#SaturdaySpotlight is on Tena Stetler & Meringue Snowflake Magic!

 

Good Morning and Welcome to our 2nd edition of "All Christmas thru Christmas 2024!"

Today we're featuring Meringue Snowflake Magic by Tena Stetler. Take it away Tena...

Blurb:

After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Wynter Dahl finds herself with a new name and new home. Whisked into the Witness Protection program she finds herself in the Podunk town of Raven’s Hollow, Colorado. She has more than one secret to keep and is not sure who she can trust, though the deputy sheriff is hard to resist. 

Braydon “Blaze” Nightwing, owns Dragon Fire Pizza and takes his job as deputy sheriff seriously. He means to protect his town and its residents, including the mysterious newcomer. He rescues her after a tumble and finds himself in over his head. He senses she’s more than she seems but so is he. 

When her cover is blown and her life is in danger it will take the whole town to save her and their annual holiday festival and cookie contest. What is Christmas without a little magic?

Excerpt:

The wind had changed direction, and the pretty ice crystals were like tiny needles buffeting her face. She looked up and down Main Street and saw only one stoplight. Finally, she turned around and walked backward for a few yards. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see her street. She started to turn around, her foot slipped on the curb and arms flailing, down she went with a thud. Clutching her precious box of goodies in front of her, they were safe. However, the mug of hot chocolate popped the lid and sent hot chocolate in all directions, including all over her brand new bright-colored parka and the sidewalk. When she tried to get up, each foot went in a different direction, then down she went again. Getting to her knees, she crawled to the sidewalk, carefully got to her feet, and tried to brush the wet snow off. The damp material stuck to her. She began to shiver as the wind whipped around her.

“Hey lady, you all right?” A man stopped his SUV in the middle of the road and jumped out. “That was quite a spill you took.” He smiled wide, picking up her mug and lid. “But I see your goodies from Candi’s place are still intact. Let me give you a ride. You’re going to freeze as wet as your clothes are.” He held out his hand. “Braydon Nightwing, but everyone calls me Blaze. I own the pizza place a few blocks down the way.” 

When she reached for his hand, her arm shook. Her teeth chattered as she tried to say her name. “Wynterrr.”

“It’s warm in my SUV. Please tell me where you’re going. I’ll get you there.” He pried her fingers from the box, helped her over to the vehicle, and opened the passenger door. Warm air rushed out of the SUV, caressing her face.

Please don’t let him be a serial killer. Slowly, she reached behind her and patted her waistband. Shit. Why didn’t I bring my weapon? Getting in a car with a stranger wasn’t smart. But the warmth emanating from the vehicle was inviting. Death by serial killer or freeze. She crawled into the SUV and huddled in front of the heater vents.

*** 

Oh Wow! Sounds like a thrilling read. How did you come up with the idea?

I wanted to write a fun, exciting Christmas Cookie book for the holidays. As I thought about it, a unique small town came to mine with quirky characters. The town of Raven's Hollow was born. Yet, when I finished the book and submitted it, I knew I wasn't done with Raven's Hollow or its people. With Spring headed our way, my imagination took off along with the characters and Raven's Hollow Spring Magic was born. An ancient Jelly Bean machine is involved along with a missing witch and time travel. What could be more fun? If you have a chance check it out too.

***

Wonderful! Where can Meringue Snowflake Magic be found?

Amazon; B&N; Kobo; Ibooks; and other online retailers found HERE.

Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal tales. Some call her crazy others creative. She deals with the voices in her head by writing them down and creating a fantasy world and characters you won’t soon forget.  Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure, magic, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.

Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a fifty-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors. 

Find/Follow Tena at the following Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.tenastetler.com

Authors’ Secret’s Blog - https://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/

My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author

Twitter Page: https://www.twitter.com/TenaStetler

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler

Newsletter: https://www.tenastetler.com/newsletter-signup/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/tenastetler

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tena-stetler

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenastetler/

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tena-stetler-10057978/

Hope you enjoyed Tena's post and that you'll check back weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight and All Christmas thru Christmas 2024.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

Dawn of a New Year by Susan Lyons!

Happy New Year!

Well we've wrapped up another year and as difficult as 2009 was, I'm looking forward to 2010 and finding God's new purpose for me.

Today will be the last of the holiday-themed romances so please welcome once again to the blog, Susan Lyons with her story Dawn of a New Year.

Susan is multi-talented and multi-published under her name and a pseudonym - Susan Fox. You can find out more about her at her website.

“Dawn of a New Year” is a sweet short story from The Wild Rose Press. It’s available as a stand-alone and is also contained in CALENDAR OF LOVE, an anthology of twelve tender romances, one for each month of the year, themed around a holiday or special occasion.

Blurb:
Newly divorced, Ann has special plans for New Year’s: doing exactly what she wants, all on her own. Yet, when her sister, a caterer, makes a last-minute plea for help, Ann can’t say no. She’s no fan of big parties, and the last thing she expects is to meet a kindred spirit. Can Will convince her that alone really isn’t the best way to spend New Year’s?

Excerpt:

And so, rather than slipping into comfy flannel pajamas, Anne found herself donning a tailored white shirt and black skirt, taming her long auburn hair into a neat French braid, and putting on a touch of make-up. Although she regretted the loss of her peaceful evening alone, she really didn’t mind helping her sister.

She’d done it enough times that she was comfortable with Jean’s staff. In fact, it was fun, bantering back and forth with the others as they did prep work in the client’s impressive kitchen.

When the guests began to arrive, Anne straightened her black and white apron with its embroidered We Cater to You logo, and picked up a platter of yummy-looking appetizers. “Into the fray.”

As she circulated, smiling politely, she studied the partygoers and felt immensely relieved to be one of the staff, not a guest. This wasn’t her kind of scene. She preferred meaningful one-on-one conversations, not this animated, almost frenetic socializing. She watched as women flitted around the room, tossing their hair back, laughing too loud, exchanging a few words, giving another artificial laugh, then moving on. Oh yes, everyone was determined to have fun tonight – or at least give the impression they were having fun.

When she caught herself shaking her head in pity, she hurriedly plastered the smile back on her face.

That was when she saw him. He was clad in a tux like most of the other men, but managed to look casual rather than stiff. If she assessed his features one by one – dark brown hair, rather prominent nose, determined jaw – she’d have to say they were nothing special, and yet they went together particularly well. Besides, there was something arresting about him. Perhaps it was because he was alone, unmoving, leaning one shoulder against a wall and watching the bustle that swirled around him.

Although he didn’t look nervous she wondered if perhaps he was a stranger to the group, and feeling out of place. Anne could imagine herself in the same position, if she’d accepted Caitlin’s New Year’s Eve invitation.

Maybe she was being fanciful. Likely he’d come with one of those pretty party women, and was just taking a breather from the action.

Still, if he was feeling uncomfortable, wasn’t it part of her job to help put him at ease? That was all she was doing, she told herself as she slipped through the crowd and headed over to him. It really had nothing to do with how attractive she found him.

When she was halfway there, his gaze fixed on her, making her feel self-conscious – but in a nice, feminine way she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She cleared her throat. “Good evening. May I offer you an appetizer?”

Most people immediately looked down at the tray and made a selection, but this man continued to study her face. From someone else, the prolonged attention might have seemed rude, but somehow this man made her feel as if he was really seeing her, as if he was interested in knowing her.

Now there she went, being fanciful again! Embarrassed she ducked her head and moved the tray another inch or two closer to him.

When she glanced up again, he was smiling. The smile was friendly and genuine, unlike the superficial ones she’d been seeing all evening.

Well Friends, I hope you've enjoyed these holiday-themed romances and purchased a whole bunch for your reading pleasure.

Stay tuned to find out what's happening in my life as I continue my journey from wife to widow to individual.

Saturday spotlight will resume next weekend. Thanks for sticking with me throughout this difficult and life-altering year ~ hope to see you again and often!

Until later....Be Blessed.

PamT

Saturday Spotlight Linda Swift!

Hey Friends,

This week's spotlight is Linda Swift with two holiday reads!

Linda Swift is a native of Kentucky but has been a nomad all of her life. She currently lives in Florida with her real-life hero, a power plant consultant who keeps her "grounded." She is the misfit in a family of musicians which includes her husband, and son, daughter and son-in-law who live in Music City, USA. Even her precious Lhasa apso granddog growls on key.

In her other life, she went to school forever and was a counselor and psychometrist in public education. "I would not have missed any of my life experiences, " she says emphatically, " because they have given me the insight I need to write. Linda has been writing since she was ten and is an award winning author of published poetry, articles, and short stories and had a play produced on WPSD-TV, an NBC affiliate. But her passion has been writing novels since her first books were published in 1994. Due to a mid-list crisis, she has had an unplanned hiatus which now has a happy ending. Visit Linda at www.lindaswift.net

Kala's position as tour guide at a Kentucky Welcome Center isn't enough to cope with huge debts left by her late husband's illness, but she manages to make ends meet . . until her car quits running. To save money on repairs, she enrolls in an auto-mechanic class taught by Rex, a handsome part-time instructor whose broken heart needs repairing, too. After recently losing his important job and family, he has sworn never to get involved with another woman.

Kala discounts her growing attraction to Rex when she learns he is years younger, until the winter storm of the century throws them together. When the Interstate closes down, Kala opens her home to a houseful of strangers. Despite fire, flood, and friction, she creates an old-fashioned holiday rich in the true spirit of Christmas. In the process, Kala and Rex discover the greatest gift of love.

Let Nothing You Dismay is available now from The Wild Rose Press along with a few more of Linda's books!

Leigh and Russell have not seen each other in years when they come to Kentucky to spend the holidays with Leigh's Grandmother Amelia. Russell's own grandmother lived next door until her death and they had been in love before Russell left for college. Leigh waited for his return but to her disappointment, he never came back.

When they meet again, the attraction between them is stronger than before but many complications exist. Leigh's husband and young son were killed in a car accident in upstate New York. She blames herself for her son's death and vows never to be a mother again. She left her elementary teaching job and moved to Florida where she now sells real estate. Russell is a successful building contractor in Arizona, a divorced father of two, whose wife just remarried and will be moving overseas. She has offered custody of their girls, four and eleven, to him and he must decide now.

When Russell asks Leigh to marry him, she thinks he needs a mother for his children and doesn't want the job. Will he be willing to say no to custody in order to get Leigh to say yes? Can she become Russell's wife if it means depriving him of his beloved daughters?

The Twelve Days of Christmas is available from Awe Struck Ebooks!

Another week down and one more to go until Christmas, Folks - Are you ready?

Until later Be Blessed!

PamT

All I Want for Christmas.....

Is to be more like Jesus!

Welcome back friends to another spotlight on a holiday romance - this time All I Want for Christmas by Cindy K Green.

Cindy K. Green is a multi-published author with degrees in History and Education. Previously a middle school English & History teacher, she now homeschools her own children and writes in several genres: Inspirational, Contemporary, Suspense, Fantasy and Historical romance. No matter what she writes, she always throws in a bit of humor and fun. Find out more about Cindy and her books at www.cindykgreen.com and http://cindykgreen.blogspot.com/. To join her newsletter email her at newsletters@cindykgreen.com, and she will send you out all three parts of her FREE READ serial, “Valentine’s Challenge.”

Best Friends or True Love? Only Santa Knows.

Kathryn Graham hates Christmas. She hates the snow, the decorations, the whole nine yards. Nick Pringle on the other hand can’t get enough of the season. He may be her best friend and fellow writer at Redburn Weekly Magazine, but sometimes his exuberance gets on her very last nerve. Now they’ve been assigned to cover the orphan toy drive story. It’s just a puff piece not the serious journalism Kathryn hopes for, but maybe—as Nick says—there are no old stories just new angles.

Nick Pringle has been in love with Kathryn practically since the day they met. When he realizes that she’s lost her Christmas spirit, he figures he’s just the guy to help her find it again. He enacts a plan to send her anonymous gifts from Secret Santa, but will any of this really make a difference in her? Will she ever see him as anything more than her smart-aleck partner even after their passionate kisses? Then again maybe he’ll get what he wants for Christmas after all.

Excerpt: Halfway through the film, Nick’s fingers brushed over Kathryn’s wrist and a surge whipped through her like an electrical charge. His hand ended up on her knee, and he leaned over close to her ear. “You have any more of those Milkduds?”

“Huh?” Oh, candy. He just wanted more snacks. Well, of course, what other reason would he have for touching her like that?

“Here,” she whispered and held out the container to him.

His face remained close to hers, his warm hand still molded to the shape of her knee. She accidentally moved in too close and her forehead bumped his cheek. Looking up at him, Kathryn saw he wasn’t smiling. His eyes had grown serious and all thoughts of candy dissipated. His attention dropped to her mouth and suddenly Kathryn couldn’t swallow. Could he possibly be considering kissing her? Just then, he turned his attention back to the movie and lifted his hand from her knee.

An unexplainable inclination took over as Kathryn pushed his hand back to her knee. His face whipped back to her. Questions filled his features. His chest moved up and then down. He smoothed his hand over her pants from her knee to her thigh and back again. Her skin pebbled under the material at his touch. This was soon followed by heat tingling from her stomach to the tips of her toes.

She leaned in towards him and he met her halfway. And just like that their lips met. Giddiness spun through Kathryn’s head with sparks tingling her skin. The kiss was light and sweet yet searing all at once. Lucidity began to return to her the next moment. What was she doing? Oh, right, she was kissing Nick Pringle. She was kissing a co-worker. Worse yet, she was making out with her best friend. What was she thinking? She had to stop and yet it was the last thing she wanted to do.

The whole idea was ludicrous. An outrageous act and yet somehow her body’s sole response was that it wanted more. Whoa! Had it been that long since she’d had a date? Time to reign in those annoying hormones which threatened to take over her sanity.

She broke off the kiss and rested her hand against his chest. She could feel his heart speeding at the rate of a train. A train wreck is more like it. Ay-yi-yi! How was she going to get herself out of this one?

All I Want for Christmas is available now from Champagne Books!

Whew, my bank balance is going to suffer LOL!

That wraps up another holiday romance spotlight - join me Saturday for TWO more great holiday reads!

Until then.....BE BLESSED!

The Priceless Gift by Anna K Lanier

Well the countdown has really begun - only 10 more days until Christmas! Hope you're enjoying the shopping and parties - Personally as much fun as they are, they're also exhausting - and this year tinged with sadness.

One way I escape is with a good book!

Keeping this in mind I'm continuing with my spotlights on Holiday Themed Romances and today Anna K. Lanier is back with her book, The Priceless Gift.

Anna Kathryn lives in Texas with her husband and three cats. She wrote her first stories in high school, and a few romances in her early twenties, but then put the writing bug to bed for a while as she raised her two daughters. In 2001 she got the bit by the bug again and started writing, two novels in six months. Needless to say, they are very unpublishable, but they were finished and gave her the kick in the butt she needed. Over the next few years she wrote another novel and started in on short stories. She now has seven shorts published, including The Wild Rose Press best seller THE PRICELESS GIFT. Find out more about Anna and her work at her website.

The last thing Christina Scott expects Santa to bring her is a sexy—and very familiar—cowboy. Gavin Holloway’s just as shocked to discover she’s the woman he’s sent to pick up from the airport for a Christmas visit with her brother. They'd spent one hot week together months ago—a week where they both left their identities and individual problems behind. Neither ever expected a reunion.

Little do they know, Santa's elf has more than coal up his sleeve. Ho ho ho and a badgering we'll go before reindeer two-step on their rooftop and deliver THE PRICELESS GIFT that will leave their snowy days sizzling.

Unedited excerpt: After they hung up, Christina took a relaxing shower. Just as she slipped into a pair of Jacob’s sweatpants someone pounded on the front door. Only one person would disturb her peace in such a manner. She slipped into the matching overlarge sweatshirt, wrapped a towel around her wet hair and went downstairs.

The pounding didn’t stop until she opened the door. Gavin stood huffing and puffing on the porch.

“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling for the past fifteen minutes.” He pushed past her and tramped into the great room.

She shut the door and followed.

“I was taking a shower. So sorry I didn’t get your permission first.”

He whirled on her and his dark eyes grazed over her body. She stood transfixed, remembering, as she was sure he was, the several showers they’d taken together while on the cruise.

She hugged her arms around herself. “Did you want something?”

“Jacob called and said the roads were too bad for him to make it in tonight. I wanted to make sure you were all right and knew where the emergency supplies were.” He slipped out of his coat and tossed it on a nearby chair.

“Jacob said the generator was outside.”

“Yeah, it is. I’ll come over and start it if you need it. But if the electricity goes out, it’s best just to hunker down in front of the fireplace.”

His aftershave triggered memories of sensual nights, while his jeans hugged his hips and legs like a second skin. Naked images of him caused desire to whip through her only to pool low in her belly.

He went to the den and opened a closet. “Jacob keeps the supplies in here.”

She stood in the doorway and nodded. She had no desire to get within touching distance. If she did, she just might do something really stupid, like kiss him.

His handsome face rose and he sniffed. “What smells so good?”

You. She shook off the arousing thoughts.

“I baked. It’s a family tradition.” She started for the kitchen. “I made plenty. You can take some home.” Leave and stop being a temptation.

He fell into step behind her. When she reached for the plastic bags, his hand gripped her arm and whipped her around. Before she could react, his lips were hot and demanding on her own. She opened her mouth, eager to taste what she knew so well.

Well, if THAT doesn't warm you up on a cold winter's night LOL! Along with Anna's other titles, The Priceless Gift is available now from The Wild Rose Press.

Check back often because I'm spotlighting more great holiday romances all month long!

Until later....take care, be safe in your travels, BE BLESSED and remember....Along with the celebration of our Lord's birth - Christmas is an attitude.

Saturday Spotlight - Elaine Cantrell!

Hello Friends!

I'm off to a family Christmas Party today but wanted to drop in and share with you another holiday romance.

Please welcome to our spotlight - Elaine Cantrell with her book, The Best Selling Toy of the Season.

Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina. She has a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services from Clemson University and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary sorority for women educators. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America. She is married to her college sweetheart and has two sons and three grandchildren. The Best Selling Toy Of The Season is her fifth novel. You can visit Elaine at her web site, http://www.elainecantrell.com; at http://www.myspace.com/elainecantrell; and at http://www.morganmandelbooks.ning.com/profile/ElaineCantrell.

Who’d want to be Nikki Lane? Sure, she’s beautiful, but her family isn’t much. She isn’t married either, and supporting her two boys on a minimum wage job has cost her more than one sleepless night.

Tommy Price is everything Nikki isn’t. He lives on James Street, the best street in town. Naturally, his rich, influential family has a suitable woman picked out for him to marry.

Tommy and Nikki’s two diverse worlds literally collide one evening at the discount store where Nikki works, giving both of them a glimpse into a life they never knew existed. Can the growing attraction between them bridge the vast gulf which separates them, or will their romance end before it even begins?

This book is available now from www.midnightshowcase.com

Well Friends, that wraps up another edition of Saturday Spotlight and another holiday romance! Check back next week for more of the same.

Until later..... Be Blessed and remember ~ Jesus is the reason for EVERY season!

Holiday Romance - A Cowboy's Dream by Anna K Lanier

Today is Bayou Writers' Group's Christmas party so I'm off and running! But before I head out, I want to share with you another holiday romance. But first, a little about the author....

Anna Kathryn lives in Texas with her husband and three cats. She wrote her first stories in high school, and a few romances in her early twenties, but then put the writing bug to bed for a while as she raised her two daughters. In 2001 she got the bit by the bug again and started writing, two novels in six months. Needless to say, they are very unpublishable, but they were finished and gave her the kick in the butt she needed. Over the next few years she wrote another novel and started in on short stories. She now has seven shorts published, including The Wild Rose Press best seller A COWBOY'S DREAM.

Learn more about Anna Kathryn at her website, www.aklanier.com. She keeps fairly active on her blog, too www.annakathrynlanier.blogspot.com, where she hosts other authors, posts recipes and gives a history lesson each week.

Author Leah Smith has fantasized about her neighbor, Houston’s pro baseball player Marcus Slade, for years, but thinks it’s unlikely she’d catch the cowboy’s interest since her IQ is bigger than her bra size. Having already been hurt by a man who wanted size over substance, she’s not in a hurry to play in that ball field again.

When an unexpected opportunity gets Marcus inside his favorite author’s apartment, he’s not about to let a second chance at love pass him by. Their attraction is quick and electric and has him instantly thinking about something more long-term. But when a woman from his past intrudes, his hopes of a cozy Christmas with Leah are buried beneath her cold shoulder. Risking a strikeout, Marcus has one chance left...go for the grand slam of his life and crash Leah's annual Christmas Eve party in hopes of convincing her she’s this Cowboy’s Dream.

Excerpt: The mouthwatering scents of seared steak wafted around Leah as Marcus escorted her into the world famous Kemah Boardwalk Steak House. Her stomach grumbled, a reminder she hadn’t eaten since early morning.

The hostess greeted Marcus by name and smiled warmly at her. Leah glanced at him, wondering how often he came to the restaurant. Celebration dinners should be rare, not weekly—unless you found an excuse to celebrate every little thing. But what made them special then?

She slid into the booth and mentally shook her head. No matter what Marcus did in the past, this was her celebratory dinner. She smiled as he sat opposite her and determined to enjoy his company for as long as she had it..

The hostess handed them menus. “Would you like something from the bar, Mr. Slade?”

Marcus placed his Stetson beside him on the booth cushion and raised a brow at her.

“Whatever they have on tap will be fine,” she said.

He grinned and nodded. “Two beers, please.”

Glancing at his ‘celebration clothing,” she was glad she’d summed him up right. She’d nearly put on the $900 designer gown she planned to wear to next month’s charity fund raiser and made her look hot as hell, but at the last minute went over what she knew about pro ball player Marcus Slade. Celebrity though he may be, he was obviously still a cowboy at heart. Instead of the silk and satin confection, she pulled on blue jeans and simple blouse . She matched his jeans and western-styled shirt quite well.

Leah opened the menu and looked it over. “You’re a man after my own heart. There’s nothing better to celebrate with than a beer and a good steak.”

He jerked back as if surprised. “You mean to say you’ll actually order a steak?”

“Well, of course.” She laughed, brushing her hair behind her ear. “What’s the point of going to a steak house and not ordering a steak?”

He opened his mouth, but then shut it for a moment before uttering, “Truth be told, most of the women I know don’t eat much meat.”

That was no surprise. Most of the women she’d seen him with were the size of twigs—except in the bosom area—and probably ate weeds.

“Well, I hope you brought along your charge card, because I haven’t eaten much today and I’m starving. I plan to get a really big steak with all the fixings to celebrate.”

Marcus laughed. “Honey, the day I can’t afford to buy a pretty lady a steak is the day I’ll hang it up for good.”

Her heart fluttered at the endearment. Sure, it was common enough for Texans to drop honey and darling like hello and good-bye, but still, hearing it from Marcus made her insides quiver.

He wagged his brows, then glanced down to study his menu. She released a small sigh. Since she was a Roughrider’s fan and had held season tickets for year, she’d known who Marcus was before he moved into The Towers. To say she had a crush on him was probably an understatement, but she’d never suffered from delusions, either. Leah Smith, plain, average daughter of nomad archeologists just wasn’t the type of woman the major league outfielder dated. As much as she wished she differently, she shouldn’t read more into this ‘date’ than what it was—a friendly, celebratory meal.

Sounds like another great romance to relax with between shopping trips. Join me again next week for more!

Until later....take care, Be Blessed and remember....Every day is a gift from God - that's why it is called the present - so enjoy each new day you're given!

Holiday Romance - Almost Home by Carla Rossi!

Hello Friends!

Today we continue spotlighting Holiday Romances with Carla Rossi and her novel Almost Home.

Carla Rossi has written everything from Christmas Pageants and school newsletters, to poetry, stage plays, and Christian music. After another thousand pages of humorous essays about friends and family, she completed a novel. In 2004, she joined RWA and her local chapter, and set about the business of learning to write romance. When she’s not squirreled away in her office with her writing partner – a Main Coon cat – she’s adding piano, bass and vocals to her church’s worship band. She has three grown children and lives north of Houston with her husband and the muse cat.

Carla is the author of two inspirational romances, Limited Light and Almost Home, and two inspirational short stories, Under the 5^th Street Bridge and It Happened One Hurricane. Under the 5^th Street Bridge was a winner in White Rose Publishing’s Easter Lilies Contest, and Almost Home, a holiday romance, landed in the HOLT Medallion Top Five and was a finalist in the WisRWA Write Touch Readers’ Award Contest.

Check out Carla’s blog at http://authorcarlarossi.blogspot.com or contact her at authorcarlarossi@yahoo.com. All current stories are available at whiterosepublishing.com.

The perfect road trip: 2 strangers, 1 truck, and 1500 miles to fall in love.

Detective Justin Hatcher and Cameron McAlister are in a hurry to leave North Carolina-for totally different reasons. He wants to confront his family about a five-year-old betrayal. She wants to escape the remnants of a failed marriage.

Thrown together as unlikely and unexpected travel partners, their trip is filled with both dramatic and humorous situations along the road. But, with God's constant hand in their journey, can Justin and Cameron discover that...

Yes, you can go home again...especially at Christmastime.

Mistletoe Rules by Stacey Joy Netzel

Hello Friends,

Hope your Thanksgiving was blessed and happy! I'll be home from Nashville today. Isn't it funny how anxious we are to go, but how good it is to be home?

Today's spotlight is an anthology by author Stacey Joy Netzel ~ Mistletoe Rules.

Stacey Joy Netzel fell in love with books at a young age, so for her it seemed only natural to graduate to writing them. A member of RWA and WisRWA, she credits not only her parents for encouraging her dreams of becoming a published author, but also the very talented friends she’s made in WisRWA since joining in 2004. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and kids, a couple of horses, and six barn cats. When not writing and living life in general, she loves to read and watch movies—Happily Ever After’s a must. Published books with The Wild Rose Press include: If Tombstones Could Talk, Welcome to Redemption (Champagne Rose anthology with Donna Marie Rogers), Dragonfly Dreams, and Chasin’ Mason. You can visit her at www.StaceyJoyNetzel.com.

Here's the blurb for all 3 stories in the anthology: MISTLETOE RULES

Christmas Recipe for Love — combine a matchmaking Santa, lots of mistletoe, one iron-clad rule, fated hearts; mix and stir. The Riley siblings don’t stand a chance.

Christmas in July at the zoo is the last place single parents Eric Riley and Marissa Wilder expect to find love. Thanks to a little Mistletoe Mischief in the form of their two young daughters and Santa, they discover that Mistletoe Rules are not made to be broken.

Major Mark Riley plays Court Jester to Janelle Walsh's Snow Queen at the Christmas Parade and is instantly captivated by the cute redhead whose grandpa just happens to be Santa. When Mark discovers she's the tenant he evicted from his newly purchased property, it's going to take a little bit of Santa's Mistletoe Magic to save their romance.

When Lisa Riley comes home for Mark's Christmas Eve wedding, her high school rivalry with Janelle’s cousin, Derek Walsh, picks up right where it left off, only this time Derek's got the upper hand. Santa bides his time as these two battle it out because he's waited all year for this Mistletoe Match-up.

Mistletoe Rules is available now from The Wild Rose Press! and while you're there, check out Stacey's other titles.

Well Friends, if you're in the mood to read I'll be spotlighting holiday-themed romances for another week or two so check back often!

Until later....take care, be Blessed and remember to keep the holidays holy days.

Pamela S Thibodeaux

"Inspirational with an Edge!" TM

Upcoming Holidays & Cata Network Single Titles

Hello Friends,

Thanksgiving is a week away and I'm sure you understand why I'm not overwhelmed with enthusiasm over the upcoming holidays ~ this is compounded by the fact that my beloved's birthday is Nov. 29th. Alas, life goes on and I know I'll go on with it and God's grace will get me through.

This said, I may not be writing too many personal posts over the next several weeks - but what I AM going to do is highlight a special holiday romance!

Beginning Nov. 24th with Cindy K Green's new release, Snow Kissed - along with 2 previouly scheduled Sat. Spotlights - I will introduce you to a different holiday-themed story three times a week through Jan. 8th.

So, if you find yourself stressed from the hustle and bustle, relax and enjoy a good book or story that will inspire you.

Now on to more news!

Cata Network has revamped their Single Titles website ~ They've got lots of book excerpts, reviews, and author interviews. Whatever genre(s) you love, chances are you'll find something at Single Titles to read. Stop by soon ~ http://www.singletitles.com

Oh, don't forget, the White Rose Authors are at Coffee Time Romance Reader's Retreat ALL MONTH LONG! So run over and check out the fun.

Well that's about it for now. Until later....take care and Be Blessed!
PamT