Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to this week’s hop. As always, we are so happy you are here! This week’s challenge comes from the amazing Brenda Margriet:

Let’s share our favourite summer photos, from any year.

My favorite summer photos are from a very long time ago and have since faded away. But, luckily, thanks to the internet, I can gather some pictures of the city that reflect my visit that summer. And relate a wonderful tale to go with the photographs.

Right after I graduated from college, I took the summer off and went to Rome.

Among some of the wonderful places I visited, there was the coliseum (of course), and “The Pieta” (breathtaking), and I walked the Spanish steps (so impressive).

I met some wonderful people and had the time of my life. I ate in places the tourists had yet to discover where the food was authentic and amazing, and I learned Italian. But one story told to me has stuck with me all these years.

One of my new friends introduced me to the Piazza Navona. There is a church there and in front of it sits a fabulous fountain. Now the man who built the church and the one who designed the fountain were rivals. One said the other one’s fountain would crumble before his church. No, said the other man. Your church will fall first. And so he had one of the statues built with his arms raised for when the church fell down.

Oh, to be graced with such talent and a wonderful sense of humor.

And speaking of travel…how about Morocco?

      and coming this fall….

Now let’s pop over to the wonderful A.S. Fenichel and see her pictures…

http://asfenichel.com/blog

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Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to our hop. We are really happy you joined us! This week’s challenge comes from the fabulous Dani Jace:

Entering the “dog days” of summer in my area. Do you have pets? What type and how many? Do you write pets into your stories

These summer months have been a time of sadness because we lost our beloved Jakita.

She was the best dog. She sat at my feet every day when I wrote my books and she was the most loyal, loving, most stubborn, funniest…well, you get the point. I miss her terribly.

But the house was so quiet and empty, we decided to get another dog. A puppy. I know. What were we thinking? But, we saw little Annie and it was love at first sight. And it helped ease the pain. We actually don’t get to pick her up until Friday and I forgot how much is involved in raising and training one from scratch. She’ll only be eight weeks old. So, no sleep for awhile. But look at that face…

I’m a little nervous, but I’ve been to the pet store to stock up on supplies and I think we’re ready. Maybe. But again, look at that face.

As for writing pets into my stories…”The Defiant Bride” features a horse like the one I had (although horses really aren’t pets) and “The Dream Dancer’s” Bryce has a great dog.

I realize I should probably write about pets more often. There is no greater comfort than their unconditional love….

Now let’s pop over to the wonderful Dani Jace and hear about her pets….

http://www.danijace.com/blog

Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to this week’s hop. So happy to see you! This week’s challenge comes from the amazing A.S. Fenichel:

It’s been a while since we had a Flash Fiction. Write 500 words using Coffee, Blue and Waterfall. Bonus points if you include a kiss. 📷😉

Here’s mine:

The day bloomed bright and warm, the sky a brilliant blue. Tammy dressed quickly, poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the small kitchen table. Restless, she got up and walked outside.

Her small cabin overlooked the valley below and the greening of springtime filled the eye with endless meadows and peeking wildflowers. The rushing of the river as it tumbled over the waterfall nearby was the only sound, except for the birds calling love songs to one another. Peace. It was the only word to describe all this.

But this morning, that quiet contentment had been shaken. Inside her house, the gorgeous man in her bed still slept, or so she hoped. She needed a few minutes of quiet time to think. He had proposed last night, and it had shaken her to her core. Rest had eluded her, which was why she was up so early.

Two years ago, she had fled from a monster who had, in front of God and everyone, promised to love and honor. Instead, he had broken her nose, cracked several ribs and fractured her arm before she had the courage to run.  She had been so stupid. She believed him over and over again when he said he was sorry, that it would never happen again. Until, finally, she knew better.

She changed her name, moved to this distant spot and had taken only jobs that would pay her in cash. But she never felt really safe. Would not feel safe until the man she no longer thought of as a partner was dead or, at the very least, in jail for a very long time.

Then, eight months ago, she met Bill. Terrified, self-protective, she had resisted his kindness and offers to help.  He had never raised a hand to her, never verbally abused her, been nothing but patient. The only anger she ever saw was when she described her old life.

Little by little, he broke through her barriers and slowly, agonizing so, she had finally let him into her heart and her bed. And, now, she was—what? In love? Yes. But in order to make a future with Bill, she would have to legally extricate herself from the old life. The thought of facing that jackal had fear coursing through her veins like hot lava.

Living in a state of terror was exhausting. The very idea of freedom from the past and starting anew was exhilarating. But was she brave enough?

She looked down at the warm drink in her hands and decided she wanted her life to be a full cup. Stepping back into the house, she strode into the bedroom and kissed Bill awake.

“Yes”.

 and “Freed From Morocco” coming this fall….

Now, let’s pop over to the wonderful Dani Jace and read hers….

http://www.danijace.com/blog

Romance Writers Weekly

Happy summer and thanks for joining us. We are so glad you’re here! I came up with this week’s challenge:

It is hot! What food or drink do you recommend to cool the heat of summer?

Two words…ice cream! Really, is there anything any better than licking an ice cream cone when the heat and humidity are so high you just want to hide inside? And the best part: a kabillion flavors to choose from. If you’re in the mood for something light, there’s sorbet. Or how about a simple choice like vanilla or chocolate. Something more exotic? Decadent? Pretty much anything Ben and Jerry’s. But there are seriously so many choices. Fabulous!

And then there are popsicles. They’re so cold and sweet and satisfying. Or you can choose real fruit bars for the more health conscious (okay, they might have lots of sugar, but it’s a treat, right?). Or, how about an ice cream sandwich or one of those cones with the chocolate and nuts on top.

Okay, so not only am I a little bit cooler just thinking about all this, I am now starving. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the freezer. Hey, it’s hot!

Let’s hop over to the incredible A.S. Fenichel and see how she keeps her cool.

http://asfenichel.com/blog

Romance Writers Weekly

Happy Tuesday and welcome to our hop. So happy you could join us! This week’s challenge comes from the amazing Jenna Da Sie:

Do you like to travel in the summer or stay home? If you do travel, where is your favorite place you’ve been?

Before we moved to Florida, I liked to travel in the winter. I always chose places that are warm, since I am not a big fan of snow and ice.

In the summer, I have always liked to stay closer to home. It seems like all of the popular destinations are crowded with so many people, since kids are out of school and it’s a good time for a vacation for most families. Parks, especially places like Disney World, are stuffed with visitors and the wait to do just about anything is forever. But there are spots around my home that are beautiful and, especially during the weekdays, not so full of visitors. We are surrounded by natural springs that spill into rivers and you can kayak and paddle on crystal clear water and see all kinds of fish swimming below. In some of the springs, you can snorkel or swim in the cool water and just relax for a few hours. A myriad of birds sit on the shore or in the treetops and the sense of peace is wonderful. It’s like travelling to another world.

We are also surrounded by miles of walking trails and all kinds of little areas along the river for a picnic or just to sit and chill out.

I have been to a lot of places in my life and seen wonders, but I think my favorites are the ones that take me away into the quiet and beauty of nature.

 

 

Now, let’s pop over to the fabulous Jenna Da Sie and read about her favorite place…

https://jennadasie.com

Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to our weekly hop. Hope you had a wonderful fourth of July! We’re very happy you’ve joined us! This week, I came up with the challenge:

Which romance novel hero/heroine would you like to spend some time with and why?

There is no way I could pick just one or even two. And that’s because I love them all. The heroes, the heroines. They exemplify strong men and women who face adversity and not only come out the other side, but come out with someone to love forever.

I would be thrilled to sit down with any of these characters. They are all so different and yet, all the same. We are all fighting a battle of some kind and we all have baggage to drag along. The difference is the heroes and heroines in romance novels not only manage to succeed; they give us the incentive to keep moving forward.

I get to spend time with them when I read their stories and immerse myself in their lives and their adventures. And isn’t that the amazing gift that reading gives us. The ability to ‘hang out’ with exciting, interesting people in all walks of life and in so many different times—and even worlds.

When I am ‘with’ these characters, it reminds me that love is love and love makes us human, makes us strong, makes us worthy.

So pick up a romance novel, spend some time with a hero or heroine, and be inspired.

Now let’s pop over to the fabulous Brenda Margriet and learn her choices…

http://www.brendamargriet.com/blog

Romance Writers Weekly

Hello and welcome to our hop. We are really happy you’ve joined us!

This week’s challenge comes from the amazing Dani Jace:

We’re on our beach vacation this week. Post a recipe of your favorite summer cocktail or thirst quencher and your favorite place to drink it.

There is no doubt I have simple tastes. That and I once drank a fancy, sweet cocktail too fast after being in the sun all day. It wasn’t pretty. So, now my drink of choice in the summer is a cold glass of Pinot Grigio enjoyed while sitting on my dock.

Living here in Florida is like a vacation every day. And the canal behind our house provides a constantly changing array of all kinds of creatures. There are turtles popping up and fish jumping and a few alligators cruising by. Luckily, the sea wall is high, so we are safe. The neighborhood blue heron drops by sometimes and a variety of other birds swing over to snack on the clams in the shallow water.

Relaxing and sipping the wine while watching this amazing show of nature is both grounding and humbling.  And I can daydream about my next writing adventure. Perfect!

                

 

Now, lets pop over to the fabulous Dani Jace and discover her favorites…

http://www.danijace.com/blog