SURPRISE!! (and a GIVEAWAY)
Christmas on Mistletoe Lane has been made into a mobile interactive story game that you can play! Isn't that cool? It releases on the Chapters Mobile Gaming App this Thursday the 17th and I for one can't wait to play! To celebrate, Crazy Maple Studio has been so generous as to offer 5 lucky winners 100 gems each to play. To enter, just download the app (so you're ready on Thursday!) and comment below to let me know you're all set! Easy! I'll draw the winner tomorrow night!
Download here:

http://bit.ly/ChaptersAndroid

http://bit.ly/ChaptersDownload

A little bit about the app:
Crazy Maple Studio is a group of writers, artists, and engineers whose mission is to share compelling stories with readers, gamers, and story enthusiasts all over the world. We are best known for our interactive storytelling game, Chapters— but our desire to help readers consume fresh and innovative content extends beyond mobile entertainment. Come join us on our new adventures!

​Do you want to make a tomato cage Christmas tree like the ones Joy made in SEASON OF JOY? I did a guest post over at That Artsy Reader Girl! Check it out HERE.

This is the tomato cage Christmas tree my son made! Isn't it pretty?!

’Tis the season for a fresh start . . .

Christmas is coming to the North Carolina mountains, and the air is fresh and crisp and filled with promise. After the devastating loss of her job in the big city, the small town of Sweetwater Springs feels like heaven to Kaitlyn Russo. She's inherited her grandparents' charming (if a little rundown) bed and breakfast, and it's just the new lease on life she needs. Only "heaven" comes with a catch-and a handsome and completely infuriating one at that. 

After what he hopes will be a quick trip, Mitch Hargrove wants nothing more than to put his hometown in the rearview mirror. But his plans get derailed when he learns he's now half-owner of the Sweetwater B&B. The fact that he's given only two months to make the inn a success is a huge problem, but it's his pretty-and incredibly headstrong-partner who's the real challenge. With the holiday fast approaching and a grand re-opening looming, will Mitch keep running from the ghosts of Christmas past . . . or will he realize the true gift he's been given? ​

Here's a little tease from my new book SEASON OF JOY!

“I made you a promise,” Joy said. “I’m not going to break it, okay? No matter how many times you put your foot in your mouth or disappoint me.”
He met her gaze. “Thank you. It’s just, if I screw up, those girls will be lying on some couch talking to a counselor one day about all my inadequacies.”
Joy laughed. “My parents have a lot of faults, and I’ve never done that. I just create abstract art that secretly relays how messed up I am because of them.” She winked.
The magnetic pull of Granger’s gaze seemed to intensify. She had a sudden urge to kiss him. A strong urge. When was the last time she was alone in her living room with an attractive man at night? It was too far back to remember.
But she wasn’t going to kiss him. Things were too complicated between them already. She let go of his hand. 
“Thank you for helping with the girls. And for understanding. I’m not sure what I’d do without you right now.”
“You’d be fine, I’m sure.”
Chelsea strutted into the room to glare at Granger, her tail twitching.
Granger glanced down at Joy’s cat. “I’m not a cat person. What does it mean when she’s looking at me like that?”
Joy laughed. “Chelsea is very jealous. I’m hers, and you are encroaching on her territory.”
Granger looked from Chelsea back to Joy, his eyes suddenly dark. “I wonder what she’d do if I came closer.”
Joy held her breath as Granger stepped toward her, her heart beating erratically.
Granger’s eyes slid to look at Chelsea, who continued to twitch her tail, her green eyes round. Then he looked at Joy again. “Should I be worried?” he asked in a low voice.
Joy swallowed. Her mouth was suddenly dry. Without thinking, she ran a tongue over her lips. “Sadly, Chelsea was already declawed when I rescued her from the shelter. But she still has teeth.”
Granger grinned, his gaze still dark. There was an unmistakable heat there. “I’m taking my chances standing this close.”
“You are,” Joy agreed. Then Granger leaned toward her, drawing closer until he was one breath away from making contact with her lips. Every thought left her mind as she closed her eyes, let out a sigh, and melted into his kiss.
~~~
Granger had been wanting to kiss Joy since the moment they met but he’d been resisting for good reason. But all reason had escaped him now as he gently tugged her closer. She tasted sweet, and her body was warm. The temptation was too great, and after the day he’d had, he just needed to feel her in his arms.
Joy sighed against his lips. Then her body shifted beneath his hands, inviting them to explore. Slowly, one of his hands traveled up her side, taking the curves like that sports car he’d had when he was twenty years old.
Then in one quick second, Joy’s cat launched herself at his lower leg. He drew back from the kiss as Chelsea landed at his feet, her wide green eyes locked on his in warning.
“Chelsea!” Joy bent and collected the large ball of fur into her arms. “That is not nice.”
Granger looked up at Joy and realized what he’d done. He’d kissed the one person in the whole world that he probably shouldn’t have. Coming here, he’d worried that Joy wouldn’t come back to Abby and Willow because of his stupidity. Now he’d done another stupid thing. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Joy’s smile faded. “You didn’t mean to kiss me?”
He shook his head. “No, I definitely didn’t mean to do that. That was a mistake.” And his mistakes kept coming, it seemed, because now Joy was frowning. “I mean, it was nice,” he said. “But we shouldn’t have.”
“Nice,” she repeated. “No, you’re right, we shouldn’t have done that. And now you should probably go…before you make another big mistake.”
Granger swallowed.
“And before you ask,” Joy said, “yes, I’m picking the girls up tomorrow afternoon and going back to the farm. Nothing has changed. Nothing at all.”

Want to read more? 
🎄Kindle: https://amzn.to/3iyTrAG
🎄iBooks: https://apple.co/33sixgs
🎄Nook: https://bit.ly/2F3taNm

I'm so excited that book 6 in my Sweetwater Springs series, SEASON OF JOY, is out in the world today. I loved writing Joy and Granger's story. I'm a sucker for a single father romance. I'm also a sucker for a hero or heroine with a deep wound and/or tragic backstory. This book has all of those elements all wrapped up in a whole lot of Christmas cheer. I hope you enjoy SEASON OF JOY! It's never too early to start reading holiday romance, in my opinion. And if you love this one, it might make a nice gift come December 😉

First things first. I want to THANK YOU all so much for an amazing release week for Sunshine on Silver Lake! I appreciate all the people who went to the stores to find my books, ordered online, posted on social media, wrote reviews, etc. etc. You are the BEST readers an author could have! 
I am so happy that so many of you loved Emma and Jack's story! Your reviews have been making me smile! I hope you all are fairing well during this pandemic and hurricane season. Isais swept over the coast of NC where I live, leaving behind a huge mess to clean up, but no true damage. 
How are you all? Good?

“Is this okay?” he asked. “I know you gave me a bunch of rules earlier for this arrangement we have going.”
There was only one rule that she hadn’t dared mention. Don’t fall for Jack because…
Her mind stuttered, searching and failing to remember the reasons why that one rule was so important. Don’t fall for Jack because…because he was her friend. Because he’d broken her heart once, a long time ago. Because he’d never shown romantic interest in her again. Until now.

​It's RELEASE DAY! I'm so excited that SUNSHINE ON SILVER LAKE is finally out in the world! I feel like I've been waiting for this release all summer because I'm just so excited for you all to meet Jack Hershey and Emma St. James! These two have secretly been in love since they were teenagers and now they're in a (not-so) pretend relationship for the summer. This story was fun and emotional at times to write. I loved every minute!

Today I have a special 4th of July teaser for you! Or actually it's more like a small bite-sized excerpt...
Since SUNSHINE ON SILVER LAKE takes place over the summer, the 4th of July holiday is included in the book. As if there weren't already sparks between Emma and Jack, they share a picnic in the park together and share one hot kiss under the fireworks ... but you'll have to read the book to experience the kiss 💋 
🎆 🎆🎆
Emma felt breathless with anticipation. But not from waiting to see the explosive colors that would light up the mountain sky. She’d always found fireworks romantic. It was sitting next to Jack on a picnic blanket beneath the stars that already had her heart in her throat.
A high-pitched squeal penetrated the silence, making Emma jump. It was a solid second before a splash of red covered the sky. Jack reached for Emma’s hand. She swallowed but didn’t look at him. She didn’t pull her hand away either.
Instead, she leaned in toward him, absorbed in the moment. All her senses were bombarded by the experience, and she let herself get lost in it.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Do you love that first morning cup of coffee as much as I do? Sometimes I lay in bed after my alarm clock and I have no motivation to go downstairs until I remember that coffee exists and it's downstairs waiting for me. LOL. It's the little things in life, like coffee, that make a day. 
Are you wondering why I'm talking about coffee? Well, the next book in my Sweetwater Springs series releases on July 21st and the heroine is... a coffee shop owner. If you're familiar with the series, you know I'm talking about Emma St. James who owns the Sweetwater Cafe. You've met her in all the books so far and now it's her turn for a chance at love. 
If you've read the series so far, you also know that love will be hard-won for her and her hero (Park Ranger, Jack Hershey!). I'm so excited to share this love story with you. We're about a month away from release now--Have you preordered your copy?

So back to coffee. Do you drink it? How many cups? Sweet or plain? Creamer? I personally like 2 cups of coffee with almond milk, no sugar. But there are exceptions. I'm including a great iced coffee recipe below for your caffeinated pleasure!

Iced Coffee Recipe
☕️ 2 cups of brewed coffee. You can make a pitcher of brewed coffee and keep it in the fridge to make drinks during the week.
☕️  A glass full of ice (You can make ice cubes out of coffee if you want a stronger taste).
☕️  Milk or creamer to taste
☕️ Sweetener to taste ( I prefer mine unsweet)
Fill a glass with ice cubes. Pour your dark brewed coffee over the ice, almost to the top. Then add your milk/creamer and sweetener. Enjoy!
​