by Christine | Writing
It’s happened again, that arbitrary day we call “January 1” of whatever year. I have begun the great cleaning out of my office, as well as my closets and dressers and kitchen cupboards. Found my raspberry beret, which had gone missing, as well as some colored pencils and a small bag of electronics that I travel with, so that was a good thing.
I have let blogging slide, for whatever reason; but it is past time to get back into gear. There are wines that need discussing, and books, and recipes…oh yes, recipes!
And there’s a freebie going on, in case you haven’t read anything I’ve written yet (except this here blog)…but just until January 4th, so grab it while you can!
Three Times More Lucky, Sizzling Stories of Menage and More, from Louisa Bacio, Erzabet Bishop, Kim Carmichael, Sascha Illyvich, Solera Winters, and me. Get it here…
But for today, I just want to say Happy New Year. There’s a lot of life to live…may your 2017 hold love, and strength, growth and change for you…in the very best ways possible.
And have a sip of champagne for me, will you?
by Christine | Reviews
I spent the past weekend resting my thumb and reading three books that I had picked up from Romance Writers of America’s National Conference.
So I had the unique privilege of visiting New York City and Santa Barbara; a magical land called Raea; and Blessings, Kansas.
I hadn’t read any of these authors before. I have met Joan, and she’s a publishing sister of mine, so it was with interest that I sat down to spend a bit of time reading two short novellas by Joan Bird.
Both stories are set in a small publishing company. The editors are men; the writers, women whose work changes their lives. Sam’s Gift has the delicious Lizzie shoving her manuscript under the door of an editor. Jake is transformed by this novel and must have it, so he goes to great lengths to find Lizzie and meet up with her. But with Lizzie comes Jake’s realization; that his wife, Sam, whom he lost on 9/11 when the South Tower went down, has left him the gift of his future; and that he’d darned well better take advantage of it, instead of continuing to live like a ghost. Joan’s way with witty and intelligent dialog will have you giggling in delight.
Amy’s Wish, set in Santa Barbara, is another heart-tugging, witty and intelligent novella. Eric, the editor, is in Santa Barbara only to get Amy to sign a contract for her novel. Amy is certain he doesn’t mean it. It takes them both to bare their souls, and their secrets, before he can convince her that he means everything he says, especially when he says “I love you.”
Both stories give you that warm, happy-ever-afterglow that a good romance imparts, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.
This story had me by the first sentence.
“I craft influential cake.”
Right??? Yeah. This is a magical puzzle of three people (well, let’s go with that) that are entwined together.
Maire has no memory of her past beyond the five years she’s been in the town of Carmine. She is a baker who bakes influence into her cakes and tarts and pies. Whether it be love, or luck, or strength, or courage, she crafts her edibles with these emotions and abilities. Those who consume them receive those gifts, which is why her bakeshop is well known in her small town.
But when marauders come through Carmine, she is captured and sold…to Allemas, a strong man who then sets her to make treats for others. He whirls them from place to place, holding her captive when she is not actively baking.
When she is down in the cellar, waiting for Allemas to set her to another task, she is visited by a spirit named Fyel. The more she spends time with him, the more her memory returns…and the angrier Allemas becomes.
I have never read a novel like this before. I loved it. It was like falling into a dream, and I wished I could taste the cakes, the tarts, the petit fours. And the reveal toward the end was breathtaking. I will definitely be reading more of Charlie N. Holberg’s works.
I fell in love, reading this book. I had never read any of the Blessings novels, but I didn’t feel lost at all. I loved Bernadine and her Mal, I loved the feisty 10 year old Zoey, and I absolutely adored her mama Roni Garland and her man Reggie.
Life in a small town can be very interesting, especially when you’re the one who owns it the way Bernadine Brown owns Blessings, Kansas. Add in a furious mayor’s wife in the nearby small town of Franklin, and you’ve got some mayhem tossed in.
This book immersed me in warmth and love as I read and got to know lots of people in the town, from the impossible Devon who will eventually learn not to be an ass (and Zoey will learn not to beat him up), to Bernadine and her love for most everyone.
I will, most definitely, be going back to Blessings, Kansas at the first opportunity.
Overall…
It was a wonderful way to spend a weekend, refilling my writer’s well, and getting to share these books and these writers with you is another joy.
by Christine | Life, Observations
My parents bought a cabin in the Laguna Mountains in the winter of 1965-66. It’s in the Cleveland National Forest, and you buy the cabin – but lease the land from the government. They are considered summer homes, and won’t allow you to buy with the intent to live year-round. They won’t even let you buy one if you don’t own another home.
Yesterday, July 30 2016, my father, my oldest brother, and I took the pilgrimage back to the place we were all happiest.
The windows are new. The roof is, too. The paint job looks fresh, and they put skytubes into the kitchen to open it up, as well as the sliding glass door on the right which is new. The place looks well-loved and taken care of.
The cement slab, though, was poured by my father and my brothers. You can still see our names in it.
and here
My mom’s writing.
I won’t lie…this was an emotional day. Before we saw the cabin, we went to Major’s Diner, in Pine Valley, for lunch…the best burger I’ve had in a very long time.
I remember sitting at that counter, 45+ years ago,and feeling like a “big girl” because the counter was the perfect height for littler kids.
And Dad…well, he had a quarter of his waffle. I won’t say he’s getting too thin, but…note the cardboard between the back of his watch and his wrist. (He’s an innovator.)
So, we got to the cabin. I have more photos on my big camera, but these were all taken with my phone and are more readily accessible, so.
My brother Greg parked the car, and I was itching to get outside. Dad wanted to, as well, so we helped him out. Walked up a short hill to within the steps to the slab (top photo). He was dizzy, out of breath, and couldn’t go further.
I left them there, Greg hanging onto Dad, because this hill right here was calling to me.
Up there, along the ridge line, in the summer of 1993, we scattered my brother Scott’s ashes. I was, oh…maybe six months pregnant at the time.
The next time I visited the cabin, it was in the late spring of 2007, when we scattered my mother’s ashes. At the time, I thought the next time I would be there would be to scatter my father’s ashes, but luckily that was not true.
I took many, many photos. I stuck my nose in the bark of the Jeffrey Pine trees and smelled the rich vanilla scent. I laughed at the woodpeckers and the blue jays even as I brushed my tears away. And when I hiked to the top of this hill, my feet sank into gopher tunnels that I had once been able to spot and avoid. Dirt got into my shoes. The air was muggy, and sweat rolled between my shoulder blades as I stocked up on photos and memories.
The outhouse had been taken down; there were only a few bricks left in the soil to mark where it once stood. The big oak tree that my dad had shimmied up (about 30 feet) in the summer of 1966 to tie a rope swing on was also gone; not even a stump remained. We used to swing high and try to push off the outhouse…never quite made it…
This side of the mountains, the trees were lush, and green. The rains had done good here. The oaks and pines both looked amazing. All the ground fifty feet surrounding the cabins had been cleared, as by law. The place looked beautiful.
Going back to the car, I saw Greg helping my dad inside. He laid the seat back and closed his eyes, and a part of me hurt for him…Dad had sawn logs, gone arrowhead hunting, taken us for hikes. He cleared land and created a volleyball court. He brought a litter of puppies up in one box, and a month later had to take them home in two boxes. He strode these lands in the prime of his life…everywhere I looked, I saw that young man who, when he wasn’t working with his hands, was writing novels.
Greg Cunningham and Chet Cunningham, July 30, 2016.
I had an incredible, safe, loving childhood filled with remarkable people and this oh, so amazing place in the mountains. I am blessed.
)O(
by Christine | Writing
It’s LIVE, it’s HERE! Check this out…
My Story in this box set is called Four, Squared…
Love, Squared by Christine Ashworth
Daniel is the only man James has ever been attracted to. After running from that attraction five years ago, James is back, only to find two women in Daniel’s bed…Daniel’s wife and her girlfriend. A night of some of the hottest sex he’s ever had has James rethinking his future…and his place in Daniel’s life.
And here’s teasers for the rest of the set!
Triad by Kim Carmichael
In a world of threesomes, Kenna Poller-Madsen and Lucas Kerr have lived together as a couple after the third of their triad died years ago. Life is good, but something is always missing. When the sexy alien Talbot Savita crash lands on their planet, they never dreamed this warrior might be the one they both need. On a tour of their planet sparks fly. However, but their love may be doomed before it begins, because their planet’s laws don’t allow interspecies to mate, and as soon as his spaceship is repaired Talbot must return home. Now they must fight for their Triad or lose him forever.
Worshiping the Goddess by Solera Winters
When her twenty-first century life becomes too trying, a marketing assistant transports back to an ancient Celtic tribe where the men have lost everything and worship her as a goddess. It’s the ultimate fantasy, but on discovering the fantasy is reality, will she be able to give up her modern life for the chance to be cherished by four hunky Celts?
Snow by Erzabet Bishop
Fairytales can bite… To look to the future, sometimes you have to unearth the secrets of the past. Snow longs to find a man of her own far away from life in her father’s castle. When he returns from war with a new bride, her carefully planned out life slips through her fingers. Her new stepmother harbors a dangerous secret and one malicious kiss sends Snow tumbling into a world she never knew existed. Can she learn to use her new talents wisely or lose it all? Darkness can hide the most sultry of nights. Gideon and his men guard the king, but even they can’t protect him from his murderous new bride. When the castle falls prey to the queen’s ire, they find themselves under the spell of the moon. Can they harness their new reality to protect the newest target of the queen’s wrath or will they be yet again victims of her unholy power play?
Threesome by Tuesday by Louisa Bacio
Going beyond friendship takes more than physical attraction. A power dynamic threatens to derail the newly formed threesome, and Tommy, Shannon and Zack struggle to find their position. When Zack feels like he’s being overlooked, he takes off for some solo soul searching. To survive the speed bumps, the three lovers need to face some fears and focus on the love.
Road to Seduction by Sascha Illyvich
Dubious circumstances throw three travelers together. During foul winter weather, the three turn to other options to keep warm, only to realize past relationships can pave the way for new love. Can they have a future together as a ménage?
Available on Amazon à http://amzn.to/1SMXypj — only 99 pennies!
)O(
by Christine | Writing
Book 4 in the StarTide Series is ready for your happy consumption!
Loud and earthy, comedienne Mia Martinez-Coleman never met a curse word she didn’t like, but smooth operator Randall Blue–nightclub owner and so much more–is about to prove that things can get even dirtier…and more dangerous.
NO LAUGHING MATTER
Comedienne Maria Teresa Juanita Martinez-Coleman wants her big break so badly she can taste it. Nothing and no one is going to stand in her way, especially nightclub owner Randall Blue. Lately, it seems he’s been stalking her–showing up at all her gigs, never laughing but ever-present. He’s handsome, rich, and completely out of her league, so she’s clueless why he’s hanging around…unless he’s making sure the show she has scheduled at his famous Topaz Room wasn’t a booking error?
Randall Blue has found the full package in Mia. Funny, smart, curvy, sassy–and connected to an arms dealer Randall’s been tracking. No one suspects his covert objective; he has a great cover as a businessman with an eye for the ladies. The problem is, this brash, fearless woman is more than a way into El Duke’s gang, she’s The One. He he has no right claiming her, not when everything she knows about him is a lie. But to keep her out of danger, he’s got to get close, which, of course, is right where he wants to be.
GET YOUR COPY HERE!!!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/629792
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-risingstar-2018889-177.html
http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Star-StarTide-Book-4-ebook/dp/B01E9NX4VA
Will there be more StarTide Books? I don’t know…what do you think???
Cheers and Happy Saturday!
)O(
