Romance Writer’s Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week we have been asked to answer the question-What cheers you up when you are feeling down. It’s an easy answer for me, or actually three answers-my three guys. My first guy is my significant other who I have been with for 28 years 🙂 Whenever I’m having a bad day all I have to do is spend time with him. He seems to always know just the right thing to say to cheer me up and make me feel good about myself. He’s my biggest fan. Next, is my three and a half year old grandson. He stole my heart the day he was born. He is so full of energy and joy of life. It is impossible to be in the same room with him and feel down. And when he says “Grandma, I love you so much!” my heart melts. Last, but not least, is my roommate, companion, and world’s best dog, my toy Australian Shepherd, Merlin. That little guy can make me laugh and cheer me up no matter what. He is hyper in tune with my moods and always knows what I need–a hug, a kiss, snuggles or play time. He’s the best.

What cheers you up when you are down? Hop on over to PG Forte’s blog and see what cheers her up at: https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com and check out her story in the second chance romance collection at https://books2read.com/lovhteisintheair

Romance Writers’ Weekly #lovechatwrite

Today on our blog hop we have been asked to write a short story using the words, Spring, Orange, and Park bench so here goes.

It was the last week in March and theoretically it was already spring, but on the mountain side outside her Colorado home, remnants of winter snow still remained. It had been a long winter. Not only because of the greater than average amount of cold and snow, but Heather had been dealing with several personal crises over the past few months. She had to get out of the house. So she bundled up in her down jacket, pulled on her snow boots, and stepped out in the bright Colorado sunshine. It was almost blinding as it reflected off of the white snow. Her small dog pulled on the end of his leash, obviously as excited as she was to get out of the house. They walked along the shoveled sidewalk to the park which was only a few blocks away. Bright orange cones blocked the entrance to the dirt road that led into the park. It was too muddy for a car to pass, but walking would be fine. she walked around the cones and headed up the path. In the summer the path was as busy as a city sidewalk, crowded with runners, hikers, kids, dogs, and all ages of people enjoying the great outdoors, but today, there wasn’t another soul in sight. She walked a ways to her favorite park bench, and brushing off the snow, sat down. It was so quiet–the only sound was the breeze whistling through the pine trees. A few birds chirped, signaling that spring was indeed on its way. A time of new beginnings and renewal. It happened every year, and it would happen in her life, too.

Now hop on over to Brenda Margriet’s blog and read her story at https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog and check out her newest novel at https://books2read.com/StrictlybytheBook

Also, you can download a Kindle copy of my first novel, Colorado Sunset, free for a limited time at https://www.amazon.com/dp/BOOUNP0GTW

Romance Writers’ Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week for our blog hop we have been asked to answer – Dogs or Cats? Or other choices. Please include pictures. How does that help your writing.

I have to say dogs. Not that I dislike cats, in fact, I’m almost 70 years old and I’ve always had at least one cat, sometimes 10, for my entire life until 6 months ago when my beloved 17 year old cat, Kona, passed. That being said, I’ve also had at least one dog in my life since I was 8. As a small child, we had cats. They were okay, but they weren’t much fun to play with. Growing up in the 1950’s, all I wanted was a Lassie in my life. Finally, when I was in second grade, I talked my parents into getting me my first dog. His name was Rebel. He wasn’t a Collie like Lassie, but he was the next best thing for our small house and yard-a Shetland Sheepdog (otherwise known as a toy Collie 🙂 He instantly became my best friend, going everywhere with me, except for school. Trust me, if I could have take him to school I would have. He made it almost through high school with me. After living my freshman year of college in a dorm without a dog, the next year I moved off campus and got my second Sheltie, Violet, who stuck her feet in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans on our travels together in the first year of her life. Once I had kids, we had several other breeds of dogs for my kids but I always had a Sheltie. Also, numerous cats and kitten. My last Sheltie, Laddie, passed in 2018, and I got my current best friend, Merlin, a Toy Australian shepherd. He is 5 now and the love of my life. But enough about dogs and cats, the other love of my life are horses. I got my first horse, Mike, when I was thirteen, and we moved to the country. I ended up with four horses when I graduated from high school. They were a huge part of my teen years and also hold a special place in my heart. I no longer have horses, but I get up into the beautiful Colorado Rockies and ride whenever I get the chance.

How does that help my writing? I write romances, and I haven’t writtena single book without an animal of some kind. Some have played large roles in my stories. My characters almost always have a dog or a cat. And, of course, since I write western romances about cowboys, there are horses, lots of horse. My own experiences with these animals shine through in their personalities and abilities to comfort and heal. Pets, of any kind, are the best!

Here’s some recent pics-

Now hop on over to PG Forte’s blog at http://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/ and see what animals she likes 🙂 And check out her romance in Love is in the Air at https://books2read.com/loveisintheair

Romance Writers’ Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week for our blog hop we have been asked to answer the following question-If you could be friends with anyone who is alive today, who would it be and why? For me right now, I would have to pick Taylor Sheridan. As an author I am in constant awe of the man’s talent in writing, producing, directing, acting, and even in horsemanship. It seems like there’s nothing this man can’t do and do it well. The way he’s woven the Yellowstone universe, first with Yellowstone, and then the prequels of 1883 and 1923 amazes me. His writing talent and ability to weave all the story lines together is unparalleled today. He has the ability to create flawed characters that we all love to root for. Let’s face it, none of the Yellowstone characters are good people, and yet, we root for them every week and want them to succeed. I appreciate the way he tries to portray parts of our American history, as it really was and not how it has been shown over the years. In 1883, he doesn’t romanticize what it was like to travel across the west on a wagon train, and in 1923, he shows the horrors we inflicted on Native Americans and women. It’s not easy to watch, but so important to understand. Anyway, I’d like to be his friend so I could pick his brain and learn to be a better writer. Also, if I were his friend, maybe he’d let me have a bit part on Yellowstone and ride off into the Montana sunset on a beautiful horse. Now, that would be the dream!

Hop on over to Brenda Margriet’s blog and see who she wants to be friends with at https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog and pre-order her new novel, Strictly by the Book, now.

Romance Writers’ Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week on our blog hop we’ve been asked to answer these two questions-How do you take care of yourself? and What do you do to practice self-care? My biggest self-care routine that I do on a regular basis, is take walks with my dog. As long as the temperature is above freezing and below 100, I’m out there walking every day. We usually do around 4-5 miles each day. The exercise, the fresh outdoor air, and the time alone with my best friend combine to relieve whatever stresses I may have. Less frequently, I’m able to escape to our beautiful Colorado mountains to ride horses and hike. It’s great and I try to do it a few times each year. This year, I also bought a season ticket to Colorado State Men’s Basketball. Throughout the season there have been 1-3 games per week, and win or lose it has been a great enjoyment and stress reliever and a way to make wonderful friends. Reading a good book is also a great way to take care of yourself. Check out the second book in my Peakview Series, Breakfast for Two at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014VA616G. It’s a heartwarming story about finding family and taking a second chance at love. Then hop on over to Leslie Hachtel’s blog and see what she does to take care of herself at https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com and check out her first historical romance in a set of three at https://amzn.to/41nxqMR

Romance Writer’s Weekly #lovechatwrite

Hi Everyone. I have been absent from writing for a few weeks. First due to the holidays, and then I’ve been busy packing and getting ready to move in two more weeks! But, I’m back. This week on our blog hop, we have been asked-What is your favorite kind of weather? and Does it inspire your work? The first part is easy for me. I am way more a summer person than a winter person. I’d rather be hot any day than cold. That being said, my favorite season is autumn. I love the warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights. I live in Colorado because the sun shines here almost every day. There’s nothing like a cloudy day to bring my mood down. The question, does it inspire your work made me laugh! NOPE. Beautiful weather inspires me to be outside-walking my dog, riding horses in the mountains, hiking, gardening, or just sitting on my porch in the sunshine. The last thing I want to do is sit inside and write. We are supposed to get up to ten inches of snow this week. Now, that will inspire me to sit at my desk and write with a cup of warm tea. Who knows, a snowstorm may even appear in my WIP 🙂 Want to get away from winter? Check out my latest release, Montana Pines Summer Love. It’s available on Amazon in all formats. Next hop on over to PG Forte’s blog and find out what weather she likes at https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/2023/01/romance-writers-weekly-lets-talk-about.html

Romance Writer’s Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week we have been asked what is the one dish or treat we can’t do without over the holidays and if we make it, share the recipe. Mine would have to be homemade caramels. The recipe I use was passed down from my great-grandmother, to my grandmother, to my mother, and then to me. Although they would be delicious any time of year, we only ever make them at Christmas. They melt in your mouth and are always a favorite of friends and family members alike. It wouldn’t seem like Christmas for my children and grandchildren without them. As I savor them each year, I often think I should make some at other times of the years–maybe a nice, summer batch, but I never have. There’s just something about a once a year treat that makes it extra special. I’m going to make a batch tonight 🙂 If you’d like to try them for yourself, here’s the family recipe:

1/2 lb. melted butter, 2 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup Karo corn syrup, I can Eagle Brand Milk, I tsp. vanilla, mix all ingredients in a large saucepan and boil slowly to 238 degrees. Pour mixture into a 9×11 glass dish and cool in the refrigerator. Cut into squares and wrap individually with plastic wrap. Enjoy 🙂

Once you’ve tried this recipe, hop on over to Brenda Margriet’s blog and she what her favorite dish is for the holidays at https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog and check out her latest romance, Turn the Next Page, which is available for pre-order and will release on Thursday at https://books2read.com/TurnTheNextPage

And check out my latest, romance, Montana Pines Summer Love, releasing on Dec. 27th and now available for pre-order at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNNL7T9Z

Romance Writer’s Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week on on Romance Writer’s blog we’ve been asked these questions. How do you stay creative? How do you feel your muse? and What tips and tricks do you recommend to stay in the creative zone? I love to write. I think I stay creative because my mind loves to create. In my mind I am always creating. Sometimes I’m two or three chapters ahead of what I have written down or sometimes I’m two or three books ahead. The trick for me is not staying creative, but getting it all actually written down. New ideas come to me every day. What I recommend is to let your mind wander, to always be open to new ideas, and to observe the world around you. You will find inspiration everywhere. If I’m stuck, I take a long walk to clear my head. When I sit down to write, I need to have my mind cleared of everything around me so that I can fully immerse myself in the location of my book. I do that by taking care of everything else in my life in the mornings, and then writing in the afternoon, when my mind is cleared of other things. It may not work for everyone, but it does for me.

If you haven’t already, get yourself in the mood for Christmas with any of my seven Christmas stories filled with hope and second chances. And hop on over to Leslie Hatchel’s blog at to read her answers to the questions at https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com and check out her novel below at https://amzn.to/3FnDb4H

Romance Writer’s Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week for our Romance Writer’s Weekly blog hop we have been asked to share the best advice we’ve ever received and who gave us that advice. I’ve probably received a lot of great advice over the years, but the one I want to write about today was from my friend, Pamela. She was an author, and we had lunch one day. My law practice at the time had been slow, and I moaned about not having enough work to fill my days. She said, “you should write a novel.” My reply, “Are you kidding me? I have no idea how to write a novel and don’t think I could do it.” To which she replied, “You’ll never know unless you try.” I went back to my office and sat down and wrote “chapter one” I had no clue as to what I was doing or how to write fiction, but I had a story, and I wrote it. Four months later, I had a first draft of a book. Of course, it was awful, but two years later after taking classes, joining author groups, reading writing books, and attending a writing conference, I published my first romance 🙂 That was ten years and 27 books ago. I never looked back and now I write full time. I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life. Without that one piece of advice, my life wouldn’t be the same today. Thank God for my friend who advised me to do something I never would have thought of on my own.

And speaking of books, my new Christmas Novella, Christmas Stocking of Love releases one week from today. You can pre-order in now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDXYVTZP

Next, hop on over to PG Forte’s blog and check out what advice she received. http://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com

You can also check out the Christmas Romance Anthology that she is a part of Let’s Get Naughty at https://books2read.com/letsgetnaughty

Romance Writers’ Weekly #lovechatwrite

This week for Romance writer’s weekly we have been asked to write a flash fiction autumn scene using the words water, leaf, and coffee 🙂 here’s mine:

Before she even got out of bed, she knew that Autumn was here. She could tell by the cool, crisp breeze that blew in the window of the small cabin she’d rented for the weekend. It smelled like autumn. She didn’t know how to describe the scent, but she knew it when she experienced it.

She yawned and climbed out of the cozy bed, slipping into a soft, oversized sweatshirt and a pair of yoga pants. She made her way down the narrow wooden staircase to the country kitchen and hit the start button on the small coffee pot. Next, she opened cupboard doors until she found a stash of various coffee mugs. One called to her. It was plain white with red, block letters reading “you can do it!” She needed that this morning.

When the machine stopped, she filled her mug with the dark, brown liquid, and breathed in the aroma of coffee beans. She grabbed her latest romance novel, opened the back door, and walked out onto the small, wooden deck. Sitting down on one of the two Adirondack chairs, she gazed out over the lake. The crystal clear water lapped against the sandy beach below.

As she sat, a small, red leaf flitted down from one of the maple trees overhanging the lake and landed in her lap. She picked it up and turned it over in her hand, examining its bright color and small veins. No doubt, a few weeks ago it had been bright green and clinging tightly to a branch above. It was different now. It had changed but not in a bad way.

How much she had in common with this leaf. All long, hot summer she’d tried desperately to hang onto her old life—a life that had run its course. Now, she’d changed, but she realized it wasn’t in a bad way. She was emerging to a new brighter self. Different in appearance from her old self, but still the same person, just a new and improved version.

She sipped her coffee and stuck the leaf between two pages of her book to preserve it—a reminder that we are all meant to change. It was the natural course of life, and she vowed to celebrate every day.

Before you go. let me know what you think and then hop on over to Leslie Hachtel’s blog and check out her scene. I did, and I loved it! https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com

Also, my new Christmas novella is available for pre-order now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDXYVTZP