#SaturdaySpotlight is on Annette M Irby & Christmas on the Islands!

Good Morning and Welcome to this week's edition of All Christmas thru Christmas. 

Our guest visited in 2011 so it is my pleasure to have Annette M. Irby back on our blog. Good to have you here again, Annette. Please tell us about your Christmas on the Islands box set...

It's good to be back on your blog, Pam. Thank you for having me!

I remember a couple of decades ago when I spent the entire Christmas season reading Barbour Publishing’s four-in-one Christmas novella collections. They inspired me. Reading them helped introduce me to various Christian authors. I thought, I’d like to write Christmas novellas one day.

Another piece of this puzzle was that as I wandered through a brick-and-mortar bookstore well over a decade ago, I wanted a collection set in the Pacific Northwest, something beachy. But there was nothing like that on the shelves.

So, why not write Christmas novellas, set in the PNW? And voilà! A series idea was born: Washington Island Christmas. With this boxed set, they’re all combined in one place.

These books are sequels to my full-length summertime novels set on Puget Sound. That series is called Washington Island Romance.

My hope is that readers feel transported to Christmas in the Northwest where they can enjoy the scent of conifers, delight in the sea views, and smell the snowy Cascades or Olympics. We might have rain, but that’s all the better for curling up with hot cider or cocoa and diving into a holiday story!

OH how wonderful! I bet Christmas is lovely on the Sound and Islands. Can you share a blurb of each story with us?

Sure...

Visit Puget Sound and the Salish Sea islands in this series of holiday novellas! Enjoy getting to know new characters, with some cameo visits from previous friends. Here you'll find heart-warming scenes, layered family dynamics, romance, and hope in Jesus.

A Christmas Duet

An uninspired composer.

A distressed pianist.

And the duet that brings them together.

Sequel to Cascade Award-finalist novel, Finding Love on Whidbey Island, Washington.

Following a breakup, professional cellist Kate Fleming’s well of inspiration has run dry. Her musical ensemble is counting on her to write several cello and piano compositions for their next album. She’s rented a beautiful beach house on Whidbey Island for the Christmas season. But the atmosphere may not be inspiring enough.

Church music director Zach Tillmon would love to book a professional musician for the upcoming Christmas program. His number-one choice is out of reach. But perhaps the newcomer wouldn’t mind sharing her talents with the congregation.

When these two perform together, sparks fly. But their lives aren’t settled, so a romance is out of the question. Or is it?

Join them near picturesque Puget Sound at Christmastime for a delightfully musical love story.

A Christmas Romance

A wannabe novelist with writer's block.

A best-selling children’s book author with a knack for story.

And the romance they brainstorm together.

Sequel to the Selah Award-winning novel, Finding Love on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Bookshop owner Peyton McKinley lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington. An inspired reader, she writes wholesome romance novels, dreaming of publication. Unfortunately, a past breakup has soured her on relationships. When a literary agent wants to see her manuscript as soon as she can finish it, writer’s block stalls her progress.

Best-selling picture book author and illustrator Eli Jaxon has relocated to Puget Sound to be nearer to his family. He’s on deadline for his next Prescott the Proper Peacock volume, but worry for his niece distracts him. Past mistakes keep him closed off to dating.

When Peyton needs help with her story, previously married Eli volunteers to help her brainstorm. Can they deny their attraction, or will they live their own Christmas romance?

Join them near picturesque Puget Sound at Christmastime for a delightfully bookish love story.

A Christmas Gift

A stateside farmer.

An international boy-next-door model.

And the Christmas reunion that brings them back together.

Seven years after Finding Love in Friday Harbor, Washington.

Aurora “Rori” Teagan can’t escape her genes. Though she’d be in demand, following her mother’s modeling career path is unthinkable. Instead, she works her family’s farm with her father on San Juan Island, determined to build her own life. But change is in the air this holiday season.

Jonah Cahill hasn’t been home for Christmas since his dad died years ago. When the opportunity arises, he joins his best friend and returns to Friday Harbor, where he grew up. He’ll have to face what he’s avoided in the States, while a challenging situation in Europe remains. Anxious to see Rori, he’s worried that old feelings will reemerge. Problem is, he hasn’t resolved everything from his last overseas relationship.

Her brother’s best friend has changed a lot since he left the island. The wonder of Christmas inspires connection and romance, but their lives are on two different continents. Will Rori and Jonah find love before the Christmas lights come down?

Revisit Friday Harbor and some familiar characters in this Christmas novella set in the Salish Sea.

AND And here’s an Excerpt from the Chapter One of A Christmas Duet:

The evening’s chilled, salty wind brushed Kate Fleming’s hair away from her face. Leaving her cello wedged under blankets inside her sporty station wagon, she locked the doors and headed toward the stairs. She’d rather cross Puget Sound on the Whidbey Island ferry’s upper deck.

Lights from the terminal and other vehicles shimmered off the water as she found a spot on the main level. Salty air blew in whenever someone opened the outward doors. But here, inside, as people spilled into the space from the vehicle levels below, heat. Faint Christmas carols played overhead, and Kate tried not to flinch at how tinny the music sounded. Her best friend, Haley, accused her of being a music snob. So be it. Her compositions now garnered national attention. The Piano Guys had opened doors for instrumental musicians to find a larger audience.

Fellow passengers milled around, choosing their own nooks for the sail across Puget Sound to Clinton, Washington, from Mukilteo.

A passenger walked by with a paper cup piled high with whipped cream, and Kate caught a whiff of chocolate steam. Just what she needed. Her fingers were still frozen from waiting in her car for the second ferry to arrive. She’d turned off her engine like everyone around her, forgoing heat to protect waiting passengers from breathing exhaust fumes.

She slipped from the vinyl bench seat and made her way to the concessions area. The café was one large square, near the center of the boat, with space to walk around and choose snacks or beverages. The aroma of popcorn and the odor of coffee were the strongest. But she found a banana muffin in the case and waited her turn to pump cocoa into a cup. Then, she squirted a dollop of whipped cream and got into the cashier line.

The scent of leather wafted off the man in front of her. His sherpa-lined brown leather jacket shone in the ferry’s interior lighting. He stood a few inches taller than herself, cell phone in hand and plastic, wireless earbuds jutting straight down about an inch from his ears. They were about five people back in line and Kate sipped her cocoa, knowing the risks of whipped topping decorating her nose. She reached for a napkin, glancing over at leather-jacket guy. His phone tilted, and she caught a glimpse of the screen.

The MP3 player app displayed an oh-so-familiar album cover—hers. Well, her ensemble’s. Whoa, this guy who looked a bit like a lumberjack, with his jeans—and was that plaid flannel under his jacket?—listened to her music? Instrumental? She’d peg him for country or classic rock but not cello with piano. She tucked herself behind him in line again, unable to squelch a smile. She wanted to ask his opinion. Did he like the melodies she’d invented? Which instrument did he favor? Her ensemble included a guitarist, pianist, and a vocalist who rarely sang words. And of course her cello, the lead instrument on several tracks of their latest record.

Lumberjack Guy hummed a familiar refrain, and she caught her breath. Plenty of background noise droned on the boat. But this guy’s baritone voice carried easily. Clear and smooth. She could listen to him all evening. Was he a musician as well?

~*~  ~*~ ~*~

Perfect. Now tell us about yourself and where we can find you and this lovely collection.

Of course. Here is my "official" bio... 

Award-winning author Annette M. Irby has enjoyed writing stories since her teen years. If she’s not writing, she’s reading for review, or editing. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and has worked as a freelance editor nearly twenty years. Her book, Finding Love on Bainbridge Island, Washington, won a Selah Award in the contemporary romance category. More recently, her book Finding Love on Whidbey Island, Washington, finaled in the Cascade Award Contest. Married over thirty years, she makes her home with her family in the Northwest.

You can connect with me and sign up to receive my Newsletter via my Website. Find and follow me on Facebook, Amazon, BookBub and X: @AnnetteMIrby

Christmas on the Islands can be found at Amazon for only $3.99 or FREE in KU!

THANKS again, Annette for visiting with us and sharing your lovely Christmas collection. We wish you the Best of luck and God's Blessings on these and all of your books!

Well Friends, only one more Christmas book to share with you after today and it's all over until next year. 

Until next time, I pray your New Year celebration is blessed, happy and safe!

PamT

Merry Christmas!

The Gift

© 2006

No gift ever given, great or small

can compare to greatest Treasure of all.

Born in a manger in the town of Bethlehem

Christ the Lord, who died for all men.

Sometimes referred to as the ‘Pearl of Great Price’

God so loved the world that He sent His Son to die

- the perfect sacrifice.

So please remember in this season of cheer

God is to be honored and praised

each day of the year.

This simple poem is my humble gift

to wish you Merry Christmas!

 

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Winona Bennett Cross & Winter at Journey's End!

Good Morning and Welcome to another edition of All Christmas thru Christmas on Saturday Spotlight. The last time Winona was here, she shared with us her Oregon Trail novel, Rebecca's Journey. Today, she's going to give us the scoop on Winter at Journey's End, a companion novella to Rebecca's Journey.

Welcome back Nona! Tell us why you wrote Winter at Journey's End and share your blurb and an excerpt...

Thanks for having me in the spotlight again, Pam. Winter at Journey’s End is an 82-page novelette and is about the first winter the characters from Rebecca’s Journey spend in the new community. I wrote it because I wanted the characters and readers to get a glimpse of life for emigrants who traveled the Oregon Trail in a wagon train for six months.

This book was as important to me as Rebecca’s Journey. Historically, the Westward Expansion and Oregon Trail is one of my favorite periods of American History. 

Blurb: Will Rebecca and Zachary’s dreams and plans come to fruition despite the struggles they face in a new land?

Rebecca Pierce and Zachary Miller began the arduous journey on the Oregon Trail from Independence, Missouri as strangers but wound up in Journey’s End, Oregon Territory betrothed. Snow and ice, rumors of a threat from their past, and miscommunication separate the couple, nearly ending their relationship and Rebecca’s life. Plans for Christmas festivities and their wedding celebration are jeopardized by what could be an immovable wedge.

Will Rebecca and Zachary overcome the obstacles, move forward with their marriage and settle in the cabin they built overlooking a flowing stream and pine forest?

If you love Historical romance stories filled with trials, tribulations and triumph, get Winter at Journey’s End, a companion novella in Winona Bennett Cross’s The Journey Series, and celebrate life with these characters all over again!

Excerpt: Zachary and Rebecca stood near a small patch of land near the stream on the south side of their property.

“This would be the perfect place for us to have a garden. The soil seems fertile, it gets good sunlight, and it would be easy to divert water from the stream to keep it watered.” Zachary walked the plot from side to side measuring it. “We can plant tomatoes, potatoes, squash, onions, and pole beans on the south side. Maybe a fruit tree ot two would do well on the west side. What do you think?”

Rebecca hugged him from the side. “I think you’re right. But I want flowers. Maybe climbing roses near the cabin, honeysuckle by Aaron’s hut, and sunflowers like we found on the trail along the west.”

Zachary laughed and bowed. “As you wish, my love.”

Rebecca giggled, squatted down, and hugged her lifelong companion. “Get down, dog. I’m happy to see you but where is Aaron?”

Patriot, Glory, and Misty whinnied. Rebecca and Zachary turned as Aaron urged Misty into a trot. He stopped next to them.

“Morning. It’s good to be home. Even better to know my little house will be warm. The bigger fence will be appreciated by the horses and the cow. How are you? Everyone in town sends their love. Of courses, Emma and Sarah sent food.”

We’re fine. Perfect. We were just planning a spring garden over by the stream. We’ll have food and flowers. Let’s get the animals settled and get you inside where it’s warm.” Zachary looked over his shoulder and winked at Rebecca.

“Remember those climbing bears I made? Some of the town folks asked me to make some for their children. They’ll pay five cents each. I’ll make some of my own money to help around here. Geroge said he would stock the whittled animals in the the store for me. Isn’t that something?” Aaron opened the door to his home, stopped at the threshold, and gasped.

“What’s got your attention?” Zachary asked.

“A bed. I have a bed! And a rocking chair. Where did it come from? I’ve never had a real be before. Just pallets on the floor.”

“Go on in. George built the bed and chair for you. The ladies made the bedding. Sarah got the cookware and a few dishes for your home.”

Zachary looked at Rebecca. Tears streamed down her face. “You deserve every gift. You are our brother in every way.”

Aaron sat in the rocking chair and rocked for a moment then lay on the bed. “Nice. This is nice.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

What a sweet scene! Most of us can't imagine not having a "real" bed to sleep in! How about giving us your bio and how we can connect with you and where to find Winter at Journey's End...

Winona Bennett Cross (Nona) lives in Wichita Falls, Texas. She recently moved from Durant, Oklahoma. She has two sons and two granddaughters. Angus, a finicky and nosy gray tabby cat, shares her home.

Nona's heart lies in the desert and oilfields of west Texas and New Mexico where she was raised. In 1969 she graduated from Lovington High School, New Mexico.

Nursing was the lifelong dream Nona achieved in 1985 from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. A fall in the hospital ended her career. She specialized in Labor and Delivery, Women' Health, Community Education, Perinatal Bereavement, and Nursing Education at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Nona is a member of the Central Region Oklahoma Writers (CROW), the Oklahoma Romance Writer's Guild (OKRWG), the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. (OWFI) and Women Writing the West (WWW). Find and connect with her on her Website, Facebook, FB Author Page, X, and Instagram.

Winter at Journey's End can be found at Amazon for Kindle and in Paperback and other online retailers HERE.

Thank You SO Much, Nona!

That's it for this week friends, Until next week, I'm Wishing You and Yours a Merry Christmas & Blessed & Prosperous New Year.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Hilltop Reunion by Kathleen D. Bailey

Good Mornig,

Before I get into today's spotlight I have GOT to brag on my Alma Mater... The Iowa (Louisiana) YellowJackets made school history yesterday when they brought home the LHSAA State Championship title in a 50-43 win against the N. Desoto Griffins. I am SO proud and excited and happy for our little hometown I can hardly stand it LOL!

GEAUX Jackets 💜💛💜💛💜💛 

Now, on to our regularly scheduled post...

Welcome to another installment in our All Christmas thru Christmas Saturday Spotlight feature! Today's guest is not new to our blog but her novel, Hilltop Reunion is a 2025 release from Elk Lake Publishing.

Thanks for joining us, Kathleen. Please share your book with us...

“Hilltop Reunion” is the sequel to “Hilltop Christmas,” published in 2023. The books take place in tiny Hilltop, New Hampshire, around a three-day Christmas festival meant to emphasize the birth of Christ. Miracles happen at “Festival” – marriages healed, estranged families reunited, faith born or strengthened. Welcome to Hilltop, the Town That Heals. 

Jillian Despres left Hilltop, and Paul McKee’s love, to follow a dream that had no foundation. Can an old love become new again, and can it happen in time for Christmas?

Jillian Despres never wanted to come back to Hilltop, New Hampshire, at the best of times. She’s put every mile she can between the ragged girl receiving the town’s charity and the polished Boston television anchor she’s become. But when the town authorities call her grandfather on his hoarding, Jill has no choice. She lands in Hilltop in time for the renowned Hilltop Christmas Festival, and in the arms of a man she knew was too good for her.

Police Chief Paul McKee has more reason than most to distrust Jillian, and to wish she’d stayed in Boston. But his vow to preserve and protect his community gives him no wiggle room. Whatever his personal feelings, he must champion the woman’s return to Hilltop, at least until she has her grandfather settled and his house put to rights.

When the ugly past threatens to invade this year’s festival, can Paul and Jill depend on the risen Lord to make things right?

Excerpt: Police Chief Paul McKee didn’t deal in “what ifs.” The nature of his job, even in tiny Hilltop, New Hampshire, demanded a certain amount of black-and-white. But at the end of that November day, he couldn’t help wondering. What if Officer Jimmy McGuire hadn’t had the flu and Paul hadn’t taken his shift? What if Paul had raided the overtime budget instead and called in an off-duty officer? What if he’d gotten to that parking space a half hour earlier or a half hour later?

At the end of the day, it might have been better for everyone. But that’s not what happened.

Chapter One

Paul’s long legs moved over the snowy sidewalk as he headed toward the cherry-red Mercedes coupe. He had his citation pad out, his pen poised for the chore he’d done hundreds of times, when he heard light footsteps moving over the packed snow.

A woman stopped beside him, and he caught a peripheral glimpse of a green coat, tall leather boots and a flash of auburn hair. A tourist? It wasn’t really the season.

“Since when does Hilltop have parking fines?”

He was bent over, scribbling the ticket, but he stilled. He knew that voice—sweet but husky, older now, exasperated. No way. Never mind Jimmy, he should have called in sick himself. But Paul McKee didn’t call in sick.

He straightened and looked down into a heart-shaped face and blue eyes framed by long lashes. Great. Just great. “We started giving fines when out-of-towners started thinking they could ignore the handicapped signs.”

“What sign?” Hands on her hips, Jillian Despres dug in for an argument.

“You’re parked on top—”

“If there’s a sign there, it’s covered with ice.”

“The markings on the pavement, fine.” Eyebrows raised, Paul gestured to the small freestanding sign on the sidewalk, its white wheelchair clear against the blue background. “But anyone could have seen that one.”

She flinched, and he saw her begin to shut down, just as she’d done when they were kids.

He willed the compassion away. Jillian wouldn’t know what to do with it anyway. And this wasn’t personal. Was it? It wasn’t, but then she hadn’t made any attempt to smooth things over after she’d publicly thrown the town matriarch under the proverbial bus two years ago.

Paul pretended to concentrate on the ticket he was writing, but failed. “So what brings you back to Hilltop?”

Jillian met his gaze head-on. “You know what.”

He did. But he had to wonder if there was more to her return than the pressing need at her grandfather’s homestead. Half the town watched the Boston wake-up television show she’d anchored, and when she’d suddenly disappeared from it a few months ago, she’d become a topic of speculation again.

Sure, Hilltop stood by its own and took back its fallen, but there had to be better places for Jillian Depres to lick her wounds. Anywhere but here.

He looked down into her exquisite face and told himself he felt nothing. Then he pulled the ticket from his book and handed it to her. “You’ve got thirty days, but I’d get on it sooner. District Court gets real busy around the holidays, and Marcia doesn’t cut any more slack than she ever did.”

~*~ Wonderful! Now give us some information on you and where we can find you and Hilltop Reunion...

Kathleen Bailey is a journalist and novelist with 40 years’ experience in the nonfiction, newspaper and inspirational fields. Born in 1951, she was a child in the 50s, a teen in the 60s, a young adult in the 70s and a young mom in the 80s. It’s been a turbulent, colorful time to grow up, and she’s enjoyed every minute of it and written about most of it. She publishes historical Western fiction with Pelican/White Rose Publishing and contemporary Christmas stories with Elk Lake Publishing. She’s also the co-author of four nonfiction local history books with Arcadia Publishing.

Connect with Kathleen through her Website, on FaceBook, LinkedIn, GoodReads or Amazon. 

Find Hilltop Reunion at Amazon in KU or Paperback

Oh and find my previous visits on this blog Here, Here, Here and Here!

Thank You, Kathleen!

I hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends and that you'll check back weekly for more great authors and their books.

Until next time, Happy Reading!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Judythe Morgan & Christmas Prom Rerun!

Good Morning and Welcome to another edition of our All Christmas thru Christmas Saturday spotlight feature. Our guest today is brand new to our blog so let's roll out the carpet for... Judythe Morgan and her book, Christmas Prom Rerun.

SO happy you could join us, Judythe! Please tell us about yourself and why you wrote, Christmas Prom Rerun...

Thanks for having me, Pam. Proms were always the highlight of my high school years. I loved everything about them—the weeks of planning with the decorating committees, the thrill of transforming a gym into something magical, and the pure excitement of dancing the night away to DJs and live bands. Those nights were night filled with promise and possibility.

Christmas has always been my favorite season, too. The lights, the music, the sense of nostalgia and hope—it all inspires me. So, when I started thinking about a new holiday story, I blended those two joyful worlds together in Christmas Prom Rerun. 

A prom wrapped in holiday sparkle gave me the perfect backdrop for a second-chance romance filled with warmth, memories, and just a little bit of small-town magic.

OH, I hear you! I LOVE the magic of the holiday season! Please share your blurb and excerpt and where we can find Christmas Prom Rerun...

Sure! Here you go...

Blurb: 

Her dreams pulled her to the big city.

His dreams kept him in their small town.

They walked away years ago…

But did their story ever truly end?

Broke, divorced, and back where she started, Shannon O’Leary is quietly rebuilding her life. But her high-school sweetheart, now famous artist Tyler Evans, never left their hometown. Coordinating the Christmas Prom decorations together forces a challenging walk down Memory Lane. As they untangle old lights and tinsel, old feelings sparkle. Will Shannon risk her fragile heart on a second chance with the man she once walked away from?

Excerpt: The next song ended with Holly and Brock standing in front of their table. “I bet Mr. Evans would dance if you asked him, Ms. O’Leary.” Holly gave an exaggerated wink. 

“Or you could dance with me.” Brock held out his hand.

“I’d love to, Brock. Thanks for asking.” Anything to get away from Tyler and the memories. 

“This is an oldie special for all you alumni here tonight. Debbie Gibson’s “Lost in Your Eyes,” the DJ announced. 

The first couple of notes sent a chill down Shannon’s spine. Of all the songs. 

Before she and Brock took a step, Tyler tapped on Brock’s shoulder. “Mind if I cut in? This song’s an old favorite of ours.” 

“No, sir, not at all. I’d hate to waste a slow one on a teacher.” Brock answered.

Tyler tugged Shannon into his embrace. “I’m glad they’ve patched up their differences.” 

His hand tightened around her waist. How could he make small talk while her world just shifted on its axis? 

She had to get a grip on her emotions. 

“They do make a handsome couple, but does anyone truly know what they want at seventeen or eighteen?”

“I did,” he whispered and executed a perfect dip then pulled her even closer.

Her cheeks flamed. She couldn’t see them, but her face sure burned with fire. Without thinking, she burrowed her nose into his chest so no one could see. 

Tyler slid his hand to the middle of her back, squeezing her even tighter. That sent another rush of unwelcome heat. 

What was he doing? No way could he still have feelings for her after all that she’d put him through. Not wanting to make a scene, she pushed away slowly, gently. “I don’t think this sets a very good example,” she said in her best teacher’s voice.

“I’m not doing anything that half the guys on the floor aren’t doing.” He flashed a lethal smile that made her nearly swallow her tongue. 

Shannon looked around. He was right. “Well, we all need a cool down.” She straightened her shoulders and arched to face him. “Isn’t it time to announce the Winter King and Queen? You ready to MC?” 

Anything so he wasn’t touching her.

“Ready.” His cheeks rose in the proverbial cat swallowed the canary grin. She could almost see the yellow feather between his lips. 

What was he up to? 

Christmas Prom Rerun is available at AmazonUS for Kindle (also in KU!) and in Paperback, AmazonUK, AmazonCA, AmazonAU, GoodReads and BookBub

BEAUTIFUL! Now please give us the 'low down' on you 😊

Of course, LOL! Here you go again...

Judythe Morgan is an award-winning, multi-published author who believes stories should offer escape from real life, with strong characters and engaging plots, and satisfying endings, without explicit content.

A lifelong wanderer as an Air Force daughter then an Army wife, Judythe now lives in a small Texas town north of Houston with her husband and their Old English Sheepdog, Finnegan MacCool. They enjoy a busy life with three grown children, eleven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and nine granddogs who keep their lives filled with fun and laughter. 

When she isn’t writing, you’ll likely find her on the porch swing with a glass of sweet tea, reading a book.

Stay connected by subscribing to her free newsletter with subscriber-only sneak peeks at https://judythemorgan.com/contact/ or her blog at https://judythewriter.com 

Follow Judythe at: Amazon, Facebook, BookBub and GoodReads.

Wonderful! Thanks again, Judythe for visiting us and sharing your book in our All Christmas thru Christmas feature here on Saturday Spotlight. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on ALL of your work!

Hope you enjoyed Judythe's visit as much as I did, friends and that you'll check back every week for another episode of Satuday Spotlight.

Until then, take care and God Bless.

PamT