Living the Dream

The Authors’ Billboard has your perfect story this year. Over 100 romance novels, novellas, or short stories to make your Christmas reading a great experience. You can check them all out at https://authorsbillboard.com/book-bites/

In Dear Santa, A Christmas Wish, you’ll find What Dottie Wants.

Do you believe in Christmas magic?

When life gave Ronnie Daniels lemons, instead of lemonade, the single mother learned to make Lemon Drops.

This Christmas, times are tougher than ever, and Ronnie’s number one priority is making the holiday as normal as possible for her five-year-old daughter. All Dottie wants from Santa is a Famous American Ballerina doll. The problem is not only are they expensive, but they’re impossible to find.

After another failed attempt to secure one of the dolls, in her frustration, Ronnie sends a scathing letter to the company, Thomas Toys. As the doll’s manufacturer, one advertising a product they don’t have on hand and can’t deliver before Christmas, it’s their fault that her daughter’s dreams won’t come true.

When the company’s new CEO comes into the bar to apologize for the mishap and try to make amends, Ronnie refuses to listen to him, not just because of Dottie, but they have a complicated history. Determined to fix this, Wyatt doesn’t back down, and before long the doll isn’t the only thing Dottie wants for Christmas. But can Ronnie let bygones be bygones?

In Unforgettable Christmas Joy: Hopes and Promises, you’ll find His Christmas Family.

Since losing his wife, children, and parents six years ago to a drunk driver, Lee Ostler stopped celebrating the holidays, especially Christmas. But he isn’t a modern day Scrooge by any means. Because his parents would’ve wanted it, he does his duty by his employees at Ostler Construction, the Payton Falls community, and his sister and her family, but that’s it.

When Sonia has to leave the country for a few weeks before Christmas, she begs him to watch the twins for her. Even if it means, parades, pageants, and fairs, how can he refuse? But things get complicated when the twins accidentally injure one of his employees, who turns out to be the shy girl he admired years ago in high school.

Life has dealt Laurie Wilson a lot of blows, but this year, the widowed mother of four has hit rock bottom. How will she give her children a magical Christmas when the cupboard’s bare, her wallet’s empty, she can’t work, and may well lose the roof over their heads? She needs a miracle, and if he happens to be her boss and the former high school quarterback she was too terrified to even speak to back then, how can she say no?

Can Christmas magic bring two broken souls together?

If you like suspense with your Christmas reading, then let me suggest Murder & Mistletoe.

Going home for Christmas can be deadly.
Candy Kayne agrees to go to Black Oaks, the Georgia plantation her ancestor reluctantly left after the Civil War, to meet the family she’s never known and help Steve set a trap for his wife’s killer. Even the wildest tales have a kernel of truth in them and as she learns more about the family’s history, she realizes that coming here may have been the biggest mistake of her life.
Losing Amy almost destroyed Steve Anderson, but when Candy steps into his life, her sweetness chases the dark gloom away. But when he realizes the man who murdered his wife may have set his sights on Candy, he’ll do whatever he has to in order to keep her safe.

If you would like second chance romances, the how about Come Home for Christmas?

This past year has been a miserable one for Krista Jacobs, and what’s going to make it even worse is having to spend Christmas at Seven Oaks, the Alberta ranch that was her home until her uncle tossed her out on her ear before her nineteenth birthday. But Uncle Charles is gone and has left her something in his will—something she can only have if she spends Christmas at the ranch with Ethan Terrance, her step-cousin, and the man she’d hoped to marry ten years ago.
When Charles Terrance died, the last thing Ethan expected to discover was that not only had his dad sabotaged his relationship with Krista, he’d cheated her out of the inheritance that should’ve been hers ten years ago. Since Ethan’s never been able to forget the woman he loved, he’ll do whatever he has to in order to make things right—including having his lawyer send her a request she can’t ignore. Krista has to come home for Christmas.

Or perhaps you’d like to give Holiday Magic a try?

Seeing is believing, or is it? Georgia Baxter loved everything about Christmas until she walked in on her fiancé in bed with another woman. Wounded and heart sore, she canceled her Christmas Eve fantasy wedding and fled to New York City, leaving everything and everyone, including her twin sister, Eleni, behind. Three years later, still hurting but knowing it’s time to move on, she agrees to come home to help her sister, despite the fact she’ll be doing so at a time of year she now associates only with pain and betrayal. Discovering she’ll have to work closely with the man who shattered her dreams only makes things harder, especially when her body craves his touch. Mark Anderson has no memory of his bachelor party other than waking up naked in the wrong woman’s bed. He clings to the hope someday he can convince Georgia to give him a second chance, but until she’s ready to listen, it won’t happen. Discovering she’s coming home to manage Holiday Magic for three months may be his lucky break. Is there enough magic left in Christmas to help them overcome the past?

And if you want to know what happens to Georgia’s twin, Eleni, grab a copy of The Perfect Choice.

All’s fair in love and war…or is it?
Eleni Baxter has always been the impulsive twin requiring rescue from one scheme or another. Avoiding relationships because of trust issues, Eleni throws herself into her wedding and party fantasy firm, Holiday Magic. When her designs for a Halloween decorating scheme win her a shot at being the exclusive special events coordinator for the Ocean Front Casino Resort, she jumps at it, without reading the fine print. As always, twin sister Georgia comes to the rescue.
Reclusive millionaire casino owner Garth Joseph Smits Simmons has shunned publicity and gold-diggers for as long as he can remember, hiding behind a series of disguises to protect his identity. When beautiful, talented special events coordinator Eleni Baxter walks into his life, he’s determined to find a way to make her fall in love with him without revealing his true identity. Designing a contract to hire her and keep her in close proximity for three months seems like a stroke of genius, but having a double life becomes more complicated than ever.
With the holiday season in full swing, Joe decides it’s time to come clean, but will the magic of the holiday season be enough for Eleni to forgive him his deception, or will he lose it all on one throw of the dice?

There’s enough magic out there to make every Christmas romance reader’s holidays special even this year!

Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? If not, today’s the day! Unforgettable Christmas Joy: Hopes and Promises is available exclusively at all Amazon online retailers.

Dreams CAN come true at Christmas.

Join these heroes and heroines in their search for love and joy at this special time of year. Whether it’s in the wilds of Alaska under the Northern Lights, in towns, offices, or hospitals across the land, or on cruise ships under tropical skies, the magic of Christmas will make this the most wonderful time of the year.

Nine New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors have crafted stories of love and joy, ranging from sweet to spicy, the perfect box set to read with your favorite holiday beverage. So, whether your Christmas means snow, sand, or something in between, you’re sure to enjoy the romance and joy found in the pages of Unforgettable Christmas Joy: Hope and Promises.

Sweet Christmas: Mimi Barbour, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: Will she destroy her first real Christmas because she’s never been in love or experienced that holiday before?

Christmas Love: Natalie Ann, USA Today Bestselling Author: What happens when even the strongest are blinded by insecurities?

His Christmas Family: Susanne Matthews, International Bestselling Author: Can Christmas magic bring two broken souls together and fill six lives with joy?

Scrooge Falls In Love: Leanne Banks, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: Millionaire Stock Jock Justin Langdon experiences Scrooge-like dreams that make him re-think his independent lifestyle after new adoptive mom Amy Monroe saves his life.

Holiday By The Sea: Traci Hall, USA Today Bestselling Author: Opposites attract. Can they find a way to make the most unlikely of relationships work?

A Heavenly Christmas: Patrice Wilton, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: Can the magic of love mend a young woman’s heart?

Alaskan Christmas: Jen Talty, USA Today Bestselling Author: He was the second date that should have lasted a lifetime.

Honeymoon Cruise: Mona Risk, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: The perfect fiancé is a cheater and the fabulous Christmas wedding is off. But the would-be honeymoon cruise may fulfill the dreams of Julia and her unexpected companion.

Bittersweets Christmas – Arvin and Tina: Suzanne Jenkins, USA Today Bestselling Author: What does a Jewish neurologist and a Muslim ER physician have in common? LOVE! And how will they celebrate Christmas? All romance, all the time.

Here’s a sneak peek at His Christmas Family.

Chapter One

Jennifer Wilson sat back and ran her hands through her long, honey-brown hair, hoping to ease the stress headache that had become her constant companion these past few weeks. She stifled a yawn. How many more sleepless nights could she endure?

Removing her glasses, she rubbed the bridge of her nose. One of the plastic nose pads had broken, leaving the pad clamp to dig into her tender skin. Last week, she’d had to super glue the left temple, too. Given her current finances, purchasing new glasses was way down the list.

After turning off her computer, she straightened her desk and removed her pride and joy from the drawer, a Michael Kors knock-off bag she’d purchased in Minneapolis before leaving to come back home. She stood and stretched.

“You aren’t seriously going out to lunch in this?” Cassie shook her head. “I’ve got lasagna to spare. It’s not as good as yours, but you’re welcome to half of it.”

The friendly brunette was one of the few people Jenn had reconnected with two years ago when she’d moved back to Payton Falls. She’d found comfort in the familiar places of her childhood, despite the fact she shied away from socializing.

“You might be so used to living in that cold, drafty old house that you don’t notice the icky weather, but the rest of us do,” she added.

Cassie hadn’t been thrilled with the Henderson house Jenn had rented and recently purchased. Yes it was draughty, but since it was the only five bedroom house she could afford, they would make do—just as they always had.

There was little call for a pâtissier, a pastry chef, in Payton Falls, so thanks to Cassie’s help, she’d found a job at Ostler Construction. The company paid well and provided its employees with top-notch benefits. Her job as payroll clerk might not thrill the creative side of her, but it beat waiting tables at Cal’s Catfish Café in Floodwood, or cocktail waitressing at The Viking Bar and Grill, where the patrons considered the staff part of the menu.

“Thanks, Cassie, but I’m off for the afternoon. I cleared it with Mrs. Morris. I’ll be working through my lunch hours next week to make up the time. I have to take Fiona to the clinic to see Dr. Jeffries. They’re squeezing me in between patients, so who knows how long the wait will be. Her ears acted up again last night, and I had to leave her with the sitter again this morning.” Another unexpected expense.

“Poor baby—”

Jenn raised her hand, palm out to stop Cassie’s next comment. “Don’t go blaming the house. I’ve already spoken to the doctor about it, and he assures me that there’s no correlation between her earaches and home. If there were, the rest of us would be sick, too. And speaking of the weather, you’re getting soft in your old age. This is just a little wind and rain.” She smiled at her best friend. “I spent ten years in Chicago and then six more in Minnesota, remember? I’ve got this. Besides, despite what they say about climate change, the weather was just as bad, if not worse, when we were kids. Can you remember a single Halloween when we didn’t have snow?”

“I guess,” Cassie agreed, but her face said she wasn’t convinced.

Jenn exchanged her recently re-heeled black leather pumps for her worn knee-high boots, something else she’d planned to replace. Unfortunately, Mike had needed new basketball shoes. Her feet would be soaking wet by the time she got home this afternoon, but it couldn’t be helped. The kids came first—they always had, and they always would.

“I need to pick up the tablets I ordered for the kids at Carter’s. It’s in-store shopping only, but I called and begged, so Mrs. C. set four aside for me, but I have to get into the store before five. Cassie, they’re half the price they normally are. I won’t get a better deal ever. I’ll go over there as soon as I get Fiona back to Lucy’s, and then stop to pick up another prescription and a few groceries.”

Before agreeing to buy the house, Jenn had crunched the numbers carefully, and with her budget as tight as it was, she couldn’t keep adding to it the way she had been lately. As it was, her meager savings’ account was bleeding money on a regular basis, and would be bone dry within months.

“Mrs. Carter’s great. There are too few family run businesses left.” Cassie grinned. “Don’t forget to grab a sandwich or something while you’re out. You’ve lost weight again. The one thing those kids of yours don’t need is a sick mother.”

Jenn’s cheeks heated. There’d only been enough oatmeal for the kids this morning, and last night, she’d run out of meatloaf before the kids had run out of appetite.

“You’re preaching to the choir.” She shook her head. “Most people would consider me fashionably slender,” she argued, knowing her friend was right. Her clothes hung on her, and she couldn’t afford new ones. Ironic, wasn’t it? She would’ve given her eyeteeth to be this svelte at sixteen—might even have made the cheerleading squad.

“There’s slender, and there’s downright skinny—which is where you’re heading. I don’t get it. You do all that baking for the social committee, and yet you never eat any of it. Are all chefs that way? I can understand it. I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for the family, and the last thing I wanted to do was eat any of it, but there was no way I would pass up that pumpkin cheesecake you made me. It was the best I’ve ever tasted.”

You can read more by purchasing the set or reading it for free with your Kindle Unlimited membership. https://www.amazon.com/Unforgettable-Christmas-Joy-Hope-Promises-ebook/dp/B08MTJY23B

Welcome to another Tuesday Tales, the weekly blog where a small group of authors share their works in progress with you. This week, we are writing to the word prompt SICK. That word is far too familiar these days as so many struggle with their physical or emotional health. Posts to word prompts are 400 words long.

I’m continuing with The White Dahlia, Book Four of The Harvester Files.

Exhausted, Beth ignored the crowd and crossed the street, eager to get away from the paparazzi. Somehow, they always seemed to be where no one wanted them. Glancing down at her watch, she saw that it was almost six. Her shift was over at eight, but she had at least an hour’s worth of reports to complete, and no doubt, if Lieutenant Harris got wind of this before she left, he would want to talk to her.

“Hey, Beth. Wait up.” Her sick stomach threatened to empty itself once more as she recognized the voice she’d hope never to hear again.

Calculating the odds as to whether or not she could get to her car and make a fast exit, she frowned. Not unless she wanted to run the bastard over—and as much as that was a pleasant thought, he wasn’t worth the extra paperwork.

“Jack Ogden,” she said, a saccharine smile on her face as she turned to face the freelance reporter who would do anything for a story. She had nothing against the press, at least not against reporters who actually reported the news instead of making it up. “What rock did you crawl out from under this time?”

“Ooh! Somebody’s cranky. Maybe you need to get laid.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “The lieutenant you were with not ringing your bells?”

“You’re disgusting,” she snapped, although the idea of her and Al burning up the sheets wasn’t without appeal.

“I would offer my services, but my tetanus shots aren’t up to date, and you did promise to eviscerate me with a rusty spoon the last time we were alone together.”

She paled at the reminder. “And I would enjoy every second of it,” she ground out, wishing she could kick him where it would hurt most, wondering how much he knew about tonight’s victim. A lucky choice of words? She doubted it. “If you were the last man on Earth, I would go to the grave celibate. What are you doing here anyway? Isn’t this a little out of your preferred stomping grounds?” “Don’t be catty. I go where the stories are, you know that. I heard the call come over the scanner. I was going to dismiss it until you called in the cavalry, so now I’m exercising my First Amendment rights. Something happened here, and the people have a right to know what it was.”

That’s it. Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Happy Friday the 13^th! What better way to celebrate than with the release of the second book in The Punishers’ Series, The Guardian?

Last year, shortly after my father died, I kept my promise to him and released my first fantasy, paranormal, suspense novel, The Tigress, part of a series called The Punishers.

Paranormal Detective Ellie Taggart, a rakshasa capable of assuming the shape of a tigress, has always worked alone, searching for those responsible for her mother’s murder. When an investigation results in the death of a close friend and vampire, she’s forced to partner with handsome and mysterious peredhil, Steve Cassidy.
Like her, the half-human, half-elf uses his special talents to fight evil wherever it exists. Rogue vampires, shapeshifters, zombies, practitioners of black magic, poltergeists, ghosts—none of them can beat him. That is until someone or something no longer plays by the rules. There’s a new villain in New Orleans, one who threatens both the humans and non-humans who make the city home.
Is the enemy Draug, the wizard who murdered Ellie’s mother centuries ago? Is it someone from Steve’s shrouded past intent on revenge? Or are they facing a new enemy with an agenda all his or her own? As the tigress and her partner search for answers, trying to prevent the bodies from piling up, they have to manage conflicting emotions and desires that threaten to overwhelm them. Can two such different creatures of the light join forces to defeat the darkness, or will the powers of evil triumph?

This year, I’m continuing the tradition and promise with Book Two in The Punishers’ Series, The Guardian.

The Punishers are at it again in The Guardian, the second book in the series.

The past can always come back to haunt you.

After defeating the demon and casting him back into the abyss, Steve Cassidy and Ellie Taggart, the Tigress, expect a break, but evil never rests.
Knud, a dark-elf and an immortal, has escaped from his prison in Niflheim, intent on exacting his revenge against all of those who sent him there, including Steve. To make matters worse, Knud has teamed up with both supernatural and human criminals—a Voodoo priest and magician with an axe to grind against the city’s preternatural population, and a paramilitary group with an agenda all their own.

With a hurricane on the horizon, the lives of ten females and one male hang in the balance. With the help of a Vodun priestess, the head of the city’s Wicca coven, a selkie, mermaids, shapeshifters, and vampires, Steve, Ellie, Mike, and Chelsea, the Punishers, have 72 hours to find the missing yacht and rescue those aboard. Because if they don’t by October 31st, all hell will break loose.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in the story.

The antique, grandfather clock bonged twelve times. Steve reached for his glass of brandy. Ellie was asleep in the guest room. While he was grateful she’d agreed to spend the last couple of days here, especially given how tired they’d been after the battle with Descry, he would’ve preferred holding her in his arms, assuring himself that she was safe. Her scent lingered in the sheets of his bed where she’d spent the night after her run-in with the revenants earlier in the week. He’d held her for a short time, hoping his heat and comforting presence would ease her fevered trembling. She’d settled, but once she’d awakened, it had been as if the intimacy had never happened.

If he suggested repeating the activity and maybe adding a little to it, she might well rip him open with those razor sharp claws of hers. He needed to be patient. They would come together—of that he was certain—but it would be on her terms, not his. Maybe that was why, as tired as he was, he was unable to settle.

He understood her reluctance to change the level of their relationship, but they might not have as much time as they thought they did. Lately, the battles they fought had been more dangerous and difficult. Even near immortals like them had their limits. They might not age like humans did, but they did grow older, although without the maladies and infirmities that afflicted humans. What they could do was die from other causes. There were poisonous creatures and plants in all of the Nine Realms, weapons, and magic that could be turned against them. Last week had been a close call. Only a fool would believe he could’ve defeated the demon Descry and his allies alone. He might be a lot of things, but he was no fool.

Finishing the amber liquid, he stood and then dropped back into the chair as a sudden shriek of pain exploded inside his head, causing him to bite his tongue, the coppery taste of blood strong inside his mouth. A second cry shook him.

What the hell?

He slipped deeper into his own mind, trying to locate the source of the scream. As Detective Steve Cassidy, his job was to uphold the laws and protect the humans and non-humans from the dark forces that threatened to enslave or destroy them, but he was more than that. He was the Guardian, responsible for those preternatural creatures from the Nine Realms who made Earth their home, too.

While he might not be a demigod or an immortal like his father, Skirnir, a light-elf lord, he was more than the usual half-elf, half-human peredhil. He possessed supernatural strength, speed, psychic abilities, and other magical talents, including the ability to wield Sigurdur, the flaming sword crafted by the dwarfs of Nidavellir, given to him by the Vanyr god, Freyr, whom he served. In addition, he had the rare capacity of being able to open any portal and travel through the dimensional corridors linking all the worlds, moving around the earth in the blink of an eye.

The fact that many of the immortals who’d chosen to settle on Earth preferred this corner of the world made his job easier. What it was that drew immortals and non-humans here he didn’t know, but there were ley lines nearby and cosmic energies resonating even at this distance from what the humans called The Bermuda Triangle. The whole of the American southern coast was somehow joined, but New Orleans seemed to be some sort of convergent point, where the veil between dreams and reality was at its thinnest, drawing both good and evil to it with equal force.

Closing his eyes, he honed in on the slight whimpers, recognizing the voice. That agonizing cry had come from a friend, a selkie who’d relocated to the Gulf of Mexico, almost three years ago, living among the whales, dolphins, and mermaids in the waters of the gulf beyond the Chandeleur Islands, often escaping into the Sigsbee Deep and cooler water. He’d taken her to dinner a few times. They’d gotten along well, but he hadn’t seen her since July.

What the hell had she gotten herself into? He’d warned her against walking the streets of the city alone at night. She might have magic, but unless she was in the water, it wouldn’t do her any good. Had she found herself at the mercy of a human or non-human male who wouldn’t take no for an answer?

Selkies were similar to mermaids, except when they chose to walk on land, they only had to step out of their sealskin. Unlike mermaids who preferred the warm water, selkies inhabited the cold waters around the Orkney and Faro Islands and Iceland, although many lived among the seal colonies off the New England and Canadian coasts. Lately, with the oceans warming, a few had ventured south.

Immortal as well as mortal men found selkie women highly attractive, and the selkies had to be vigilant and keep their sealskins carefully hidden whenever they shed them. If a mortal man were to steal a selkie’s skin, he could prevent her from transforming and returning to the sea, thus stripping her of her immortality. Until Ellie had walked into his life, he’d considered phoning Selma again, if only for companionship. Now, it seemed as if she needed him more than he’d needed her.

Since this was his responsibility and his alone, he decided not to wake Ellie and let her sleep. He warded the house to keep out any intruders and opened a portal. After grabbing his sword and donning his armor, he sped down the corridor, racing toward the weak sound.

Exiting the conduit, he found himself not in a back alley as he’d expected, but knee-deep in the dark, warm waters of the gulf. The half-moon silvered the surface. At his feet lay Selma, her lower body sheathed in her sealskin, her human torso covered in blood still seeping from huge gashes on her shoulder and the side of her head. Someone or something had attacked her, but judging by the crusted blood in her hair and the sand matted in with it, she’d been here, struggling to transform, for some time. Had a fisher or naturalist found her like this … he shuddered at what could’ve happened. Her sealskin should’ve healed the wounds, but the fact that she couldn’t complete the transformation to do so was troubling.

He sheathed his sword on his back and knelt beside her, gingerly raising her injured torso out of the water. How long had she been lying like this, her life blood ebbing out with each wave that covered her?

Her eyes drifted open, and she gasped, struggling weakly as if trying to get away but unable to do so.

“It’s okay, Selma. It’s me, Steve.”

She relaxed slightly, but he could read the terror in her deep brown almost black eyes, the white sclera, all but invisible. He wasn’t a doctor, but her body was on fire.

“What’s happened to you? Did you get caught in a propeller?” He couldn’t imagine anything else causing this kind of damage, other than perhaps a predator. “Were you trying to get away from the Great White you were telling me about and miscalculated? Why aren’t you transforming?”

Too weak to speak, she opened her mind to him.

Not sure. No accident. Two—maybe three days ago … We were attacked. Men … not men … We answered a distress call … others … another selkie…

Even her thoughts were halting, her life pulsing away with each beat of her heart.

“Selma, please. What happened? Did another selkie do this to you?” The thought that one of her own kind could turn on her was horrific.

No … So very tired.

“I know,” he pleaded for her help, “but if another selkie’s in trouble, I have to save her.”

He would do everything he could for Selma, but right now, it didn’t look good. Hopefully, Mamma Lou would have some of dlo sakre she’d used on Ellie’s wounds that night when the tigress had had her leg ripped open. The old Vodun priestess controlled powerful magic and was the best healer he’d ever met. If Mamma Lou couldn’t help Selma, no one could.

He stood, pulling the injured creature out of the water and cradling her in his arms. Like other immortals, selkies could be killed. While it rarely happened in their seal form because of their speed and magical abilities, on land or aboard a vessel, they were powerless, as mortal as humans.

She moaned, the sound so faint, he almost missed it.

“Hang in there,” he murmured. “I have a friend who can help you.”

Selma raised her hand and grabbed his arm, her grip surprisingly strong.

You must find them, Steve. You must help them. Such darkness … You must save them. If you don’t—

Her eyes closed, and her grip relaxed, her breathing so shallow he was afraid she’d died.

“Damn! Find who?” Using his night vision, he searched the coastline for other bodies. “Is there anyone else out here?” he cried, hoping desperately for an answer.

The only one he got was the sound of the water lapping the sand. Whoever she’d been with was either dead, in deeper water, or still in the hands of whoever had tried to kill her.

You can find both The Tigress and The Guardian exclusively at any Amazon retailer priced at 99 cents for a limited time. Both books are available in Kindle Unlimted!

The series will continue next year with Chelsea’s story.

It’s been a strange year, one filled with more obstacles and hazards than any I can remember, but we have to do the best to cope and deal with life responsibly. Christmas is coming, and with it the season of Joy, Hope, Renewal, and Promises. Available for pre-order with a November 20^th release date, the Unforgettable Christmas Joy: Hope and Promises box set is just what you need to help you slip into the season. here’s a peek at what you’ll find inside!

Dreams CAN come true at Christmas.

Join these heroes and heroines in their search for love and joy at this special time of year. Whether it’s in the wilds of Alaska under the Northern Lights, in towns, offices, or hospitals across the land, or on cruise ships under tropical skies, the magic of Christmas will make this the most wonderful time of the year.

Nine New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors have crafted stories of love and joy, ranging from sweet to spicy, the perfect box set to read with your favorite holiday beverage. So, whether your Christmas means snow, sand, or something in between, you’re sure to enjoy the romance and joy found in the pages of Unforgettable Christmas Joy: Hope and Promises.

Sweet Christmas: Mimi Barbour, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: Will she destroy her first real Christmas because she’s never been in love or experienced that holiday before?

Christmas Love: Natalie Ann, USA Today Bestselling Author: What happens when even the strongest are blinded by insecurities?

His Christmas Family: Susanne Matthews, International Bestselling Author: Can Christmas magic bring two broken souls together and fill six lives with joy?

Scrooge Falls In Love: Leanne Banks, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: Millionaire Stock Jock Justin Langdon experiences Scrooge-like dreams that make him re-think his independent lifestyle after new adoptive mom Amy Monroe saves his life.

Holiday By The Sea: Traci Hall, USA Today Bestselling Author: Opposites attract. Can they find a way to make the most unlikely of relationships work?

A Heavenly Christmas: Patrice Wilton, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: Can the magic of love mend a young woman’s heart?

Alaskan Christmas: Jen Talty, USA Today Bestselling Author: He was the second date that should have lasted a lifetime.

Honeymoon Cruise: Mona Risk, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author: The perfect fiancé is a cheater and the fabulous Christmas wedding is off. But the would-be honeymoon cruise may fulfill the dreams of Julia and her unexpected companion.

Bittersweets Christmas – Arvin and Tina: Suzanne Jenkins, USA Today Bestselling Author: What does a Jewish neurologist and a Muslim ER physician have in common? LOVE! And how will they celebrate Christmas? All romance, all the time.

Exclusive to Amazon! Only 99 cents. https://www.amazon.com/Unforgettable-Christmas-Joy-Promises-Unforgettables-ebook/dp/B08MTJY23B/

And while you’re looking for holiday reading, consider our great Christmas Shorts. Find them all on your favorite Amazon.

It’s Tuesday tales time again and this week, we are all working from a picture. Our scenes are only 300 words long, so enjoy. I’ve skipped a long a bit in The White Dahlia, The Harvester Files Book Four, and now they are interviewing the garbage collectors.

Here’s the picture I’m working from:

“That’s what I thought they’d done tonight. I wasn’t expecting no dead body on a cart—especially one with no effing eyes.” Phil made the sign of the cross.

“And you didn’t see anyone loitering on the sidewalk like those people are doing?” Al pointed to the crowd. “No cars that seemed out of place?”

“Like Gus said, might’ve been a van at the end of the alley—can’t say for sure. The only cars around here belong to the gangs, so even if I’d seen one, assuming I had, you can be damn sure I’ve forgotten all about it. Can we go now? Gus’s old lady needs him to get the kids to school. She’s expectin’ and don’t walk so good.”

“This van at the end of the alley that you didn’t get a good look at would’ve been under that street light, right?” Al interrupted the man.

“Yeah, so what? It wasn’t there long enough for me to give you make and model, but it was dark colored.”

“Panel van or passenger?” Al prompted.

Phil scowled. “Had to be a panel van since I didn’t see no windows at the back,” he admitted. “Gus, did you?”

The man shook his head.

“One more question,” Beth asked, once it seemed Al was satisfied. “What happens to the dumpster after you load it?”

He shook his head. “Same thing that happens to all of them. We empty it into the truck and then put the dumpster back under the chute. Where the garbage goes after that is anyone’s guess. They truck the contents out of state to a landfill or somethin’ but that ain’t my job. I’m just a link in the chain.”

“But no one would look at it? Examine it for recyclables?”

Phil laughed. “You want that job, lady, it’s all yours. Can we go now?”

That’s it. Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

November 4 question – Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

I write to push myself and entertain others. Sometimes I want to make them laugh; at others I want to make them think and use clues to solve a puzzle. But most importantly, for a few minutes, I want to give them the chance to think about something other than reality.

What about you? Why do you read or write?

Find other answers here.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Welcome to November 2020 and this month’s first Tuesday Tales post. Each week, a small group of authors invite you to peek inside their works in progress. This week’s word is SHOE. Once more I continue with The White Dahlia, The Harvester Files, Book Four.

 “So you aren’t even sure the cases are connected?” She would swear they were. Her gut told her so, and it was rarely wrong. “By the way, what cruise ship was it?”

“The Emerald Queen. I know where you’re going, but that wasn’t the ship Rachel was on two years ago, not even the same cruise line. When I thought someone had grabbed them and pulled them into the sex trade, I had a good look at the profiles. Rebecca’s a redhead, five years older, while Rachel was blonde, barely twenty-one. The women didn’t move in the same social circles and had nothing in common—not friends nor social media. They had some of the same apps, but most people do. Unfortunately, any phones, cameras, tablets, or laptops they might’ve had must’ve been with them when they disappeared. There wasn’t any luggage in their apartments, either. What little we did get came from their work or school accounts.”

“There has to be a connection,” she insisted, tapping her foot, the toe of her puke-covered shoe brushing against the hem of her pants.

Damn! That will probably stain.

She stilled. “What about a travel agency? Where did they get their tickets? Having Rebecca disappear and finding Rachel a short while later is a little too coincidental for me.” She raised her hands, palms up. “I learned not to trust coincidences when I worked in Boston.”

He crossed his arms, raised his hand to rub his chin, and narrowed his eyes.

“So you don’t bleed NYPD blue. Neither do I. I spent twelve years in St. Louis before coming to Manhattan. When did you work in Boston?”

“Six years ago. I moved to the city after we closed a big case. I needed a change of scenery.”

“So you were there when the Harvester was. That case was big news nationwide. I thought that Prophet was the most depraved a person could get—but I was wrong. This is sicker on too many levels to count. My predecessor bragged about being instrumental in giving Boston their first break in the case. He cooperated with Detective Tom Adams over the Mary Green case. Did you know him?” “Yeah, I worked with Tom. He retired about the same time I transferred to New York.” Talking about Tom and the Harvester case was dangerous, especially when it occupied so much of her own thoughts.

That’s it. Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Dear Santa: A Christmas Wish: A Holiday Romance Anthology

The Authors’ Billboard’s 2020 fabulous Christmas Box Collection, DEAR SANTA, is filled with 18 brand new stories about characters who have special wishes to ask the big guy during this season.

Most of us have had experiences when something we’ve desperately wanted is so close that Santa seems the perfect person to ask for the miracle.

When one believes, it’s amazing the conflicts that are overcome and the surprises that can follow.

You’ll be amazed by each of these fantastic holiday books full of Christmas cheer and thrilling romance we’ve written for your entertainment. Check out this online review!

Christmas Joy, Something For Everyone

A variety of stories all dealing with Christmas. Something for everyone. Indulge, treat yourself and enjoy! I was fortunate to receive and arc, and as so we had 5 of the stories available to read and review. I have the same 5 as Phyllis Carpenter and it goes to show that everyone has different preferences.

I enjoyed the *Christmas Miracle*, the mystery of it, the time line the small town and yes the romance. I like the fact that Sophie was a strong woman, dealing with the adversity and taking life by the reins.
*Marrying Molly* is a story of a curse that has spanned generations and Mollys determination to break it, there is loss, love, family.
*What Dottie Wants* is truly a relatable issue to parents when Christmas toys are advertised on tv. There is a twist here from earlier years and I loved seeing how they grew and I the hope that is shared.
*Saving Maddie* is a romance with Finn in the Guardia. It brings to light the child trafficking, slavery. It is not dealt with over the top, so the light tummies should be able to read. Finn herself suffered a loss, and this is a story of hope, love and not giving up. The ending was a heart sigh.
I settled into my chair to read *Toy Soldier Christmas* with a strong woman who has been dealt a lot in her life, and with a soldier, wounded coming home. Unfortunately for me the *magic* that transpires in this one just didn’t do it for me.

This book is a win for everyone, because even if there is a story that’s not on the top of your charts your still getting a lot of bang for your buck, a lot of opportunity for romance and reading a different genre. Thank you for the arc! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions.

Mimi Barbour – Alone at Christmas: Being alone is Tara’s worst nightmare, especially during the holidays. Her wish comes true when she finds Mr. Right injured and stranded, but will they survive the dangerous storm?

Rebecca York – Christmas Miracle 1935: Can he trust her enough to help free her father from jail?

Patricia Rosemoor – Marrying Molly: Dear Santa, Please let me meet a McKenna man who will help me end Sheelin O’Keefe’s horrible curse on both our families. Molly Kavanaugh

Susanne Matthews – What Dottie Wants: All Ronnie wants is to give Dottie a great Christmas, but not being able to find the doll she wants may make that impossible.

Traci Hall – Christmas Kiss: Can a teenage crush become forever love?

Angela Stevens – Dear Sinterklaas: Dan had his heart stolen by a girl on summer vacation, now it’s Christmas time, and with a little bit of magic from Sinterklaas, he hopes to make his Christmas wish come true.

Melinda Colt – Saving Maddie: The only reason demons exist is because angels do, too.

Stacy Eaton – Finding Love with Dear Santa: All Faith wants is to get her life back on track.

Stephanie Queen – He Has Santa: A second chance hockey romance.

Josie Riviera – A Chocolate Box Christmas Wish: He’s been all over the world. She’s a home-town girl. Can a holiday wish bridge the gap?

Mona Risk – Dalia’s Christmas Wish: Will the doctor make the right decision between an angry fiancée and a medical emergency?

Rachelle Ayala – Toy Soldier Christmas: Can a toy soldier make her wish come true?

Dani Haviland – A Plate of Christmas Cookies: Is it too much to ask for a second miracle?

Taylor Lee – Please Christmas: Be Done: When his 7 year old son ran away looking for Santa… and all his teenage daughter wants for Christmas is for it to be done….the district attorney concedes not only did he lose his wife to cancer, but he was in danger of losing his children.

Susan Jean Ricci – Cruising for Mr. Right: Can a widow discover second chance romance aboard a Christmas cruise and make the right choice between two adoring men?

Alyssa Bailey – Christmas Wishes and You: Beth’s Christmas Wish of a Second Chance at Love could happen if only she would be willing to risk her heart… again.

Nancy Radke – Zsuzsa’s Christmas Wish: She asks Santa for a strong man to help corral a mule that won’t stay home, and is given a rancher who plans to corral her.

Carmen DeSousa – Chicago Hope: Aspiring journalist Maura Hall dreams of changing the world, but she’ll settle for Chicago.

**Only .99 cents!!**

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Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Santa-Christmas-Mimi-Barbour-ebook/dp/B08JD44G6D/
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Book Trailer:

Get a FREE compilation of the “FIRST CHAPTERS” from the Dear Santa anthology!

Book Bites 13 – Dear Santa

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Bites-13-Authors-Billboard-ebook/dp/B08KHF7P6D

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book-bites-13-dear-santa-mimi-barbour/1137809232?ean=2940164666125

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/book-bites-13-dear-santa

Also, swing by the Authors’ Billboard for a monthly giveaway with a $40 Amazon gift card and more!

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Giveaway

Christmassy Bath & Body Gift Set

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/dear-santa-a-christmas-wish-book-tour-and-giveaway

Just rambling thoughts today.

When we got married in 1971, we received this Royal Doulton figurine called Lorna. To a young couple just starting out, it was beautiful and definitely something we wouldn’t have considered buying for ourselves, not when as newly graduated students, we needed so many more practical things. But, the toaster died years ago, as did the kettle, the coffeemaker, the pressure cooker and the electric frying pan. What lives on is that glass statuette, but the sad thing is, once I’m gone–and that will happen some day–no one wants old, glass ,dust catchers.

The same is true of the fancy carnival glass dishes I’ve collected over the years and the precious antiques, too. Everyone wants new, modern, and “so what if it isn’t even made from real wood?”

This is just another sign of the times when everything old is devalued. Beautiful oak cabinets are painted rather than refinished. Hardwood floors are replaced with easy-to-care for vinyl or laminate. And what happens to those antiques? What happens to the things you collected and saved? They go to the second-hand store. Sad but true.

To add to this trend, all you have to do is look at the cries to remove statues from parks and government grounds because someone has discovered something about the person that was offensive. Maybe what seemed like a logical decision a hundred years ago turned out to be a bad one. I hope the future won’t judge me on the standard of those days rather than the standards of mine.

People no longer seem to want to learn lessons from history. They want to examine it in the light of today and then sanitize it and rewrite it so that everyone is happy with it. Think about that. No one has ever been able to please all of the people, all of the time.

And so I wonder where will all my treasures go when I’m gone?

What about you? Do you have treasures of your own? Do you know what will happen to them?