Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to our hop. We are so happy you could take the time to join us. It means so much!

Here is this week’s challenge:

Dogs or cats? Or other choices. Or no pets? Pictures please. And how does that help your writing?

Dogs! Years ago I had a wonderful cat. His name was Waco – which was short for Way Cool. There will never be another like him. Because he was more dog than cat. He loved to ride in the car, he loved baths. Never a picky eater. Loved attention. And he strutted around like he owned the place. Which brings me to Josie.

My dog. Who, if truth be told, probably does own the place, since she has trained me so well. She gets more space in the bed than we do and whines when she wants something – while staring directly into my eyes – and then fully expects me to figure out what it is she needs. A walk, a run, a chewy, to be petted?

If she could talk, the list of demands – well, I don’t even want to think about it.

Every day when I go into my office to write, she is there. She lays at my feet and never makes a sound as long as the keys are clacking. If I get frustrated, or stuck, she will stand on her rear legs, put her front paws on my shoulders and give me a hug and kisses. Unconditional love. Nothing like it. You know that saying, I want to be the person my dog thinks I am…well, her love makes me stronger, more creative, and yes, more motivated. Gotta make money so I can keep her in dog toys (which she tends to tear apart on a regular basis). And she makes me laugh every day.

I mean, look at that face…enough said.

Now let’s pop over to the fabulous Brenda Margriet and hear about her creatures…

But first – check this out!!!!!

Pre Order Now in Ebook and Paperback! Releases April 13

An adventurous, go-with-the-flow historian…a scrupulous, stick-to-the-rules scientist…an attraction so wrong it’s absolutely right.

Natalie Minton’s cheerful exterior hides desperation. She’s been out of work for months when her estranged sister appears on her doorstep pleading for help. An offer to write the biography of a local political legend couldn’t come at a better time.

Rafe Talbot rejected family tradition and chose medicine over politics. When he stumbles upon evidence of a hidden scandal, his only recourse is to work alongside—and stay one step ahead of—the vivacious scholar hired to chronicle his mother’s career.

Natalie’s exuberance strikes sparks off Rafe’s steely severity, luring them to ignore the secrets shadowing their pasts…until the glare of the present exposes intolerable truths.

https://books2read.com/StrictlybytheBook

https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog

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Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to our hop. Hope your Tuesday is going great! And thanks so much for taking the time to join us. It means so much!

Here is this week’s challenge:

If you could be friends with anyone who is alive today, who would you choose and why?

I am a  writer, so I think the choice is pretty obvious:  Stephen King. Not necessarily because of his choice of genres, although I do love some of them, gore and all. It’s because he happens to be a fantastic writer. And prolific. It’s clear he has a great time writing and he seems to take everything in stride.

The story goes that “Carrie” was rejected like thirty times and he finally just threw it in the trash. His wife retrieved it and he kept going. And isn’t that the key to success? To keep going no matter what.

His latest, “Fairy Tale” is a very different take on Grimm. And I loved every page. His insights into human nature, so evident in “’Salem’s Lot” and “Misery” shine through and make me actually gasp with admiration.

In fact, it was “’Salem’s Lot” that made me want to be a writer. I wanted to learn how to look at the world through an objective lens while still maintaining my voice, just as he does. Now, don’t misunderstand. I am certainly not comparing myself to the master here. But I am grateful that I could read his work and see the possibilities in my own.

So, yes, if I could be friends with anyone alive, I would have to choose him. And maybe, if I was very lucky, he’d be happy to be my friend, too. Even though I’m just a grasshopper in comparison.

Now let’s pop over to the wonderful Jenna Da Sie and read about her choice…

https://jennadasie.com

Romance Writers Weekly

Hey there. It’s Tuesday again and we hope your day is going well. Thanks so much for joining us. It means so much!!!

Here is this week’s challenge:

What is your favorite indulgence? A spa day, an outdoor adventure, a glass of wine after a long day?

Yes—well, not so much the outdoor adventure. That would have been one of my choices say ten years ago. We even did that thing where you swing in the trees about thirty feet above the ground. Not so much today.

But the spa – sign me up! And the wine – yep!

They are both very different, but wonderful. The spa is so nice, not just for the pampering, which of course I love, but also for the peace. No one is asking me to do anything other than maybe turn over. I like it. I can just relax and let someone else do the work. Which in my life is a rarity. I cannot say how many times I have worked out a plot point or something else to do with the book I am currently writing. My mind is clear and ideas flow. It’s great! Not that I get to do that very often, but when I do, I absolutely appreciate it!

The wine after a long day…well, when the days go as fast as they do and I wake up at six in the morning and suddenly it’s five at night…it’s just so nice to sit back with a glass of Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir (depending on what’s for dinner) and savor a glass while I take a few minutes to sit out on the porch before it’s time to start cooking.

Taking time to relax becomes more important the busier I am. And there is always so much to do. Right now I have to describe what the culture shock would be if my heroine suddenly landed in sixteenth century Scotland. Even though it wasn’t by accident, it still has to be quite an adjustment. So, I’m going to get into her head and look around. And yes, it’s my WIP and I’m pretty excited about it. And looking forward to coming back to reality and sipping on that wine tonight. I think I’ll make fish for dinner, so white it is!

Now let’s hop over to the very talented Jill Haymaker and hear about her favorite indulgence. But first…

Free all week 🙂

The first book in my Peakview Series, Colorado Sunset, is free for your kindle all this week. Come back to where it all started in this seasoned romance that proves it’s never too late to get a second chance at love. When single mom, June’s,  last child leaves for college, she decides to take a cross country road trip. When her car breaks down high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains near the small town of Peakview, she discovers that she just might find what she’s searching for in Jeff Walker, a handsome widowed horse rancher.

https://www.amazon.com./dp/B00UNP0GTW

https://jillhamaker.com

Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and happy Tuesday. Thanks so much for joining us. We appreciate you so much!

Here is this week’s challenge:

How do you take care of yourself? What do you do to practice self-care?

Years ago, when I was taking care of my elderly mother, raising a teenager, working full-time and trying to write, I realized if I didn’t take a little “me” time, I would run out of gas. So I made a point to do something once a week that was just for me. Sometimes it was a pedicure or a special lunch with a friend, while other times it was a facial or a massage. Sometimes it was just taking an hour and watching something fun on TV or going to a movie. Or reading a book.

These days, my schedule is not so hectic and I absolutely have time to write on a regular basis without interruptions. But, I still have those pesky chores, like laundry and grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning. And I still value self-care. If you don’t take some time for yourself, time to recharge your batteries so-to-speak, everything is harder to accomplish.

So, once every two weeks, I get that lovely massage or facial or take some time to visit with a friend or just take an hour or so to sit back and read a book or watch TV. It’s amazing how that hour makes everything better and easier.

I used to feel guilty about indulging in self-care. Now I realize it’s absolutely essential.

It’s like they say on airplanes…when the oxygen mask falls, put yours on first so you’ll be able to care for others.

Now let’s hop over to the fabulous Jenna Da Sie and hear about her self-care…

https://jennadasie.com

Romance Writers Weekly

Happy Tuesday! We are so happy you are joining us today. It means so much. And we hope your week is starting out well!

Here is this week’s challenge:

Share one of your hobbies. What do you do when you’re not writing?

Actually I have several hobbies and I tend to alternate in no particular order. I choose which to do based on what is needed. One is sewing. I make many of my own clothes since I can never find what I like in the stores. I love color and tropical patterns and, living in the heat of a summer in Florida, outfits have to breathe. So when I come across some beautiful fabric, I feel obligated to make a dress or a blouse.

I also make jewelry. Now I have an abundance of pieces, so I make presents for my friends. That hobby kicks in around Christmas and birthdays. I just love working with semi-precious stones and making bling.

My last favorite hobby is painting. And yes, I have painted rooms in our house, but I also do canvases. I work in acrylic and, as mentioned above, I love color, the brighter the better.

Now, none of these hobbies will ever make me rich or famous, but they do help me focus on writing when I’m stuck on a plot point or trying to come up with a new idea. And I usually end up with something pretty useful.

Now let’s hop over to the fantastic and talented Jill Haymaker and hear about her hobby…

But first…

There’s nothing more romantic than a Colorado Winter Moon. Sam Phillips has given up on love since the death of his wife. With only his small dog, Marshall, for company, he’s content to live out his life alone. That is until he meets the perky and vivacious, Vickie Dalton at her son’s wedding. There’s just something about her that makes him want to reopen his closed heart.

Vickie, widowed at a young age, has spent her life raising her children and grandchildren in Tumbleweed, Wyoming. Romance for herself is the farthest thing from her mind when she travels to Colorado for the wedding. But when she looks into those bright blue eyes, she senses that Sam in one of a kind. Is she too old to take a chance on love, especially if it means leaving her home and grandchildren behind?

Under the glow of a Colorado winter moon, can these two lonely people discover a passion they thought was long gone. Can they find a way to juggle family and location to be together?

Come home to Peakview, Colorado where everyone has a chance at love.

https://jillhaymaker.com

Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks so much for stopping by. We really appreciate it! And hope your day is full of love!

Here is this week’s challenge:

Tell us a favorite love story.

My response: All of them! Whether it’s time travel to find your soul mate, enemies to lovers or any of the other genres in romance, as I read or hear them, each one becomes my new favorite. They make me laugh and cry and ache and rejoice.

Have you watched the news lately? It’s full of one atrocity after another, of people being hurt in so many terrible ways, while stories of love and kindness are too rare.

In a world full of so much negativity, don’t we all have a desire for better? Wouldn’t we all like to have that “happily ever after”? Shouldn’t we all seek love?

Thackeray said “Love makes fools of us all…” I heartily disagree. Love raises us to higher levels. Yes, people are willing to risk all for love, but the goal is definitely worth the work. What we need right now is more love in the world.

Love strengthens us, makes us smile, helps us see the world through a better lens. So any story of love is fantastic, and any love story is a message that no matter the conflicts and hardships, love will prevail – because it has to.

And speaking of…

Let’s hop over to the talented PG Forte and hear about her favorite. But first…check this on out!

Games We Play

A quirky, family-owned resort on the Jersey Shore is the setting for this erotic, lightly paranormal series. 

Cousins Brenda, Luke and Gwyn are determined to turn their failing hotel business around. They have no time for love. They’re in no mood for games. But it’s not going to matter. Not when they’re up against a handful of ghosts, a mischievous boggart, a family curse, and destinies written in stone.

Book one, Truth or Dare, takes place on Valentine’s Day.

https://books2read.com/u/4ENoKg

http://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/

Romance Writers Weekly

Hi there. Thanks for joining us today. We are so happy you are here!

On to this week’s challenge:

Share a place where you go to find inspiration (museum, park, coffee shop, etc.). Why does it inspire you?

Anyone who knows me already know the answer to this: the water. Specifically the ocean. I am a Type A personality and there are many times I need to find calm in order to be inspired. Nothing is more relaxing, and actually reassuring, than watching the waves ebb and flow. There is a whole world beneath there I cannot see, but it sparks my imagination. The water has been here since long before I was and will be here long after, so the idea of time travel seems actually feasible. The timeless ocean has seen it all.

Knowing that I stand with my toes in the sand, at the same place where many others through the years have stood, watching, is like plugging into eternity. And the repetitive sound soothes, as if to say, you don’t need to do anything but experience this.

Another inspiring thing about being on the shore is knowing the sea has seen it all and goes about its business answering only to the pull from the moon above it. Inspiration and comfort.

Now let’s hop over to the wonderful Jenna DaSie and find out about where she finds her inspiration.

https://jennadasie.com

Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to our hop. Thanks so much for joining us. We so appreciate you and hope your week is going well so far!

Here is this week’s challenge:

What is your favorite holiday destination? Mountain, ocean, big city, country?

Since Covid, we really haven’t taken a vacation. Before that, it was always the ocean. A cruise, Jamaica, Florida. We did go to Mardi Gras once – something I always wanted to do, but once is good, although New Orleans is a wonderful city. And Lake Pontchartrain with its nearly 24-mile bridge almost feels like an ocean.

After our last vacation trip to Florida, we decided to move here. It took a while, but we now have a house within walking distance of the beach, a short drive to the oldest city in the country, which is very picturesque and has lots of history and shops and galleries, and near enough to a big city if the urge strikes.

So, when it comes to actually leaving for vacation – well, it’s hard to find anyplace better than here. And I suppose as I grow older, the comfort of routine and familiarity has a lot to recommend it.

When I write, I do a tremendous amount of research and, as much as I’d like to take a trip to Scotland or any place with castles overlooking water…well, it’s just not very practical now. So I am satisfied with virtual visits to these places. And with the Atlantic so nearby, I feel very lucky to be able to walk to my favorite destination whenever I want.

Now let’s pop over to the fabulous PG Forte and find out about her favorite places to visit. But first, speaking of resorts…

A quirky, family-owned resort on the Jersey Shore is the setting for this erotic, lightly paranormal series. Cousins Brenda, Luke and Gwyn are determined to turn their failing hotel business around. They have no time for love. They’re in no mood for games. But it’s not going to matter. Not when they’re up against a handful of ghosts, a mischievous boggart, and a family curse. You might say their destinies are written in stone.

​The Games We Play trilogy. Three connected stories designed to convince you that holiday fun doesn’t  have to begin or end in December!

https://books2read.com/u/4ENoKg

http://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/

Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to our weekly hop. So happy you could join us! Hope your day is going great!

Here is this week’s challenge:

Writers are readers, too! Who are your one-click authors? What was your favourite book of 2022?

Truth be told, I have a lot of one-click authors. And I love discovering new authors, which I try to do all the time. Some of the best books written every year are by writers who don’t have the benefit of marketing to get the word out about their books.

If I have to narrow it down, here are some of my favorites (in no particular order):

Sarah Andre               Kathleen Woodiwiss

Nikki Brock                Beverly Jenkins

Xio Axelrod                Rachel Caine

Vanessa Riley             Lisa Regan

Kristan Higgins          Susanna Kearsley

Tess Gerritsen

Brenda Margriet

And lots and lots of others.

But the winner, in my opinion, for 2022, has to be Stephen King’s “Fairy Tale”. Definitely a departure from many of his previous works, I found I couldn’t put it down. Of course he is a master of the written word and even if horror isn’t your genre, you might want to check out this one.

And speaking of checking things out…

Let’s hop over to the wonderful and talented Brenda Margriet and read about her favorites.

But first…

He’s a concert cellist. She’s a construction worker. When sparks fly between them, all bets are off.

ALLEGRO COURT, Book One in the Bendixon Sisters Series, is available for FREE!

Marcus Temple escaped his despised birthplace, driven by his passion for music. Now a sophisticated, world-class cellist, he must return when his mother suffers a severe stroke. Going back also means dealing with the woman whose heart he broke when he left—Mattie Bendixon.

More comfortable in overalls than orchestra seats, Mattie’s childhood dreams were simple—working for her grandfather’s construction company and building a life with Marcus. His ambitions forced her to abandon one goal, and now her beloved company is also under threat.

Mattie thinks she sees a way to save Bendixon and Sons—if she can convince Marcus to stay in his hated hometown for one month. All she has to risk is her heart.

https://books2read.com/AllegroCourt

https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog

Romance Writers Weekly

Hey, there. Happy Tuesday! Thanks so much for joining us. We really appreciate you!

Here is this week’s challenge:

What is your favorite kind of weather? Does it inspire your writing?

The perfect day is 78 degrees and sunny, with a light breeze. Luckily, I live in Florida, so this kind of day comes more often than in most other places. When I open the window, the wind carries the scent of new-mown grass and flowers and, since I live away from a major city, a minimum of pollution. Yep – perfect.

Does it inspire my writing? Maybe. It makes me feel good, positive, and that is always a plus in any endeavor.

The good news about rainy days is they don’t make me feel as if I am missing something outside.

Truth be told, all my inspiration comes from within. Once I start writing a story, it doesn’t really matter what’s going on around me or outside. My office has a window and it’s nice to be able to look out and see sunshine, but it doesn’t make any difference, because when I am writing, it takes all of my focus. Time flies as I imagine exotic places and wonderful, multi-faceted characters.

It’s sunny today and a little too cold to be perfect, but I don’t care. I’m about to go back to 1562 Scotland and there’s definitely about to be some crisis that needs resolving.

_________________

Now let’s hop over to the fantastic and talented Brenda Margriet and find out out the weather influences her. But first…

You have to enter this contest! It’s too good to miss…

Enter to win a brand new e-reader and 40 steamy contemporary romances!

Includes Brenda’s holiday fling, fish out of water, tattooed multicultural hero No Life But This.

All you have to do is follow Brenda and other participating authors on Bookbub. The more you follow, the more entries you receive. Contest ends January 18!

https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/january23-win-a-bundle-of-steamy-contemporary-romance/

https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog