rose bushes, stubborn, tough ladies I stuck in the ground over the years and then forgot about—until, like magic, they shock me with brilliant blooms every spring. And shock me they do, because by the time they bloom, I don’t even remember what color they were supposed to be. Apparently, the two alongside my walkway are supposed to be red. And red they are—gloriously, brilliant red.

On my front steps, since last summer, was a small pot in which a miniature rose once lived. Poor thing spent the entire winter out there, a single, bare branch sticking up through the snow. Every day when I came and went, the bony, thorned finger pointed at me, accusing me of neglect. This spring, a number of times, my husband asked if he should throw it in the trash.

“You know, honey, I think that plant on the porch is dead. Do you want me to—”

“No. I’ll take care of it.”

I’m so glad the rose heard him. A few days later, tiny green leaves appeared on that bony finger.

Just last week we transplanted the struggling plant into a bigger pot, with new soil and a sunnier location—on a roller thingy so I can move it inside when winter comes. Just look at it now! It’s even got a bud on it. I wonder if these blooms will be red, like the others?

There is another red rose that has come into my life. Her name is Rose Diamond.

In 2019, I suffered a debilitating shoulder injury that cost me my career as well as many other activities I’ve enjoyed all my life: fishing, golfing, archery, bowling. My favorite sport by far, though, was riding horses. I started riding at the age of eight, and since adulthood, spent very few years “horseless.” I was informed I would likely never ride again.

So what did I do, at the tender age of 63, with limited use of my dominant right arm, when the doctors delivered this damning decree? I bought a horse.

And yes, her name is Rose Diamond. Brilliant red she is, and a diamond through and through. We snapped this photo the day she came home, my daughter showing her off.

With the help of a skilled and sympathetic occupational therapist who specializes in the equestrian sport, I now have dreams of riding again—on my Rose. Honestly, since she came into my life last fall, there were many times when she was the only thing keeping me going. Animals have almost supernatural healing powers. Horses are no exception.

Writing—my other passion, almost as essential as breathing—has been a challenge with a “stupid” right hand. But much like that stubborn rose on my front porch, I persevere. My latest romance series is medieval historical. Is it any wonder the book I was working on when Rose cantered into my life was entitled “The Knight and the Rose”? Mayhap. It is the second in my series called Forgotten Flowers of Flanders, published by Dragonblade Publishing.

So yes, the theme for my life of late has been the rose, a species known to be tough. Hardy. Difficult to kill. I so needed the inspiration of this tenacious flower over the last few, trying years. And in so many, different ways, the rose has been there for me.

My sister-in-law is a photographer who lives two states away. We finally got a chance to spend some time together last month after lockdown eased. I was telling her about my horse.

“What’s her name?”

“Rose,” I replied. “Rose Diamond. Isn’t that lovely?”

Her eyes widened. “Have I got a photograph for you!”

Terri took this photo way before Rose came into my life, back in 2019. The year I was injured. Probably the very same month…

The diamond in the center of this gorgeous bloom was her grandmother’s engagement ring. She called the photo “Diamond Rose.” I told her she was clairvoyant.

Except she got the name backwards. 🙂

About the Writer/Gardener:

Everley Gregg is in love with medieval history. She’s always been mysteriously drawn to Flanders, the area of the world now encompassing France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. If she ever gets to go back in time, 15^th Century Flanders is where she’d want to be.

In this life, Everley resides in Massachusetts with her husband of over 40 years (she’s an expert at happily-ever-after). Her other loves (besides writing) are raising Persian cats, riding dressage horses, and reading. Everley earned her MFA in creative writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA., and also writes award-winning supernatural suspense and women’s fiction as Claire Gem.

Everley loves to hear from her fans! Sign up for her newsletter at www.everleygregg.com.

Connect with Everley on Facebook: Twitter:  BookBub: Goodreads:

The Knight and the Rose

By Everley Gregg

Will a proud knight fight for the widow’s honor . . . and heart?

Fifteenth Century, Burgundy

Beverielle Buchanan wears a shroud of guilt she didn’t earn. The daughter of a tavern wench in the Flemish port of Antwerp, she is one of many of Duke Philip’s bastard daughters. But the duchess, Lady Isabella, brings the girl home to court to raise as a lady. Beverielle’s Scottish roots rise to the surface when she meets the brawny Highlander knight. But in a cruel twist of fate, she is betrothed to an Italian merchant of the duke’s choosing. Only three months married, and she finds herself a widow. Her hopes for capturing the heart of the Scottish knight renew until she discovers she may already be carrying the Italian’s child.

Honoring the Auld Alliance, Knight Ròidh Keegan left the Highlands to join Duke Philip’s army in defense of Burgundy. His fealty over, he’s planning his trip back to Scotland when Beverielle, the flame-haired girl he met at Coudenburg, arrives at Germolles Castle. The then-gangly child has blossomed into a lush young woman. Now, however, she is a widow, and a pregnant one at that. Can the knight, soon to be laird of his own castle, still consider the Scottish lass for his bride? His heart says aye, though a long journey and many obstacles lie in their path. But Keegan is a knight, trained to fight.

Will he take on the battle for Beverielle’s heart and honor?

Want to read more? You can find The Knight and the Rose at Amazon