Wednesday Writers–Hair Calamities and Hot Cash by Gail Pallotta

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Catherine Castle Wednesday Writers series, excerpt from Hair Calamites and Hot Cash, Gail Pallotta, Hair Calamitites and Hot Cash, humorous romance, Inspirational romance, Mystery and suspense romance, Sweet romance

Today Wednesday Writers welcomes award-winning author Gail Pallotta. Gail’s been a guest a number of times on the blog. Today she’ll be talking about her newest book, Hair Calamities and Hot Cash, which Cynthia Hickey, author of the Shady Acres Mystery series, has called “A comedic romp from small town to big city in search of missing money, hair catastrophes, and love. A truly fun read.” I have to say, Gail, I love this title and the concept of the book. So, without any further ado, I’ll turn the blog over to Gail so she can tell you about the story’s origins. Keep reading to the end for an excerpt from Hair Calamities and Hot Cash.

 

Thanks, Catherine.

My mother’s beauty shop in a small town at the foothills of the North Carolina Mountains inspired Hair Calamities and Hot Cash. Triville, the fictitious community, has a similar ambiance, but the book’s set at a higher elevation to include the breathtaking scenery.

Mother started her hairstylist career in a large North Carolina city in an upscale salon in a high-end department store with a formal atmosphere. However, when my father returned from World War II, he and Mother moved to the foothills of the North Carolina mountains.

In our garage turned beauty shop, she settled into her true calling—part hairdresser, part psychologist and friend. Chatter about dating, marriages, births and deaths echoed between the walls. Mother and her customers solved many a problem amid the mix of floral, sweet-smelling shampoo and caustic permanent solution, and the town was better off for it.

The folks who came there had their differences and disagreements, but they respected and accepted each other. They had best friends, acquaintances, folks they tolerated and others they kept at a distance. The customers caught up on the latest news and often gossiped about it, but when a crisis struck, prayers went up, casseroles went out and visitors poured to the home of the person in need.

I loved the care, concern and warmth the patrons had for one another and wanted to create such clientele in Hair Calamities and Hot Cash.

What happens when a New York stockbroker crashes his car into Eve Castleberry’s North Carolina beauty shop…on the same day the young widow’s defective hair products are causing wild hairdos?

Soon Eve finds herself helping the handsome stranger hunt the thieves who stole his client’s cash…and hot on the trail of two of the F.B.I.’s most-wanted criminals! Romance blossoms amid danger, suspense and Eve’s hair-brained plan to get back the money.

Philip eats so well as a visitor to Triville, N.C., he wonders if he’s gained weight. Eve suggests they stop by the general store and check it out on the scale there. An excerpt follows:

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Hair Calamities and Hot Cash

by Gail Pallotta

Excerpt:

The scale, which sat in a nook beside the counter for filling prescriptions, resembled those in doctors’ offices except the weight unit across the top beam was much larger.

Eve motioned toward it. “Here we are. Hop up there.”

Philip stood on the scale and moved the weight. Three hundred and fifty pounds. Was this thing defective? He must have done something wrong. He pushed the weight to the end and started over. Three hundred fifty pounds. “No way. I couldn’t have gained that much.”

Eve snickered.

He turned around and caught her an instant before she eased off. “I don’t believe you did that.”

She laughed out loud. She was full of fun.

Philip pulled her close, brushed the hair from her face and kissed her.

A door squeaked and Frank burst out of the storeroom. “Eve Castleberry, the two of you will have to find another place to…” He waved his large hand in their direction. “I’m going to lock up.”

Heat crawled up Philip’s neck. He felt like a kid who’d pulled a prank at church and gotten caught by the preacher.

Eve wiggled free and pointed her finger at him. “You’re not supposed to be doing that anywhere, and certainly not in public. Frank, we were just…”

Frank laughed. “Oh, yeah, I see you were. As far as I’m concerned, it’s about time, but not here.”

Eve sputtered as bad as the ornery car. “No Frank, we were, were…we came for Philip to weigh.”

Frank tapped his foot and stared at them with a twinkle in his green eyes as though he enjoyed embarrassing Eve.

Eve tilted up her chin. “Have you met Philip?”

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Want to read more? You can find Hair Calamities and Hot Cash on Amazon

 

About the Author:

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A former Grace Awards Finalist and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, she’s published five books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums.

Social media links: Website http://gailpallotta.com  Blog  Facebook

 

 

 

 

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Wednesday Writers–On Angels’ Wings by Ginger Solomon

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Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, Christmas romance, excerpt from On Angels' Wings, Ginger Solomon, Inspirational romance, On Angels' Wings, The Heart of Christmas Collenction

 

 

Today’s Wednesday writers’ guest is Ginger Solomon. Ginger’s been a guest before and today she’ll be sharing about her Christmas story On Angels’ Wings, which is part of the Christmas Collection The Heart of Christmas. Welcome, Ginger!

 

The First Holiday Season Without a Loved One

By Ginger Solomon

 

It’s always the hardest. You keep thinking that your loved one—whether a parent, sibling, or a spouse—would enjoy hearing about _________ (fill in the blank). You may even pick up the phone to call. And then the grief fills you all over again.

I’ve been there—a couple times. Both of my parents and one of my siblings have passed. Sadly, I wasn’t close to either of them, so my grief was not as great as it could have been, but I still felt their loss. I still missed their presence.

As does my character in my latest release, On Angels’ Wings. Jenna lost her twin sister and both of her parents in a freak car accident and will spend her first holiday season alone. Or so she thinks.

But her former neighbor—a woman who was like a second mother to her as she grew up—invites her to Thanksgiving dinner and won’t take no for an answer. She even sends her son, Thomas, to make sure Jenna comes.

Jenna isn’t sure she wants to spend so much time in Thomas’s presence. After all, the crush she had on him when she was a teen never quite went away, which she realizes the moment he walks into her bakery.

Thomas makes it his goal to give Jenna something else to think about besides missing her family. He doesn’t want her to forget her grief; he wants to help her through and to make her smile. And maybe a little more. With him.

Grief feels less burdensome when shared. Words are meaningless when a person grieves. Action, even just sitting with someone, means so much more. When my mother died, my sixth child was four days old. Friends and family congregated around me. They loved on me. Sometimes all they did was hold my baby while I cried. And that was enough.

Thomas came alongside Jenna, helped her decorate for Christmas, made her relax outside of her work, and took her mind off her problems by sharing his own.

As Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”(ESV)

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On Angels’ Wings

by Ginger Solomon

Bakery owner, Jenna Wing prepares to spend Thanksgiving alone—her first without her family. When her former neighbor, Thomas Hayes, invites her to dinner, she finds that she can’t say no. Their previous friendship turns to something more, but Thomas’s family issues threatens their new-found relationship.

The Heart of Christmas Collection

Announcing five new stories filled with faith, hope, forgiveness, and of course happily-ever-afters. Each story focuses on an element of the Nativity, from the angels to the wise men. Be swept up in the love of the season and the promise of forever that the Christ child, the true Heart of Christmas, brings.

 

Excerpt: from On Angels’ Wings

(scene with Jenna and Thomas)

He sat at the table across from her—the only other seat available in her small kitchen. “Tell me what you were thinking in the cafe.”

Jenna inhaled the steam from her tea cup and then took a sip. “I miss them. Mostly I miss Keira.”

“Understandable. I’ve heard twins have an uncanny connection to each other.”

“We did, but more than that, she was my best friend. We were so excited to …” Fresh tears cascaded down her face. “She couldn’t wait to marry Titus. It made me happy to see her so happy. And seeing Titus today … it was hard. I’m sure the reverse is also true. He doesn’t seem to be doing well.”

“He’s not. He gets up and goes to work, and then comes home and watches TV or plays video games. His church attendance is nil. He’s angry with God for taking Keira from him.”

A small smile crossed her lips. “Yeah. I wanted to blame God, too, but God didn’t take my family. A truckload of poorly strapped logs did. Could God have stopped it? Yeah. Could He have made it so they weren’t in that space at that time? Yeah, He could have. I may never understand why things happened the way they did, but my job is not to understand His ways. My job is to trust Him even when I don’t. But it’s so hard.”

“Wow. I feel humbled. I’ve taken a few minutes of my time to rant at God about how unfair life is. You put me to shame.”

She rested her hand on his for a millisecond before blushing and pulling it back. “Don’t feel bad. I’ve had my moments. Just a few minutes ago, actually. I didn’t rant, but I did ask why. A simple heartfelt question that will probably not get answered. But something Mom taught us from a young age has helped. Life isn’t fair. No one ever said it would be. God has promised that we will go through trials, but He also promised to always be with us. I’m not going to stop trusting Him just because my life isn’t going exactly as I planned. The Psalms are full of David’s anger and questions, but God still called him a man after His own heart. Why? Because David admonished himself to remember who God is, and then he turned his anger into praise. God can and will give me ‘joyous blessing instead of mourning’ and ‘festive praise instead of despair.’ And in the meantime, I’m praising Him for the time I had with my family.”

“I came here to comfort you. Instead, I am comforted by your faith. I’m … words fail me.”

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Want to read more? You can find Ginger’s book here

About the Author

Ginger Solomon is a Christian, a wife, a mother to seven, and a writer—in that order (mostly). She writes or reads inspirational romance of any genre, and if she’s busy homeschooling, doing laundry, or fixing dinner, books are on her mind. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, president of her local writing group, and blogs regularly for InspyRomance.com and at gingersolomon.com.

Social Media:  Website  Facebook Author Page  Twitter @GingerS219

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers Welcomes Theresa Lynn Hall

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book excerpt Ransom in Rio, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, contemporary sweet romance, Inspirational romance, Ransom in Rio, Theresa Lynn Hall

Today Wednesday Writers welcomes Theresa Lynn Hall to the blog. Theresa will be talking about her book Ransom in Rio and how it came about. She also has a cliffhanger excerpt, so be sure to read to the end. Welcome, Theresa!

 

Thanks, Catherine.

Ransom in Rio was so much fun to write that I hated to write “The End”. What started as a small idea rolling around in my head suddenly became Lexi’s story. My publisher, Pelican Book Group, put a request for submissions page on the website asking for novellas with international settings that include 3 items and a passport. The three items for Rio, Brazil were an emerald necklace, a formal event, and a family secret. As luck would have it, my husband had just returned on a business trip from Rio. He’d spent two weeks there completely immersed in the culture. He brought back a lot of pictures and many stories to tell. He also brought back coffee and chocolate—my favorites! I wish I had been able to accompany my husband on his trip, but one thing he did tell me was how scary the driving is! Apparently, I would fit very well in Brazil with my driving skills! He was also there on Easter Sunday and decided to rent a car to drive to visit Christ the Redeemer.

I had no idea how massive the statue really is. It’s an iconic symbol of Brazil that many tourists visit on Easter. I was so jealous but I loved that he was able to experience something so amazing. His pictures made me feel like I was able to be there with him.

With my husband’s help, a little internet research, and some brainstorming the story came to life. To my surprise, it won First Place in the 2017 International Digital Awards (IDA) Contest for the Oklahoma chapter of RWA! I hope you enjoy reading Ransom in Rio as much I enjoyed writing it.

 

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Ransom in Rio

By Theresa Lynn Hall

Private Investigator, Braden McCoy wants nothing more than to finish out the week doing a little fishing from his boat. The ex-special ops vet enjoys his peaceful life and loves his new career. He’s learned to put his past behind him and enjoy his blessings. Until a mourning redhead walks into his office and changes his plans.

Lexi Ramos always knew her family was dysfunctional. Until the sudden death of her brother, she never knew exactly how much. Consumed with questions surrounding his accident, she seeks the help of a private investigator. What starts out as a murder investigation in Cozumel, quickly crosses borders and escalates into a race against time to save them both from Brazilian kidnappers, who somehow know more about her family secrets than she does. Lexi soon realizes that life comes with a price.

 

Excerpt

Her worst nightmare had come to life.

Now, the fear of what she would do if it ever happened was over, but the loss of her brother came with a burden she hadn’t foreseen. It left her to deal with her family alone. To carry the legacy. To protect the empire. To convince everyone to believe the lies.

“He was always so careful,” she muttered to herself as she drove.

Snow had started falling as the last “Amen” was said at the cemetery. The heavy white powder made the pale yellow lines on the road fade in and out of sight. Lexi tugged her sweater tighter around her body with one hand and gripped the steering wheel with the other. The funeral had drained her of what little emotional strength she had left. It was crazy, but several times throughout the day she’d found herself picking up her phone to see if Jace had messaged her. He used to text or call every day. Silly stuff sometimes, like never walk the dog with no shoes on. Once he’d texted that he had the hiccups.

“I just can’t believe he’s gone.” Lexi glanced at her friend. She didn’t expect Kristy to say anything. Nothing she could say would make the pain go away.

Jace had been the perfect big brother, Lexi’s best friend. From an early age, they learned that sticking together in a dysfunctional family was their only hope. One thing Lexi knew for certain was that Jace wouldn’t leave her here alone. He would not have put himself in danger for a stupid fishing trip. His chance to break free of their crazy family was finally around the corner. He’d just bought his girlfriend an engagement ring. They had plans to move to New York as soon as the wedding was over. Now he was gone. None of it made any sense. Why was she the only person who could see that something was wrong with ruling the cause of death as accidental?

Lexi brushed at her red hair with a careless hand and caught a glimpse of her swollen, blue eyes in the rearview mirror. She hardly resembled her brother at all—a fact that had always bothered her, but she’d never questioned it the way Jace had. He had always asked where he’d gotten his blonde hair.

“Lexi, why don’t you stay with me tonight?”

The sound of Kristy’s voice startled her. “I’m sorry. I’m really out of it.” She smiled and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. “Thank you for everything. You’ve done more than enough for me over the past few days.”

“You know I’m always here.”

“I know.” She swallowed hard. “Kristy…”

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t stop thinking…I just don’t think this was an accident. It couldn’t be. Jace didn’t even like to fish. He wouldn’t charter a boat to go fishing in Cozumel. He liked nice restaurants, museums, theaters. Not fishing. And then there’s the fact that he didn’t take Selena with him. He always had Selena with him. Why doesn’t anyone else seem to think this is odd?”

“I don’t know. Now that you bring it up, Jace wasn’t much of a risk-taker.”

“Exactly. The strangest thing is that Selena said he told her he would be back in an hour. He only left for one hour. Who charters a fishing boat for only an hour?”

“Did Selena tell you why he didn’t take her?”

“She didn’t say, and I didn’t want to ask her a lot of questions. Not yet.”

Kristy nodded. “I saw her today. She’s really not handling this well.”

“No one is.” She pulled into Kristy’s driveway. It was a relief to be off the snowy roads.

No matter how she looked at this, her brother’s death could not have been an accident. Somehow, she would prove that he didn’t drown on a fishing trip. She would prove Jace was murdered.

***

Going back to work hadn’t been easy. Jace’s empty office was a constant reminder of her loss. Somehow, she’d made it through the first day and knew her brother would be proud of her. Now that she was home, a hot bubble bath and early bedtime sounded like a great ending to a long day.

She stopped at the mailboxes. It had been days since she’d checked her mail. Unlocking the box, she frowned when a manila envelope fell to the concrete. She groaned as she bent to pick it up. All the stress and lack of working out was beginning to take its toll. As her eyes scanned the writing on the front of the envelope, a chill raced down her spine, and her free hand flew to her mouth to stifle the guttural sound working its way out. She stared at her name scribbled in blue ink.

In Jace’s handwriting.

Her keys fell from her hands and jingled against the sidewalk. She fought to steady herself as she studied the postmark. It was dated this Thursday. A day after his funeral.

Lexi scrambled to pick up her keys and unlock the door. She stumbled inside and fell into the nearest chair. Her vision blurry with tears, she studied the handwriting. Touching her name, she traced the L.

“Oh, Jace…” she whispered.

She pulled open the envelope, reached in, and pulled out a flash drive. Was that it? No note? No explanation?

A flash drive? She ran to the bedroom, slid into the black leather office chair at her desk, and flipped open her laptop. She stared at the small piece of plastic as she waited for the computer to boot up. Her hand shook as she plugged it in.

Ten minutes later, she stood staring into the bathroom mirror gripped by nausea. She covered her face with a cold, wet towel. Her worst fears were coming true. And she needed help.

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Want to read more? Check Ransom in Rio out at

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.kobo.com

http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com/

www.amazon.com.

 About the Author:

As a native Texan, Theresa loves to write suspenseful stories that happen in small Texas towns with old fashioned Southern values. She’s an elementary teacher and mom to two boys—the oldest being in law enforcement, which comes in handy when she’s researching. When she’s not teaching kids or writing, she loves to cook, read a good suspense, and binge-watch episodes of Dateline. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She actively promotes fellow Christian Fiction authors on her blog. She also loves to hear from readers who enjoy Christian Fiction and can be found at http://www.theresalynnhall.com,  Facebook, and @theresalynnhall.

 

 

 

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.kobo.com

www.pelicanbookgroup.com

 

 

Wednesday Writers–Dancing in the Rain by Jennifer Slattery

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Catherine Castle Wednesday Writers series, Dancing in the Rain, Inspirational romance, Jennifer Slattery, summer camp

Today Wednesday Writers welcomes Jennifer Slattery back to the blog. Just in time for summer fun, Jennifer will be talking about the inspiration for her romance novel Dancing in the Rain. Just reading her post took me back to my own days of summer fun. Welcome, Jennifer.

 

Thanks, Catherine.

It’s one of those childhood rites of passage—campfires, sleeping on bunks lined five or six to a room, feeding every mosquitoes within a 100 mile radius. (It seems I have the sweetest blood around!)

I’ve only been to an actual summer camp once, and though I don’t remember much of it, my camp counselor has remained firmly planted in my memory. She seemed so grown, was absolutely beautiful, and had an amazing singing voice. Though I was younger than third grade (as we moved the summer before then), I still remember the song she sang each night: Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Summer camp and the people we meet there have a way of sticking with us. Though my experience at a formal camp was short, I spent many summers camping out with my family. Back then, you could pretty much drive to wherever you wanted, hike a short distance, and pitch a tent.

My dad liked to forge his own trail, machete in hand as he hacked away at low-lying vines and branches. This always felt like such an adventure, and many times it was, like when we pitched our ten in between two slowly trickling streams only to wake up in a torrential storm with water surging on either side of us. If we didn’t vacate soon, we’d be surging with it!

Ah, the summertime memories, of which my co-author, Eileen Rife, has an abundance. While growing up, her parents served at a Christian camp, so many of her formidable years were filled with carols sung at dusk, horse rides, an abundance of sloppy Joes, and all those other special moments that make camp memorable.

In Dancing in the Rain, a romance set, largely, at a Christian camp, Eileen shares her experiences, through Loni and Michael, with all of you, adding a layer of community so many of us long for. A community that’s far from perfect but stands strong when life hits hard.

What about you? Did you go to summer camp? Any fun or especially memorable moments to share? If you didn’t go to summer camp, did you go tent or cabin camping as a kid? Where was your favorite camping destination? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.

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Dancing in the Rain

By Eileen Rife and Jennifer Slattery

 

On the verge of college graduation, Loni Parker seeks employment as a music teacher, but no one will hire her since she’s blind. Or so she thinks. To take her mind off her troubles, her roommate invites her to spring retreat at Camp Hope in the gorgeous North Carolina mountains.

Unbeknownst to Loni, Michael Ackerman, the director, is an ex-con responsible for the accident that caused her blindness. When Loni warms up to camp and wants to return as a summer counselor, Michael opposes the idea, which only makes Loni want to prove herself all the more. Though she doesn’t expect to fall for the guy. Still, her need for independence and dream of teaching win out, taking her far away from her beloved Camp Hope . . . and a certain director.

Camp director Michael Ackerman recognizes Lonie instantly and wants to avoid her at all costs. Yet, despite the guilt pushing him from her, a growing attraction draws him to the determined woman. She sees more with her heart than the average person does with his eyes. But her presence also dredges up a long-buried anger toward his alcoholic father that he’d just as soon keep hidden. When circumstances spin out of control, Michael is forced to face a past that may destroy his present.

Want to read more? Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSH8F97

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About the Author:

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and international speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible studies, and other writers across the nation. She’s the author of six contemporary novels maintains a devotional blog found at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/. She has a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries, (http://whollyloved.com) she and her team partner with churches to facilitate events designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with maximum impact. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband. Connect with her on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/).

 

Wednesday Writers–A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot

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A Borrowwed Dream, Amanda Cabot, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, historical romance, Inspirational romance, Sweet romance, The Cimarron Creek trilogy

 

 

Today’s Wednesday Writers’ guest is bestselling author Amanda Cabot. Amanda will be talking about her book A Borrowed Dream, the second book in her Cimarron Creek historical trilogy. Welcome, Amanda.

 

The Promise of Spring

 

The first full day of spring – what a perfect day to talk about A Borrowed Dream. Though the story stretches over a longer period than one season (it begins in January 1881 and ends in July of that year), perhaps more than any book I’ve written, it embodies all that I love about spring.

Those of you who’ve read my interviews over the years know that when someone asks about favorite seasons, I answer without hesitation: spring. For me, spring is a season of rebirth, reawakening, and – most of all – hope. And, oh, do Austin and Catherine need hope! Though she’s found unexpected satisfaction in her position as Cimarron Creek’s schoolteacher, Catherine’s personal life is dismal. Her mother’s death at the hands of the town’s incompetent doctor has left her with a deep-seated distrust of all physicians, and the fact that the man she’d once expected to marry was so easily infatuated by another woman has caused her to believe that she’s not destined for marriage.

Austin has only one hope – that he can keep his daughter safe from a truly despicable man. That’s why he fled Philadelphia, put aside his rewarding career as a surgeon, and established himself as Cimarron Creek’s newest rancher. While his brain tells him that his daughter needs a mother, his heart won’t let him make the same mistake he did the first time. No, sirree, marriage is not for him.

But as spring comes to the Texas Hill Country and the bluebonnets carpet the countryside, both Austin and Catherine experience a reawakening. And when a woman with a mysterious past comes to town, their lives are changed in ways neither one of them could have imagined.

I really enjoyed writing this book, although I’ll admit that some of the scenes wrenched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. But even as I was putting those difficult scenes on paper, I kept reminding myself that hope would triumph, that hearts would reawaken, and that Austin and Catherine would find their happily-ever-after. That’s the promise of spring.

Now I’d like to hear from you. What’s your favorite season and why? When you’re choosing a book, does the season when it takes place affect your choices? Why or why not? Lastly, have I intrigued you with Catherine and Austin’s story? I hope so!

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A Borrowed Dream

by Amanda Cabot

There is no such thing as an impossible dream . . .

Catherine Whitfield is sure that she will never again be able to trust anyone in the medical profession after the local doctor’s treatments killed her mother. Despite her loneliness and her broken heart, she carries bravely on as Cimarron Creek’s dutiful schoolteacher, resigned to a life where dreams rarely come true.

Austin Goddard is a newcomer to Cimarron Creek. Posing as a rancher, he fled to Texas to protect his daughter from a dangerous criminal. He’s managed to keep his past as a surgeon a secret. But when Catherine Whitfield captures his heart, he wonders how long he will be able to keep up the charade.

With a deft hand, Amanda Cabot teases out the strands of love, deception, and redemption in this charming tale of dreams deferred and hopes becoming reality.

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About the Author:

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels including the Texas Dreams trilogy, the Westward Winds series, the Texas Crossroads trilogy, A Stolen Heart, and Christmas Roses. A former director of Information Technology, she has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. Amanda is delighted to now be a fulltime writer of Christian romances, living happily ever after with her husband in Wyoming.

 

Social Media Links

http://www.amandacabot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot

https://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/

http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/

 

Buying Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Christian Book Distributors

 

Tuesday Wedding Tales–Cindy’s Perfect Dance by Bonnie Engstrom

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Bonnie Engstrom, Catherine Castle's Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series, Cindy's Perfect Dance, clean romance, Inspirational romance, Sweet romance, The Candy Cane Girls series

 

Welcome to Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series, where wedding themed stories are the fare.

 

 

Today’s guest is Bonnie Engstrom. She’ll be talking about Cindy’s Perfect Dance, one of the books in her Candy Cane Girls Series. Bonnie is giving a way a copy of Cindy’s Perfect Dance, either ebook or a print copy, to one lucky commentor. To be entered in the drawing, just leave a comment on her post. Welcome, Bonnie.

 

 

 

Thanks, Catherine.

What if your best friend is getting married to a gorgeous hunk who is rich? And you are the Maid of Honor? And his brother is the Best Man?

Cindy never planned to be attracted to Rob, but because he felt it was protocol he insisted they dance together. Neither really expected to feel the chemistry between them. And, dancing in the parking lot? What was that all about?

Cindy and Rob’s story of love captured my heart. It was so surprising, especially with all the problems attached to it. Rob’s alcoholism and his commitment to AA, as well as his physical problems seemed monumental . . . at first. Cindy believes she can overcome those, until Emily confronts Rob saying she believed he loved her.

Cindy is a strong woman, but her love for Rob is stronger.

This story grew out of the first of The Candy Cane Girls Series. The six girls have a strong bond formed in a former high school swim team. They stick together in prayer and support.

I started to write this series before I realized it could become a series. Suddenly, it became close to my heart. I hope you will explore the series, now in its sixth book, Melanie’s Blue Skirt. In Cindy you will see all my grandchildren and a beautiful wedding on the beach of Playa Hermosa Costa Rica. I think it will make you want to follow the Candy Cane Girls to learn what Noelle, Candy and Connie and Natalie and Melanie have in their future. Oops, Doreen, too. But her story may be last. She’s in love with the most gorgeous man of all, an international model.

All the Candy Cane Girls stories are set in Newport Beach. I use many actual places in each story. Cindy and Rob shop for her engagement ring in Fashion Island outdoor mall. I wanted them to finally purchase it at Traditional Jewelers for several reasons; the owner attended my church (Mariners, which is also the church that sponsors the couple to mission in Costa Rica) and he and his family lived in my community. I had the scene where Rob goes to pick up the ring all set up, then he learns the owner suddenly died a few days ago. That is what actually happened, so I wrote it into the book.

I had also been searching for a way to include my grandchildren in a book. Since our son and his two boys live in Costa Rica I decided to have Cindy and Rob’s wedding take place there on the beach. (Costa Rica is also the mission assignment for the couple). The Arizona grandchildren flew there to share a wedding adventure with their cousins. It was a fun scene to write, including Lucy the Costa Rican French bull dog.

 

Cindy’s Perfect Dance

By Bonnie Engstrom

 

The Candy Canes are a tight-knit group; the six girls are like sisters. They share everything from successes to secrets. Even marriage doesn’t keep them apart. Then …

Cindy caught the bridal bouquet, and Rob caught the blue garter. Neither of them believed in fate or tradition. But, something happened when she stepped on his toes dancing.

When Rob agreed to help his brother by working in the Love In Bloom Floral Shop while Braydon was on his honeymoon, he asked Cindy to join him. He didn’t know what to expect, especially over Christmas break. Would she take over with her promotional ideas and anger his mother, the owner?

Would their relationship flower? Could Cindy accept Rob’s secrets? How would that change her love for him? And, what about Emily, the woman who claimed Rob loved her?

Cindy has decisions to make. She is supposed to receive her unique engagement ring on Valentine’s Day. Should she accept it, or say no to Rob because of the secrets he recently shared? If she accepts, they will have a lifelong commitment. Is she strong enough to go through with the plan, or should she back out and be safe?

 

EXCERPT

“Ouch!”

“What?”

“You stepped on my toes.”

He said it so matter of factly that Cindy wondered if he was kidding. She looked down at his black patent shoes. Aw, oh. A scuff on the right one. Guess Rob was right. Question was … his fault for not being a good leader or hers for being a bad follower?

“Sorry.”

“S’okay.” He pulled her closer and she felt her body melt into the warmth of his.

Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for a free copy, either ebook or print, of Bonnie’s book Cindy’s Perfect Dance. Winners will be chosen next Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

 

About the Author:

My husband Dave and I were blessed to raise our three children in Newport Beach, California. When our first grandchild, Miss Mookie, was born twelve years ago in Arizona we moved to Scottsdale to be near to her. Since then she has acquired three siblings, a younger sister, and twins, a boy and a girl. We don’t miss Newport at all, except for our wonderful friends and neighbors, and Bible study fellowships. Now, we spend many afternoons picking kids up after school and taking them to gymnastics, doctor appointments and chess tournaments. It’s a different life we thrive on.

We both thought we would retire. Didn’t happen. I am especially blessed to be multi-published by Forget Me Not Romances, a dream come true. You can see almost all my books at http://amzn.to/2Ish792. Dave quips he is the oldest new hire in the U.S. by accepting the position as a Core Counseling Faculty member at the University of Phoenix, for which he also teaches many online classes. He is on the staff at Honor Health Hospital in Scottsdale where he teaches pre-op and post-op classes for bariatric surgery. Honor Health is recognized in several of my books. Not a surprise!

Our grandparenting and our situations keep us busy.

To meet all of our grandchildren read Cindy’s Perfect Dance. They all play a part in Cindy and Rob’s wedding on the beach in Costa Rica. Or, visit my website at http://www.bonnieengstrom.com/ to see Dave and me with the crew. You can also sign up for my newsletter there and a chance to win great prizes. In the last contest I gave away a Kindle Fire!

I love connecting with my readers, so I hope you will write to me at bengstrom@hotmail.com and especially tell me what you want to see happen to Cindy and Rob in the future. Will they be successful in their church planting mission? Your ideas inspire me. I feed on them.

Thank you for reading my books. Writing them for you is a privilege and a blessing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers A Train Ride to Heartbreak by Donna Schlachter

Tags

A Train Ride to Heartbreak, Donna Schlachter, excerpt from A Train Ride to Heartbreak, historical romance, Inspirational romance, The Mail Order Brides Collection

The Story Behind the Story . . . A Train Ride to Heartbreak

By Donna Schlachter

 

Today, I’m welcoming back Donna Schlachter to the blog with The Story Behind the Story of her book A Train Ride to Heartbreak, a novella in the Mail Order Brides Collection—nine historical stories where marriage precedes love. She’s also sharing an excerpt from the book with us. Welcome, Donna!

 

Thanks, Catherine.

The idea for this story came from a love of a movie and a friend with a great story to share.

The movie was “The Fugitive”, both the original series pilot and the more recent remake. I loved the idea of a train ride leading to a second chance.

My friend had recently taken a train ride from Denver to San Francisco, and she shared several delightful stories. I wondered if a train ride might be like a cruise in that it would provide an insulated environment where the travelers might do something they’d never done before. If so, this was perfect fodder for a romance, much like the old TV show, “The Love Boat”.

And then I saw “Murder on the Orient Express”, and as a lover of anything Agatha Christie, decided to incorporate a few of the details in my story.

The result? A chance meeting, two characters with integrity, and a way for God to reach both of them.

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A Train Ride to Heartbreak

By Donna Schlachter

1895, Train to California

John Stewart needs a wife. Mary Johannson needs a home. On her way west, Mary falls in love with another. Now both must choose between commitment and true love.

October 1895

Mary Johannson has scars on her body that can’t compare with the scars on her heart. She is alone in the world, with no family, no prospects, and no home.

John Stewart is at his wit’s end. His wife of three years died in childbirth, leaving him with a toddler and an infant, both girls. Theirs was the love of fairy tales, and while he has no illusions about finding another like her, his children need a mother.

Though separated by thousands of miles, they commit to a mail-order marriage. But on their journey to Heartbreak, they meet another and realize the life they’d planned would be a lie. Can they find their way back from the precipice and into the love of God and each other, or are they destined to keep their word and deny their heart?

Excerpt:

 

Groverton, Pennsylvania

September 1895

Chapter 1

Mary Johannson plunged reddened hands into the dishwater and scrubbed at a crusty spot on the chipped china plate.

In the yard, the vicar, shoulders slumped from the cares of his congregation, held a small child in his arms while two toddlers clutched his pants leg. And Matron Dominus, the imposing head of the Meadowvale Orphan’s Home, towered over the small group huddled before her.

Mary checked the plate. Satisfied it would pass muster, she dipped it into the rinse bucket and set the piece into the dish rack to air dry. Next she set a burnt oatmeal pot into the water to soak while she dried her hands on her apron and surveyed the scene outside.

The vicar nodded and turned to walk the gravel path he’d traversed just minutes before, the wee ones in tow as he hoisted the child to his other hip for the mile-long trip back. No doubt he was waiting for space to open in the orphanage.

Her space.

Mary would turn eighteen in two months. And despite her desire to escape the confines of the orphanage, she wasn’t excited about making her own way in the world. The last girl who aged out—as the other orphans called the act of turning eighteen—now worked at the saloon.

And everybody knew what kind of girls worked there.

Mary swiped at the scarred worktable set in the middle of the kitchen floor, her washrag sweeping crumbs into her hand. She still needed to finish the dishes and report to Matron Dominus for her next order for the day.

By the time she returned to the sink, the vicar and his charges were out of sight.

But Matron Dominus stood outside the tiny window staring in at her.

Checking up on her, no doubt. Making certain she wasn’t lollygagging. An activity all of the residents indulged in. According to Matron.

Mary hurried through the rest of the washing up. She swept the floor, put a pot of beans on to soak for supper, and shooed the cat out from under the stove. After checking the dampers to make certain the range wouldn’t needlessly heat the kitchen—another of Matron’s accusations—she hung her apron on a nail beside the back door.

Stepping out into the fresh air, Mary drew a deep breath and leaned against the clapboard siding.

Perhaps she could work at the seamstress shop. She was a fair hand with a needle and thread. Or maybe the general store.

“Mary Johannson.”

The screech like a rooster with its tail caught in a gate startled her, and she straightened. But in her haste, she overbalanced and stepped forward to catch herself, hooking her toe in the hem of her dress, which she’d just let down last week to a more respectable length.

The sound of rending cloth filled her ears as the ground slammed toward her. She got her hands out in front of her just in time to prevent mashing her nose into the soil. The toes of Matron Dominus’s boots filled her vision.

Mary pushed herself to her feet, wincing at an ache in her lower back not there a moment before. Tears blurred her vision when she checked her dress—she had a three-inch rip just above the hem.

“Are you lollygagging about? Sunbathing? Do you think you’re on the Riviera?”

Despite her imposing height and girth, the matron’s voice—particularly when she was irked—resembled the irksome peacock Mary had once seen in the zoo in Philadelphia. Why God would create such a beautiful bird with such a nasty voice was beyond her.

But if what Matron said was true, He’d created Mary, too, only to have her burned by the flames that killed the rest of her family. Angry red scars ran from her forearms to halfway up her neck, and a collar of white tissue, the result of an inept doctor sewing her back together again, ringed her neck and inched toward her ears.

No, if God really loved her, He wouldn’t have allowed that to happen.

Want to read more? You can find the book at Amazon

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

 

About the Author:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid author who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters In Crime; facilitates a local critique group, and teaches writing classes and courses. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She loves history and research, and travels extensively for both. Donna is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

Connect with Donna at:

http://www.historythrutheages.com/ Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Other Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm

 

 

Tuesday Wedding Tales–Mercy Me by Pamela Ferguson

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book excerpt from Mercy Me, Catherine Castle's Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series, Inspirational romance, Mercy Me, Pamela Ferguson, Rafflecopter giveaway, Sweet romance, Trying Out for Love boxed set, Tuesday Wedding Tales

Welcome to Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series, where wedding themed stories are the fare.

 

It’s week three in the Trying Out for Love promo and giveaway. Each week readers can enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post’s book excerpt for a chance to win one of six books in the Trying Out for Love boxed set or the complete boxed set of six books. Seven giveaways and seven winners! Be sure to read to the end of the post for an excerpt of Mercy Me and enter the Rafflecopter for your chance at a free ebook.

Today’s Tuesday Wedding Tales guest is Pamela Ferguson and her book in the Trying Out for Love boxed set is Mercy Me. Pamela is giving away an ecopy of her book, Mercy Me, so be sure to enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win.

As I’ve mentioned before, this whole series started with a bridal auction for bridesmaid places in the wedding party–a bridezilla who demanded her bridesmaid bid for a spot in her wedding. To make matters worse, she and the groom, who is rich, plan to use the monies from the auction to fund their wedding and honeymoon. Bridezilla even expected her sister to bid on her place in the wedding party. She didn’t and that caused a gigantic stink. Honestly, we’re not making this up. The truth is stranger than fiction sometimes.

If you’ve been following along, you’ve seen two very different story ideas from the bridezilla bridesmaid auction news article. I think Pamela has come up with a great twist on a wedding and an auction combined into one book. I know she’s piqued my curiosity. Read on to discover Pamela’s take on our bridezilla story starter.

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

by Pamela Ferguson

A wedding and an auction in one book? Now, there’s a combination that can create unintended consequences—exactly what an author needs to change a basic story into a page-turner! I toyed with the idea of writing about a celebrity who hosts a bridal vendor auction to raise money for a favorite charity. But then I thought, What if the bridal vendor auction becomes the catalyst for a bunch of unintended consequences? Specifically, what if a small town bridal gown designer who wants to participate in the auction suddenly learns the billionaire father of the bride—a man she’s never met—has sent his right-hand man to stop her?

That’s the premise of my novella, Mercy Me, and, believe me, that auction led to a bunch of unintended consequences in the small town of Lilac, where all my books are set. I love writing sweet romances set in small towns because I love exploring how character reveals itself in the day-to-day interactions that take place between people. There’s a saying that goes, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Yet, I believe the way people handle the “small stuff” reveals much about who they are—what they value, how they treat others, why they want what they want. At the beginning of Mercy Me, Chloe Belmont and Luke Stratford are strangers pursuing different goals. Circumstances force them to work together, and, as the story unfolds, they discover they have more in common than they thought.

I hope you enjoy reading Mercy Me as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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Mercy Me

By Pamela Ferguson

Bridal dress designer Chloe Belmont can’t believe her good luck. She’s been invited to participate in a charity bridal vendor auction for the daughter of a Wall Street billionaire. Maybe now the women of Lilac will finally appreciate her dress designs.

New York executive Luke Stratford can’t figure out why his billionaire boss has sent him to keep Chloe Belmont away from his daughter’s bridal vendor auction. What should’ve been a simple business negotiation turns personal when Luke realizes he has feelings for Chloe. As Luke discovers the real reasons for this assignment, will he be able to choose between doing his job and protecting the woman he loves?

Excerpt:

There had to be a mistake.

Luke Stratford squinted at his phone and double-checked the rhinestone-studded numbers on the mailbox. He studied the white farm house with its sprawling wrap-around porch. His gaze wandered to the distant Blue Ridge Mountains, mere foothills compared to the Cascade Range he’d left long ago. Still, the cool autumn air, clean and crisp as only mountain air could be, poked his senses, reminding him there was a world beyond the Manhattan skyscrapers he now called home.

The sausage and green pepper breakfast burrito he’d snagged at JFK for his 6 a.m. flight roiled his stomach. Why would his boss, Martin Dalwich, a man who could buy a town like Lilac twenty times over, send him here to prevent a bridal salon from working at his super-model daughter’s upcoming wedding?

As if anyone with an ounce of sense would need convincing to stay as far away as possible from that matrimonial three-ringed circus. Not that he didn’t like Azure Dalwich and her fiancé. They were great people. But a bridal vendor auction to benefit an endangered blue butterfly? No matter how noble the cause, an event like this was going to attract publicity hounds anxious to donate extravagant amounts of money in exchange for photo ops with the superrich.

I don’t care what you have to do, Martin Dalwich had shouted, red-faced, clutching the list of invited vendors. Keep Belmont Bridal away from this auction.

Luke shook his head. Sure, the boss had been under pressure lately, assuring employees the accusations of insider trading were lies fabricated by his enemies. Company gossip had it Dalwich now spent most days holed up in his office with his inner circle of close advisors. Luke had been surprised when he’d received the call, summoning him to Dalwich’s office. He’d gotten on upper management’s radar five years before when he’d spotted a ten-million-dollar accounting error that everyone else had missed. Dalwich had promoted him out of his account manager job and given him a private corner office with the words Special Projects on the door. Whenever an issue arose that needed additional scrutiny, it made its way through the management chain to Luke’s desk.

This assignment was nothing like the other financial problems he’d tracked down. Instead of discussing the insider trading rumors as he had hoped Dalwich might, his boss had stunned him by launching a rant about his daughter’s bridal vendor auction.

He shut off the engine and sat back against the seat. What had Belmont Bridal, with its frilly curtains, pink-shuttered windows, and mailbox shaped like a fairy princess carriage, done to tick off a hard-nosed billionaire like Martin Dalwich? Even if the auction invitation had been a mistake, why not allow Belmont Bridal to participate and lose? There was no way this small-town shop could compete with rich New York designers.

But asking how high when management said jump had proven to be a winning strategy, gaining Luke a Fifth Avenue condo, a closet of Italian suits, and name recognition with headwaiters at the top restaurants in New York. Sure, the days were long, and having to be on call 24/7 to investigate every obscure request meant zero personal life. But that was a fair trade for enjoying wealth and prestige beyond his wildest dreams, wasn’t it?

The sooner he convinced Belmont Bridal to stay away from the auction, the sooner he could return to New York, to the world where he belonged.

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Want to read more? Enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win the book. No purchase necessary. Or if you can’t wait, Mercy Me is available on Amazon. Winners will be announced February 20 at the end of the Trying Out for Love author guest posts. Remember, all six authors are giving away an ecopy of their book in the series. A boxed set of Trying Out for Love is also in the giveaway. Seven chances and seven winners! Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win.

 

 

About the Author:

Pamela Ferguson is the author of sweet romances set in small towns. Specializing in gossips, meddlers, matchmakers, and happily-ever-afters, Pamela loves dreaming up complications that wreak havoc in the lives of her characters. Her determined heroes and resourceful heroines are forever doing battle with narrow-minded mischief makers. Who knew there were so many bumps on the road to love? Wings of Love, the first novel in her small town romance series, won the 2017 RWA Golden Heart® Award for Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements. True Hearts, the second novel in The Lilac Series, is available now on Amazon. Mercy Me, a Lilac novella and the third book in the series, is also available in the Trying Out for Love boxed set.

Social Media: Website    Facebook     Twitter: @pfwrites

 

 

 

Tuesday Wedding Tales—Bidding on the Bouquet by Catherine Castle

Tags

author Catherine Castle, Bidding on the Bouquet, Christian romance, ebook giveaway, Inspirational romance, multi-author ebook giveaway, Sweet romance, Trying Out for Love boxed set, Tuesday Wedding Tales, Wedding Themed Romances

Welcome to Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series, where wedding themed stories are the fare.

It’s week two in the Trying Out for Love promo and giveaway. Each week readers can enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post’s book excerpt for a chance to win one of six books in the Trying Out for Love boxed set or the complete boxed set of six books. Seven chances and seven winners! Be sure to read to the end of the post for an excerpt of Bidding on the Bouquet and enter the Rafflecopter for your chance at a free ebook.

Today’s featured book in the boxed set is Bidding on the Bouquet, by Catherine Castle.

As I mentioned last week, this whole series began with a bridezilla news article. If you’ve ever watched any reality television and seen some of the bridezilla stories, you think of brides behaving badly—divas who think of no one but themselves, wedding dress disasters, wedding venue disasters and much more. But I’d never heard of this kind of bridezilla—a woman, marrying a rich man, who decided to make her bridesmaids bid for spots in her wedding party. The story struck a creative chord in several of the authors who read the article and who then took up the challenge to write a book using this story starter. And we all had some very interesting twists on the original story.

 

To Bid or Not to Bid—That is the Question

To bid or not to bid was a question a number of the real-life ladies, including the bride’s sister, must have asked themselves when they found out about bridezilla’s bridesmaid auction. By the way, the real bridezilla’s sister chose not to bid.

To bid or not to bid was also the question my heroine, down-on-her-luck grad student Marietta Wilson, briefly asked herself when she received an invitation, out of the blue, to “buy” a bridesmaid’s spot in a wedding for a girl she hardly knew.

Marietta thought that one-hundred dollars to reserve a spot to bid, and then spend who knows how much more money, was a waste of resources that could be put to better use.

But my bridezilla had a very special inducement for her bridesmaids. One of them would not only get a coveted spot in the wedding of the year, but a chance to catch the bridal bouquet containing a solid gold rose nestled among the flowers. Who could resist that? Obviously not my heroine, otherwise there’d be no story.

 

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Bidding on the Bouquet

By Catherine Castle

 

Two people from different social classes.

Two different philosophies.

One bridal bouquet to unite them.

 

Excerpt

 

You are invited to participate in the season’s most prestigious event.

Date: June 17

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Place: The Vandermere Estate

Event: The auction of bridesmaids’ positions for Chrissy Vandermere’s wedding

Light refreshments will be served

℘

Chrissy is auctioning off a chance to be an attendant in her wedding.

Winners will be escorted down the aisle by New York’s finest bachelors,

and they will procure a bridesmaid-only spot at the tossing of the bride’s bouquet event.

Chrissy guarantees one of the bridesmaids will catch the bouquet,

containing a solid 14-carat rose-gold flower.

℘

Opening bids begin at $100 and are non-refundable. Cash only.

You may make an opening bid higher than $100 if you choose.

Please RSVP by April 30

 

Marietta dug into the envelope again and retrieved a smaller card and matching envelope.

 

I, ________________________, will be pleased to attend the auction.

My opening bid is $_______

Should I win a spot, I will be available on August 9

to be part of the wedding party

for Chrissy Vandermere

and

Jock Sterlingson

 

Stunned, Marietta reread the invitation. Chrissy Vandermere? The only Vandermere she knew was her wealthy classmate Chip Vandermere, and they weren’t on real talking terms. Nor did they run in the same circles. They only had a few of the same classes and a couple of case studies together in which he had commandeered the group. The guy thought himself a born, or rather a privileged, leader. His attitude had driven her nuts, and, although he was one hot guy who knew he had undeniable sex appeal, she’d stayed away from him as much as she could. She was at the MBA program to learn and conquer, not be someone’s conquest.

Is he related to this Chrissy?

If so, the whole auction idea was totally insane. Chip Vandermere had so much money he could afford to pay bridesmaids to be in a wedding. No need to auction off the spots. Besides, why should anyone spend money to be in her wedding—or any wedding for that matter? And why had the bride invited her to participate? Even though she’d spent the last six years at an elite private college, she didn’t hang around with the sort of people who had money to throw away on frivolous things such as bridesmaid auctions. She’d spent her undergrad and postgrad years nose-to-the-grindstone, studying and pinching her pennies.

Then she remembered. As a college senior, she had contact with a Chrissy, a rich, air-headed girl, who talked of nothing but herself. She’d never mentioned having siblings. The beautiful, but not-very-bright, student, had asked Marietta to help her pass an exam—and not in the study-hard-so-you-can-pass way. She’d refused, convincing Chrissy to join the study group instead. Chrissy got a D plus, but she’d at least done it honestly. Marietta wasn’t certain the rich debutante had appreciated being spared the indignity of cheating. But if the Chrissy she knew was this Chrissy Vandermere, and if she remembered who she was after two years and invited her to bid on her bouquet, maybe she’d learned a lesson.

Then again, maybe not. Maybe taunting her with the idea she might win something of great value—a 14-carat rose-gold flower—was some sort of joke.

The time the two of them spent together, however, hadn’t been rosy. When she wasn’t trying to cram knowledge into Chrissy’s bubble head, Marietta continually dodged the girl’s questions about her background. She had tried to keep all conversation focused on learning. Chrissy, however, kept pressing for information: how did Marietta get into the elite-of-elite private college where everyone knew everyone else, where did she come from, and why didn’t she ever go out with the rest of the group? The simple truth was, unlike her other classmates, Marietta came from such a dirt poor, dysfunctional, crooked family that if anyone knew her real background they would ostracize her even more. Ducking the questions hadn’t satisfied Chrissy, forcing Marietta to leave the group to keep from being outted as a pretender and fake. Someone who didn’t belong in the exclusive circles of the rich.

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Want to read more? Enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win the book. No purchase necessary. Or if you can’t wait, Bidding on the Bouquet is available on Amazon. Winners will be announced February 20 at the end of the Trying Out for Love author guest posts. Remember, all six authors are giving away an ecopy of their book in the series. A boxed set of Trying Out for Love is also in the giveaway. Seven chances and seven winners! Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win.

 

Insert rafflecopter link

Enter Rafflecopter Giveaway by clicking box below:

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catherine Castle is a multi-award-winning author who loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, watching movies, and the theatre. In the winter she quilts and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place is in her garden. She’s a passionate gardener who won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

 

Her debut inspiration romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing was an ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2014 EPIC finalist, and the winner of the 2014 Beverly Hills Book Award and the 2014 RONE Award. A Groom for Mama, is a sweet romantic comedy from Soul Mate Publishing. Her latest release, Bidding on the Bouquet, from Forget Me Not Romances, is an inspirational contemporary romance. Her books are available on Amazon.

Connect with Catherine at her website  Twitter @AuthorCCastle or Facebook

 

Tuesday Wedding Tales–Alice K. Arenz The Wedding Barter

Tags

Alice K. Arenz, ebook giveaway, Inspirational romance, Sweet romance, The Wedding Barter, Trying Out for Love boxed set, Tuesday Wedding Tales, Wedding Themed Romances

Today is the first of the Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series posts where I’ll be highlighting wedding themed stories.

To start it off the new series, I’d like to welcome Alice K. Arenz, one of my fellow authors in the Trying Out for Love boxed set, which came about because of a bridezilla story shared on the ACFW loop where we both are members. Bonnie Engstrom shared the outrageous news article with the loop with an offhanded comment about how 10 authors could come up with 10 different stories. The article piqued several authors’ Muses and resulted in an interesting series loosely based on the idea. The bridezilla story, which I’ll be revealing bits about over the next few weeks, sparked six very different stories, which Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications, put together as single books and a boxed set.

Be sure to read to the end of the post for an excerpt of her book The Wedding Barter and a chance to win one of the six books in the set or the complete boxed set. Seven giveaways and seven winners!

 

Now I’ll let Alice tell you about how she ended up in this group. Welcome, Alice!

HOW A MYSTERY/SUSPENSE WRITER CAME TO WRITE A ROMANCE

or

WRITE A ROMANCE? YOU’RE KIDDING, RIGHT?!

 

And yes, that was my reaction when I was asked to join the group writing novellas for the “wedding/bridezillas” (as it was first referred to) boxed set for my publisher, Forget Me Not Romances. Though romance to some degree has always been part of my books in the past, I hadn’t attempted one in…well, let’s just say YEARS when I tried to break into Harlequin America back in the 80s. That didn’t go very well. My books were filled with too much comedy, too much mystery, and not enough sensual content—which was already too much for me! So, I accepted their comments and moved on.

Back to the story of how The Wedding Barter came to be part of the TRYING OUT FOR LOVE boxed set. To be honest, the encouragement I received, along with the idea behind why we were brought together for the project, sealed the deal. I was convinced it was the correct decision when, after a lot of prayer, the title for my “short novel” as well as the names of the lead characters were given to me. From there, it was a question of how to fulfill my commitment. That was a little more difficult because of my health issues. But, I’m a firm believer that God wouldn’t have given me the idea and details if He didn’t have the solution already worked out.

After stewing over the dilemma for about a month, my husband suggested that I dictate to him as he typed on his laptop. Seriously? Which is exactly what I asked him. He was not only serious, he was dedicated to the project—even when absolutely nothing was happening! He tried to understand that “my process” had always involved me sitting at my desk, eyes closed, fingers on the keyboard as I prayed and waited for the “connection.” I can’t even begin to explain how much more difficult it was to find a way to verbally describe what I saw happening in my head! But, like my characters in Barter reminded themselves, all it takes is a mustard seed of faith. That’s what I sought, and what we got as a result is a 49,000 word short novel—a romance based in the same fictional town of Tarryton, Missouri where The Bouncing Grandma Mystery series is set. No murders, but a few twists and turns, and, I hope, some laughs as well.

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THE WEDDING BARTER

by Alice K. Arenz

Riley Carr has been best friends with Amy Lawton since they were toddlers.  While Amy awaits her discharge from the Army, Riley’s been left in charge of helping to arrange “a very small, intimate ceremony with no fanfare” for Amy and her fiancé. But, Riley has something else in mind.

With the aid of two other friends, Riley presents her “wedding barter” idea to groom, David Herron. He agrees, providing best man, Mike Todd, stays in the loop to keep things from getting out of hand.

It doesn’t help that the giant of a man is threatening, overbearing, and just doesn’t seem to like her or her ideas. But, when Todd gives Riley an ultimatum of producing results in three weeks or he’ll take over, she’s determined to prove him wrong. . .in more ways than one.

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EXCERPT:

“You know we haven’t time for games, Riley.” Nat said with a touch of impatience. She glanced at her watch, then gave me a full measure of her soft brown eyes.

“Sorry.” I took a deep breath, then decided a reminder of our past seemed the best way to start. “Remember how much the four of us loved playing Barbie’s? I’d bet they were the best dressed dolls in town.” They looked a bit confused, so I rushed on. “One of our favorite things to do was plan their weddings.”

“Mrs. Lawton made the most incredible wedding dresses. Ours were usually in the bridesmaids’ gowns but were just as exquisite.” Hannah sighed, a tear seeping from her right eye. “Such beautiful memories. Mrs. Lawton would’ve been planning this wedding, sewing Amy’s dress as well as our bridesmaids’ gowns…if she were still here.” She sniffed. “Is it any wonder Amy wants this low-key? Even thinking about it has to be difficult for her. When her parents died, her whole world turned upside down. Quitting college in our sophomore year, having to sell the home she’d grown up in—it’s no wonder she joined the Army after losing everything she’d ever known.”

“I imagine that’s among the many reasons Amy asked us to…” Nat’s voice trailed off. She jerked once, then gave me a hard stare. “You’re not suggesting we do some kind of wedding auction?” Nat was incredulous at the idea.

“No, of course not. I did think about doing a raffle—”

“You know raffles are illegal in Missouri—unless you’re a church or some other kind of non-profit sort of thing.” Hannah said around a bite of calzone. It was uncanny how she seemed to know facts the rest of us were clueless about.

“Okaaay, but I’m pretty sure that doing something on a barter system wouldn’t be illegal.”

“Quid pro quo.” Nat.

“Tit for tat.” Hannah.

I nodded. “I know Amy would never want us to exploit her or David’s service record.”

“Which is really a shame. I’d bet most of the businesses in Tarryton would be more than happy to contribute items for their wedding. She is, after all, a hometown hero. And, David’s record—”

“I know, Nat, but she’d never forgive us. We’ve got to do this on the down-low. Surely we can come up with ways to barter our services for the things we’d need to give Amy the wedding of her dreams—without her knowing what we’re up to.”

I could literally see the wheels turning in Nat’s and Hannah’s brains. Awesome how one slight twist on an idea could add more enthusiasm than I’d ever expected or hoped for.

“Hey, we could ask my in-laws if we could use the barn where Chuck and I got married.” Hannah clapped her hands together like a kid at Christmas. “We’d have to clean it up, of course. And, well, there might be some damage from the tornado we had this spring. But, I know they’d let us use it for free.”

“That sounds terrific. I don’t think Pastor Grant will have a problem going to the farm instead of using the chapel, but I’ll check with him to see what he thinks.” It had only been a couple minutes yet things were already set in motion.

“Look, guys,” Nat said, standing, “I’ve gotta run, but I’ll mention this to Aunt Kelly and see what she says about supplying some plants for decoration. And, maybe if I play my cards right, I can get her involved, to…um, it’s best not to get ahead of myself. But, there’s something you should do first, Riley, and you’re not gonna like it.” Nat slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “Since your main contact for all of this is the groom, you need to speak with David before we go any further.”

As we paid our checks and said goodbye, all I could think about was facing a man I hardly knew and trying to convince him that our best friend’s wedding actually needed a little fanfare.

Want to read more? The Wedding Barter is available on Amazon, or you can enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win the book. Winners will be announced February 20 at the end of the Trying Out for Love author guest posts. No purchase is necessary to enter this giveaway.

Enter Rafflecopter Giveaway by clicking box below:

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Though Alice K. Arenz is known for her cozy mysteries and romantic mystery/suspense novels, the Carol Award winning author has branched out with her newest release, The Wedding Barter, a romance that is both serious and funny.

Arenz is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her first three novels were honored by two finals and one win in ACFW’s Carol Awards: cozy mysteries The Case of the Bouncing Grandma (a 2009 finalist), The Case of the Mystified M.D., (2010 winner), and mystery/suspense Mirrored Image (a 2011 finalist). These novels have been followed by An American Gothic, Portrait of Jenny, and short story, Home Cookin’.

Visit her at her website http://www.akawriter.com/