Chatting with author Janie Emaus

I'm delighted to welcome Janie Emaus, author of The Time Traveling Matchmaker, a sweet paranormal romance, to my blog. 

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the final draft of a women’s fiction book. Here’s a short blurb.

An aging rock star searching for an heir. Three women hiding from the past. A young girl searching for her identity. And the biographer with the power to write their futures. Will his quest be destructive or lead them back to The Notes Between Them.

And anxiously awaiting the final illustrations for my next blended holiday picture book, Easter Eggs and Matzo Balls, releasing January 3rd, 2023.


Tell us about a book that stayed with you long after you finished reading it.

One of my favorite authors is John Irving. I was in awe of his writing after reading The World According to Garp. And The Cider House Rules is one of his books that still flashes through my mind.


Now for a fun game, Janie shared two truths and a lie. Can you guess which is the lie?

1. I worked in the adult video industry for ten years.
2. My first husband was a lead singer in a band.
3. In college, I bit the head of a goldfish at fraternity party.

About the book

The Time Traveling Matchmaker

Author: Janie Emaus

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat level (if over PG13): Sweet

Blurb

In The Time Traveling Matchmaker, love takes on a new meaning when soulmates are brought together through time and space.

Like every goal-oriented twenty-something, Jessica Singleton, an aspiring filmmaker, is obsessed with finding her future as quickly as possible. What she doesn't know is that the future is obsessed with finding her, too. Renn Porter, an agent with Time Traveling Matchmaker's Inc, blasts back in time - and into her life- in order to transport Jessica to the soul mate who has paid for this service...in the future. But things turn dangerous when it's revealed that Renn has been sent after his own soul mate.

Caught between two times, Jessica and Renn must struggle to stay alive. Falling in love is the biggest risk either of them has ever taken - because, as they are destined to learn, the very existence of Time Traveling Matchmakers, Inc. rests in Jessica's hands.

Grab your copy 

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Bookshop

Peek between the pages...

Renn was coming toward me now and our eyes met. Fireworks went off inside my chest. He wasn’t avoiding me this time. This time I would learn the truth.

I raised my hand in a small wave.

“Watch out!” A bicyclist shouted as he sped down the sidewalk, completely out of control.

He clipped Renn’s shoulder, pushing him up against me. Renn’s coat got caught on the buckle of my purse. I heard a rip. No, more than that - I felt a rip down the center of my body, jagged like a piece of broken glass. Beneath my feet, the sidewalk tilted, and I lost my balance.

A strong a wind kept me from falling. Once steady, I turned to find Renn.

This all happened in a less than a second. And in that second Renn was gone. Vanished. Just like that. All that was left was his lemony scent. And the memory of his hand on my arm.

I didn’t see him in either direction. My head throbbed as if something heavy kept knocking into it.

A minute later a mother with her little girl walked past me. I knew before she stopped, that the little girl was going to bend down to tie her shoe. Time was going to repeat itself. Again.

She giggled, just like before. “Thanks, Mommy,” she said. “Tomorrow I can do it myself.”

I held on to the desire I had seen in Renn’s eyes, wondering about my tomorrow.

About the author:

Janie Emaus believes when the world is falling apart, we’re just one laugh away from putting it together again. She has always wanted to be a writer and gained inspiration and confidence from her biggest fan: her sister. She is the author of the blended holiday picture books, Latkes for Santa Claus, a 2022 International Book Awards finalist, and the forthcoming Matzo Balls & Easter Eggs, coming out in 2023. The Time Traveling Matchmaker is her first adult book. Her essays, stories and articles have been published in numerous magazines, anthologies, and websites. In 2016 she won an honorary mention in the Erma Bombeck Writing competition. But no award is more important to Janie than her family.

Connect with Janie Emaus
https://www.facebook.com/janie.emaus
https://www.facebook.com/Janie-Emaus-Books-Blogs-473633136036884
https://twitter.com/Janie_Emaus
https://janieemaus.medium.com
https://www.instagram.com/janieemaus/
https://www.janieemaus.com

Chatting with author Alana Lorens

I'm delighted to welcome Alana Lorens to my blog and to learn more about her and her latest book. Be sure to view the book trailer and read the tantalizing excerpt. Enjoy!


What inspired you to write Prophecies and Promises?

I’ve been in love with the Keys and Key West since our time living in South Florida in the 70s and 80s. We traveled them many times, and I adore all the little creatures living in the tidal waters, the sun, the sand, the trees, birds and so much more, just as heroine Tamsyn does in P&P. I wanted her to have plenty of wildlife to explore, too, so I moved the story back before the condos and timeshares to give her the space/ And, well—PIRATES! Am I right?


What are you reading?

I’m currently reading WHEN RABBIT HOWLS, about a woman with Dissociative identity disorder. She was horrifically abused as a child. What I find fascinating is the split personalities themselves—do we all have potential identities inside? I know I can react very differently to one person than I do to someone else. Are the different facets of ourselves just separate selves never pushed to the limit?


Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

I’ve been descending for several years into a dungeon of chronic pain. As it has limited the outside activities I can enjoy and partake in, I have definitely centered on my writing and writing groups to help keep me interacting with the world and distracted from what I can’t avoid.

About the book

Prophecies and Promises

by Alana Lorens

Genre: Historical romance

Tags: #sweetromance, #pirates, #KeyWest, 

#SpanishAmericanWar, #badboy

When the ‘good’ man is bad, and the ‘bad’ man is good, how’s a young woman to choose?

Blurb

Tamsyn McKiernan thinks her dreams have come true. She’s engaged to a dashing Key West bachelor and finally in her widowed father’s good graces. But in her heart, she knows something’s wrong. She loves the ocean and the quiet pleasures of nature—so what does the aristocratic life she’ll lead truly hold for her?

Mercenary captain Drake Ashton is neck deep in preparations for the Spanish-American War, running guns and other supplies to Cuban natives who want out from under their Spanish masters. He and his brother Freddie risk their lives daily, focused on saving his friends on the island. Nothing else matters but his mission.

A chance encounter with a spiny sea urchin brings the two together, and neither of their lives will ever be the same again.

Grab your copy

Amazon  |   Barnes & Noble  

Peek between the pages...

The wine would go straight to her head soon, she knew from previous, infrequent consumption, so she must sip it slowly. One of them had to keep their wits.

She felt the curious eyes of the crew, some shy, others bolder in their observation. Tamsyn smiled at them all. One broad, bullish man came forward with a blanket, which he spread on the deck. Drake clapped the man on the shoulder.

“Good thinking, Chaney. A picnic it will be!” He gestured to Tamsyn that she should seat herself, which she did without hesitation.

Within a few minutes, trays of food came up from belowdecks, chicken spit broiled with crispy skins, fruits and cheeses, Bahamian bread with a thick slab of butter. The men vied for the opportunity to serve her until Drake finally dismissed them with a laugh.

“Cook has enough for all below. Go take your supper. We may have some business awaiting us yet tonight.”

The men cheered and noisily went down to eat. The skinny cabin boy remained to serve his captain. Drake saw that the boy got a plate of food, then sent him away. “A few moments alone,” he whispered conspiratorially.

“Just a few,” she said with a sad smile. “Then I must—”

Drake held up a finger, silencing her. “Not a word of that now.”

Tamsyn started to argue, then realized he would just cut her off again. It was right. What might happen in a minute, in an hour, would not be changed if she took the time to immerse herself in the joy and comfort of this time with Drake.

The food smelled so good in the fresh night air, and Drake urged her to taste everything, from sweet melons to spicy chicken. It was simple fare, but it satisfied her more than any of the expensive delicacies that had been served at the Pickhams’ buffet. Surely it is the company which has improved my appetite. Drake’s dark eyes danced in the moonlight, and he often turned to her with a smile, perhaps wanting to say something but reluctant to break the spell they seemed to be under.

But not yet, Mamma, not yet…Can you see me, Mamma? Tamsyn wondered silently. Can you see how happy I am?

About the author: Alana Lorens has been a published writer for more than forty years, after working as a pizza maker, a floral designer, a journalist and a family law attorney. Currently a resident of Asheville, North Carolina, the aging hippie loves her time in the smoky blue mountains. She writes romance and suspense as Alana Lorens, and sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal mystery as Lyndi Alexander. One of her novellas, THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE, is set in the city of Asheville during the old Bele Chere festival. She lives with her daughter on the autism spectrum, who is the youngest of her seven children, and she is ruled by three crotchety old cats, and six kittens of various ages.

Connect with Alana Lorens

Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon Author Page  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Nothing is Little by Carmella Van Vleet

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the NOTHING IS LITTLE by Carmella Van Vleet Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: NOTHING IS LITTLE

Author: Carmella Van Vleet

Pub. Date: July 19, 2022

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 224

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

The case of a missing father is hard to crack . . . even for Felix, a tiny kid with a huge heart and an eye for detail.

Eleven-year-old Felix likes being the smallest kid in school.
 
At least he knows where he fits in. Plus his nickname, “Short-lock Holmes,” is perfect for someone who’s killing it in forensic science club. To Felix, Growth Hormone Deficiency is no big deal.
 
And then Felix learns that his biological dad was short, too. This one, tiny, itty-bitty piece of information opens up a massive hole in his life. Felix must find his father. He only has a few small clues to work from, but as Sherlock Holmes said, “To a great mind, nothing is little.” 

The further Felix gets in his investigation, though, the more he starts to wonder: What if his dad doesn’t want to be found? And what if Felix’s family—his mom, his stepdad, the baby on the way—needs him right where he is?
 
Tender and uplifting, this warm novel from Christopher Award–winner Carmella Van Vleet celebrates little differences in us that can make a big impact.
 
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Reviews:

"A captivating, humorous, and heartfelt story of friendship, family, and crime-solving."—Kirkus Reviews

"A fresh and funny read that sells itself, and it demonstrates that there is more than one way to grow."—Booklist

"The story keeps a steady pace as it ­alternates between school and home, ­giving a firsthand account of what it's like to be young and faced with decisions that are difficult to navigate. ­Engaging and heartfelt, Van Vleet's title delivers big on the feels. Anyone who's ever been made to feel small will benefit from ­hearing ­Felix's story."—School Library Journal

"Nothing Is Little offers powerful proof that little things can matter in a great big way. What a beautiful book! The most huge-hearted and heartwarming story you'll read this year."—Claudia Mills, author of The Lost Language

"Smart, funny, and memorable. You can’t help but love Felix! He has big goals and a great big heart, and he’ll live large in your memory long after the final page is turned."—Margi Preus, Newbery Honor–winning author

My thoughts...

Nothing is Little is a fantastic middle-grade novel that many readers are sure to enjoy. Felix is the smallest kid in his class, but this doesn't bother him. He's comfortable with who he is and so are his friends. Still, his mom takes him to the doctor who notifies them that Felix has a growth hormone deficiency and is undergoing treatments. 

It's Felix, his mom, her boyfriend, and a baby on-the-way. Together, they make a supportive, loving family. But Felix is curious about the biological dad he's never met and his mom barely talks about. When he joins the ferensic team at school, he learns how to piece together clue and how to questions others in order to uncover the truth. When he discovers his biologic dad was also short, he digs into his mom's past. 

It was fun to follow Felix on his journey to discover more about his father as well as what he wants for himself. It's not all smooth sailing, but Felix is brave and strong and that's all he really needs to be. 

 

About Carmella Van Vleet:

Carmella Van Vleet is a former kindergarten teacher and the author of numerous books for children, including To the Stars!, which was co-authored by astronaut Kathy Sullivan and named to the Amelia Bloomer list. Her debut children's novel, Eliza Bing Is (NOT) a Big, Fat Quitter, received the Christopher Award and was named to four state award master lists. Just like Eliza, Carmella loves tae kwon do—she has earned her black belt! She lives in Ohio and can be found online at carmellavanvleet.com

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of NOTHING IS LITTLE, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/11/2022	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
7/11/2022	Yabookscentral	Excerpt
7/12/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
7/12/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
7/13/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
7/13/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
7/14/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
7/14/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
7/15/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
7/15/2022	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

7/18/2022	hodophile_z	IG Review
7/18/2022	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review
7/19/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
7/19/2022	Little Red Reads	Review
7/20/2022	Write. Read. Live.	Review/IG Post
7/20/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
7/21/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
7/21/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
7/22/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
7/22/2022	Nerdophiles	Review

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Sunset Rising Series by S.M. McEachern

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SUNSET RISING Series by S.M. McEachern Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 About the Books:

Title: SUNSET RISING, WORLDS COLLIDE, NEW WORLD ORDER (Sunset Rising Series)

Author: S.M. McEachern 

Pub. Date: Final book was published in 2015

Publisher: Clownfish Publishing

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 284

Find them: 

Book 1 FREE with a Kindle Unlimited membership: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

Book 2: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo

Book 3: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo 

________________________________________________ 

From Book 1:

“This book has it all—love story, good vs evil, drama, and suspense. Definitely a book you can’t put down!” – Midwest Book Review

"I've seen it compared to The Hunger Games and I'd have to agree. I can already see the movie version becoming a hit!" Amazon Reviewer

2015 Readers Favorite Gold Medal Award for best YA Dystopian

Deep inside a mountain in what used to be North America dwells the last of humanity. Welcome to the Biodome, where steel, rock and armed guards separate the privileged from the slaves.

Born and raised a slave in the Pit, Sunny O’Donnell has always accepted that she'll spend her life working to keep the Dome running and, if she lives long enough, willingly meet her end in the annual Cull when she reaches the age of thirty-five. This was the price her ancestors paid for their place inside the Biodome, the only safe haven from the global nuclear war of 2024. But when Sunny’s mother is killed in the Cull, the hopeless reality of her future becomes painfully clear. 

Bereft and disillusioned, she heads down a reckless path that sets off a deadly riot in the Pit and leaves her accused of treason. Her only way of escaping public execution is to make a truce with her prison mate, who happens to be the heir to the dictatorship and hated enemy of the Pit. Now caught between two worlds on the brink of war, Sunny must weigh her own survival against risking everything to save the Pit. 

S.M. McEachern delivers the action and adventure of The Hunger Games, the intrigue of The City of Ember, and the romantic notes of Les Misérables in her debut novel set in a future that is disturbingly plausible.

G Rating: no foul language, no explicit sex, some mild violence.

________________________________________________ 

What Readers are Saying:

"One of THE BEST dystopian books I've ever read!! If/when this becomes a movie ... I will be the first in line!" - Midwest Book Review

"Romance, intrigue, and action all come together beautifully here to create an experience that will leave anyone asking for more." - Readers Favorite Gold Medal Award for best YA Dystopian

“… a romance straight out of a Shakespearean play, with the action of Katniss and Peeta.” - Amazon Reviewer 

"I might even love this more than I loved Hunger Games (and that's saying a lot!)" - Goodreads Reviewer 

"I've seen it compared to The Hunger Games and I'd have to agree. I can already see the movie version becoming a hit!" - Amazon Reviewer

"I was a huge fan of the Hunger Games series and I actually loved Sunset Rising more! I am putting it on my top 10 list of most favorite books." - Amazon/Goodreads Reviewer

"FABULOUS!!! I fricken loved this story! If you love Dystopian YA novels, READ THIS BOOK!" - Goodreads Reviewer 

"This book truly blew my mind. It is pure GENIUS ... (it's) as good, if not BETTER, than the Hunger Games." - Amazon Reviewer

"If you like Veronica Roth, you'll like this. I'm glad I tried a new author!" - Amazon Reviewer

"Let me start off by saying this novel stole hours of my sleep. I could not put it down." - Goodreads Reviewer

Peek between the pages of Sunset Rising (Book One)

I found the rope and gave it a good tug to make sure it was secure. “Here. Use this to rappel down. I’ll go first and guide you along as best I can.” I scrambled over the side and began my descent.

“Wait!” Jack’s face appeared above me, terrified. “Aren’t you going to use the rope too?”

“I don’t need it. I’ve been doing this since I was five. And besides, I don’t think that old rope is going to hold two of us.”

I climbed down about ten feet to give him room. I heard him double- checking the rope. “Come on.”

“I can’t even see!”

I rolled my eyes. At this rate we were going to get caught for sure.

Finally, he lowered himself over the side, tentatively feeling around with one foot. I descended another ten feet and looked up to see if he was following, but he hadn’t made any progress. “Jack, you’re taking too long. Trust the rope.”

“You mean this old rope, Sunny?” he snapped. I bit back a laugh.

I heard him take a deep breath and watched him lean out. He lowered one foot, then the other, and again. He continued to rappel in a slow and steady rhythm. I descended another ten feet, thinking I probably shouldn’t be this close. If he fell, he would take us both down.

We continued on, me staying ten feet below Jack and encouraging him to keep going. He was painfully slow, but I tried not to get frustrated. I remembered it was hard the first time I did it, too.

Finally, we arrived at the sixth level and I pulled myself onto the landing. “Almost there, Jack.”

When his feet dangled just above my head, I gave them a little tug to help him along.

“Stop!” Jack’s voice was edged with panic. “I’ll do it myself.”

I let go of him. I didn’t need him screaming and bringing the guards in here. He lowered himself far enough to reach over to the landing. I grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him in. He hugged the side of the wall, testing to make sure his feet were firmly on the ground.

“That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”



Scariest? He had no idea. “Welcome to the Pit, Jack.”

About S.M. McEachern:

S.M. McEachern (who also writes new adult as Susan McEachern) comes from the rocky shores of Canada’s East Coast. She is a graduate of Dalhousie University, with an honors degree in International Development Studies with a focus on ocean development. Throughout her academic studies and early career, Susan had the privilege to study and work with Elizabeth Mann Borgese, daughter of nobel prize winner, Thomas Man). An author in her own right and a political activist for world peace, Mrs. Mann Borgese played a significant influence on Susan’s view of the political world stage.

Visit Susan's website at smmceachern.com for free short stories and updates on new releases.
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Sign up for S.M.’s Newsletter!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will win eBooks of the SUNSET RISING series, International.

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/11/2022	ScottBuryAuthor	Excerpt/IG Post
7/11/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
7/12/2022	FictionalFey	IG Review
7/12/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
7/13/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
7/13/2022	The Biased Bibliophile	Review/IG Post
7/14/2022	Star-Crossed Book Blog	Review/IG Post
7/14/2022	Red Ink Book Reviews	Review/IG Post
7/15/2022	TakeALookAtMyBookshelf	IG Review
7/15/2022	@books_in.the.clouds0899	IG Review

Week Two:

7/18/2022	@JCMorrows	Review/IG Post
7/18/2022	mulberryreads	IG Review
7/19/2022	Write. Read. Live.	Excerpt/IG Post
7/19/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
7/20/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
7/20/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
7/21/2022	A Bookish Dream	Review/IG Post
7/21/2022	Fire and Ice	Review
7/22/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
7/22/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post

Chatting with author Anastasia Abboud

I'm delighted to welcome Anastasia Abboud to my blog. Today, I have an excerpt from her new book Tremors Through Time. But first, let's start with a speed round!

Morning or night? Morning, especially dawn

Favorite food? French fries!

eBook, paperback, or audiobook? All, absolutely all.

Favorite season? Fall, glorious fall.

Favorite movie? Elf

Night on the town or cozy evening in? Delicious cozy evenings.

Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers? Sneakers!

Chicken or steak? Fajitas, entrecôte, rib-eyes…

Favorite junk food? French fries forever!

Beach or mountains? Looooove the mountains.

About the book

Tremors Through Time

Author: Anastasia Abboud

Genre: Time Travel Romance

Heat level: some steam, mostly fade to black

In the infinite vastness of time—past, present, future, past—love prevails.

Blurb

She's made mistakes and paid the price, but Deidre Chisolm is no quitter. She'll never again be a fool for a man, not even her gorgeous new neighbor with his haunted eyes and strange accent. She'll be friendly, but nothing more.

Lachlann has to go back to fourteenth-century Scotland. He can't forsake his family, his son. But when a beautiful, kind, funny lady buys the house next door, he's never been so drawn to anyone in his life. Would she believe his story? After years of struggling through nightmares and flashbacks, headaches and illiteracy, dare he ask her to help him return?

Get your copy today!

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  Google Play

Peek between the pages...

A few hours later, still sipping champagne, Deidre sorted through her old hope chest. Hope chest. The irony wasn’t lost on her.

Suit of armor, my ass. She snorted. It was a wonder she even had dishes to eat on after the long, expensive divorce. But she would’ve paid any price to be free and to prevent that asshole from sucking one more penny from her.

Over. It’s over, Deidre. After almost five years of subsisting in tiny efficiencies, living out of boxes, five years of scrimping, saving, and tears, the divorce lawyer had been paid in full and she’d been able to save enough for a small down payment on a house. She’d done it. She’d made a new life for herself. She had her own home, a good position at the University of Houston, and she was on track for tenure. She’d be fine.

Fine, fine, fine.

Rising onto her knees, she rifled through the chest. Where was it? A soft quilt, an embroidered pillow, a lace shawl, a tea cozy…She continued pulling out her dear granny’s handiwork until she found it. Unwinding a long, lace table runner, she removed layers of tissue paper. As the last of the wrappings fell away, she choked back tears and stared at the face of her farmer, a face she had known all her life.

The small, framed drawing was one of the few things of value she possessed. Faded and fragile, it was a bona fide and precious antique, handed down through her father’s family for generations, placed in her keeping by her grandfather. It had hung in the great room of the farmhouse. She’d stood looking up at it so often that Gramps had finally moved it to her room. She couldn’t have been more than eight years old.

After that, she’d shared every sadness, every disappointment, and every joy with her farmer. She gazed at the beloved face.

No one knew who he was, but he’d been the impetus for her chosen career, the very reason she’d wanted to study medieval history. In her studies, she’d come across drawings of medieval farmers guiding their teams of oxen, but hers stood alone, strong and sure, facing the artist.

She touched the glass, tracing him with her finger, feeling that, somehow, he reached through the centuries to comfort her.

“I wish you were here,” she whispered.

She worked for another hour, until her back ached and her chest hurt from unshed tears. It wasn’t quite dusk, but it felt like midnight to her. She needed fresh air.

Stepping out the kitchen door, she walked around her swampy swimming pool to stand looking out at the fifth green. It was a warm summer’s night, but a breeze was blowing. She loved the view. Too bad she had no one to share it with.

She’d always believed she would have a family by the time she was thirty. But here she was, thirty-two and completely alone. Alone on her birthday, alone in a house she had purchased as a gift for herself. She blinked back tears and focused on the golf course.

The green looked almost endless. Small hills rose here and there, framing her view. There was a pond in the distance and, beyond it, a copse of pine trees. It was beautiful, the main reason she had chosen this property. It reminded her of home.

She thought longingly of the peaceful summer days she’d spent following her grandfather around on the family farm while her parents worked in Durham. They’d shared countless happy hours sowing seeds and harvesting together. He was gone now, and she missed him terribly.

She would plant a vegetable garden. Gramps would be with her in spirit.

The sun was dipping beneath the trees when Deidre finally decided to move. Unpacking would be a lot more productive than standing around feeling sorry for herself. Wiping her cheeks, she began to turn toward her house and suddenly realized she wasn’t alone.

There was little privacy between the golf course properties. Low, wrought-iron fences and short hedges were the rule.

A man—a huge man—was standing just on the other side of the fence. His face was in shadow. But in the fading light, she could just make out his features. She froze. Her heart began palpitating.

Her farmer! But he couldn’t be.

Could he?

Well, of course not, Deidre.

But she would recognize that face anywhere. She’d known it all her life. That face was engraved on her heart.

Wow. She was overly tired, no doubt about it. Maybe it was the champagne. Clearly, she wasn’t up to meeting neighbors. With a quick nod in his direction, she hurried back into her house.

About the author:

For me,  playing is the best -- playing outdoors in nature or in my garden, experimenting in the kitchen, spending time with those I love. I also enjoy disappearing into a good book, attempting crafts, learning, writing, exploring, discovering. I especially like to mix it up and have yet to perfect any of it; and I've come to realize that perfection's not the point. It's all wonderfully fun. That's the point!

​I prefer authentic and natural, be it food, lifestyle, people. I passionately enjoy both history and science, and certainly sociology to a degree, and I am most truly a romantic.

​​My husband and I have been married for over forty years. We reside near Houston, Texas, surrounded by loved ones. We have a blast with our little grandchildren.

​I thank God for this wonderful life.

Connect with Anastasia

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |   Goodreads  |  Bookbub  |  Linked In  |  Amazon