This I know for sure...

I love bread. (Feeling a bit like Oprah here if you've seen her Weight Watchers commercial.) I love the smell of fresh baked bread. I love it plain, toasted, buttered, pretty much any way you can eat it, but my favorite way is to pick up a fresh loaf or fresh rolls from a bakery (if I don't make it myself) and eat it as is.

The other day my sister and I went shopping and I of course had to stop and buy fresh baked rolls. I opened the cellophane package and inhaled. The scent of those rolls was amazing. "Heaven," I said as I took another whiff. That unconscious comment got me thinking - what do people think Heaven smells like?

I asked my sister in her opinion what did she think Heaven smelled like. Her answer - laundry dried outside in the summer. I started asking other family members and friends. The answers ranged from peanut butter, pastries, chocolate, a mother's perfume, fresh and clean, and more.

I'd like to take an informal poll just because I'm curious. What do you think Heaven smells like? There is no wrong answer. It's what you personally think.

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): Doing pretty well on the revisions. I hope to be done with the first two-thirds of the book by the end of the week.

Quote of the Week: "Stay positive, work hard, and make it happen." ~ Unknown

What I'm reading: I'm going to start Brenda Novak's Her Darkest Nightmare tonight. I was going to start it last week, but some things came up and then a couple of the television programs I watch started their new seasons so no pleasure reading happened.

Random Things: Last week was my first full week back to work after my ankle surgery. Things went better than I expected. I was a bit worried about what I would come back to. Overall, it was a good week.

Random Photo of the Week: 

I still haven't taken any photos. I need to do that. Here's a photo looking up at a tree during last fall.

Sweet Christmas Kisses 3 Box Set Spotlight

 

 

Ring in the holiday season with 17 all-new, stand-alone stories from New York Times, USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors. Sweet Christmas Kisses 3 takes you around the globe from small-town USA, to London, England, and even to Africa with a foreword written by USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano. Don’t miss out on this sweet romance boxed set that’s sure to touch your heart, make you smile, and put you in the mood for Christmas.

~*~

 

On Christmas Eve by Mona Risk

She yanked him out of her heart years ago. But fate throws him in her path again and his tender gaze erases her loneliness. Can they forgive each other and create a new future?





 


Christmas Holly by Christine Bush

 Can a lonely single father of five-year-old triplets find love on a South Carolina beach? It might just take a Christmas miracle!





 

Mistletoe and Sage by Lyn Cote

 New deputy in town, a single mom, two wounded hearts with a puzzle to solve together—will love spark under the mistletoe?





 


A Merry Little Christmas by Denise Devine

Merry Connor and Anthony Lewis search for treasure and find true love.







 

The Christmas Gift by Raine English

When Riley Wayne receives a dog for Christmas, it’s not just the pup that makes her heart flutter, the rescue group’s handsome owner does too.





 

Untangling Christmas by Shanna Hatfield

Tricked into helping with Silverton’s Festival of Trees, electrician Mike Clarke battles faulty outlets, tangled lights, and a woman determined to share the spirit of the season.





 

A Christmas on Miracle Mountain by Ciara Knight

When it takes a miracle to heal a heart.





 

The Kampala Peppermint Twist by Milou Koenings

A twist of fate. An overbooked flight. Christmas in Africa will flip her life upside down.





 

The Road Not Taken by Magdalena Scott

Francie Standish Carrington has some tough decisions to make and a lot of questions about a past she thought she understood.





 

A London Christmas by Roxanne Rustand

When Catriona heads to London for Christmas to meet a guy she met online, he steals her purse and disappears, but will a handsome photographer in the pub end up being the man of her dreams?





 

Her Christmas Secret by Alicia Street

 Desperate to help her sister’s family, Lila courts a cold-hearted investor for her handmade toys, but learns Christmas has a way of bringing surprises where they’re least expected.





Falling For You at Christmas by Kristin Wallace

 One expectant mother. One gorgeous innkeeper. Three days that will change her life forever.





 

Second Chance Christmas by Merrillee Whren

A young boy helps his estranged parents find love again at Christmas.





 

Christmas Eve Wedding by Cindy Flores Martinez

 A maid of honor is swept up in the chaos of planning her best friend’s spur-of-the-moment Christmas Eve wedding.





 

Secret Wish by Victoria Pinder

Luke Morgan doesn’t believe in miracles, but this season Christmas brought him Caro Soliz, the family maid.





 

Candleglow and Mistletoe by Josie Riviera

 A rising pianist and a pro stuntman winding down his career find love amid the glow of Christmas candles.





 

Couple by Christmas by Pat Simmons

Divorcee Derek Washington wants to reconcile with his ex-wife by Christmas. Although he’s got a plan, with the help of his six-year-old son, Derek only has two weeks.

 

 Join the authors for the Release Party, Tuesday, Sept. 27 on Facebook!

All 17 authors in this boxed set write sweet romances and are members of Sweet Romance Reads, a group of authors whose books contain no sex, violence, or strong language. While the emotional stakes are high as the characters’ relationships grow, these stories are wholesome. Think movies rated G or PG. Therefore, Sweet Christmas Kisses 3 can be enjoyed by romance readers of any age.



Snuggle into a chair by a cozy fire with a cup of hot chocolate and allow these bestselling and award-winning authors to bring the holiday season alive as they warm your heart.



Purchase the book at your favorite online retailer:

 

Kindle: http://amzn.to/2aMrYfN

 iBooks: http://apple.co/2aFTjN3
 

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2aGREsk
 

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2baWaSj

And don’t forget to connect with the Authors at Sweet Romance Reads:

Website/Blog: http://SweetRomanceReads.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/SweetRomanceReads

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SweetRomanceRds

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/donnafaz/sweet-romance-reads/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/123223-sweet-romance-reads



Or connect with each of the Sweet Romance Reads Authors individually:



A tireless traveler, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Mona Risk, writes contemporary romance, medical romance, and romantic suspense novels, all simmering with emotion, sprinkled with a good dose of humor and set in the fascinating places she visited— or in Florida, her paradise on Earth.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Christine Bush is an award winning author of many sweet romances, mysteries, and novellas. When she’s not writing, she can be found teaching Psychology at a local college, working as a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, or (mostly) spending time with her twelve grandchildren.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Award-winning author of over 40 romances, Lyn Cote writes inspirational historicals and contemporary romantic suspense in her distinctive brand, "Strong Women, Brave Stories." Lyn lives in a cottage on a lake in the northwoods with her real-life hero husband and (for comic relief and furry cuddling) her two cats.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Denise Devine is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic comedy and she also writes inspirational fiction. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at thirteen and has been writing ever since. She writes about true love, happy endings and stories that touch your heart.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, paranormal, and romantic suspense. She's a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist and a Daphne du Maurier Award winner. Raine lives in New England with her family and two French bulldogs, Bailey and Dolly.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic, USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments and relatable characters.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Ciara Knight is a USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author who writes 'A Little Edge and A Lot of Heart' that spans the heat scales. Her popular sweet romance series, Sweetwater County (rated PG), takes readers into small town romance full of family trials, friendly competition, and community love.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Milou Koenings writes heartwarming romance novels because she believes sweet stories with happy endings are like chocolate – they bring joy to the world and so make it a better place. She’s lived all over the world, working as an editor and newspaper columnist, but loves staying home with her family most of all.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Roxanne Rustand is the author of thirty-five traditionally published novels, plus four indie novels. She was a Golden Heart finalist twice, and a Golden Heart winner in 1995. She has won two RT Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and was nominated for an RT Magazine Career Achievement Award. Her earlier books were secular, but she now writes sweet indie romance, and inspirational romance for Love Inspired.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance and women’s fiction with small town settings. She invites readers into her world to find out what’s hidden just below the surface of those tiny dots you can barely see on the map—mystery, romance, and the occasional unexplained occurrence.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Alicia Street writes both sweet and steamy romances and sometimes collaborates with her husband, Roy. She spent many years as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher and is a compulsive reader of every genre.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

~*~

Kristin Wallace is a USA Today bestselling author of inspirational, contemporary and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith.” Her popular series include the Covington Falls Chronicles and Shellwater Key Tales.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Merrillee Whren is an award-winning author who writes inspirational and sweet romance—stories that stir your emotions. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of forty plus years, and has two grown daughters.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

~*~

Cindy Flores Martinez is an Amazon bestselling Spanish romance author. She writes sweet romantic comedy and Christian romance. Her debut novel, Mail-Order Groom, started out as a screenplay and movie project, which she shopped around Hollywood, New York, and other parts of the world.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Victoria Pinder is a bestselling author of science fiction/fantasy and contemporary romance where her stories all include “Bold Women and the Brainy Men who love them.” Her popular series include the House of Morgan and the Collins Brothers.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Free Novella

~*~

Author Josie Riviera writes Historical, Inspirational, and Sweet Romances. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their empty nest with an adorable Shih Tzu who constantly needs grooming and an old house forever needing renovations.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

~*~

Pat Simmons is a three-time Emma award-winning author for Best Inspirational Romance. With more thirty Christian romance titles, Pat is the bestselling author of the Carmen Sisters series.


Website | Newsletter

 

  
  


  

This I know for sure...

It gets pretty hot in my area during the summer. This summer was one of the hottest on record with a record number of days over 90 degrees with high humidity. When it's that hot who wants to cook?

We've spent the summer eating salads, sandwiches, paninis, and anything else that didn't require standing over a hot stove for more than a few minutes. Now that it's officially fall, I'm really looking forward to the cooler weather so I can try out some new recipes. Most of those recipes require using the oven which was definitely out of the question this summer.

I'm also looking forward to making homemade bread again. I make it the old fashioned way where you mix it, let it rise, knead it, let it rise again, sometimes knead it again depending on the type of bread and recipe, let it rise again and baking it. No bread making machine for me. I found a sourdough recipe that I really want to try so that's at the top of my list once the weather cools.

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): Back to work on revisions. Doing pretty well. I was able to get through 6 chapters.

Quote of the Week: "Your mind is a powerful thing. When you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change." ~ Unknown

What I'm reading: I haven't read a book in a couple of weeks. I've been trying to catch up on all the magazines I've let pile up. I just purchased 4 new books - The Shark by Mary Burton, Her Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak, A Scot in the Dark by Sarah Maclean, and Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen. Now I just have to decide which one to read first.

Random Things:  Monday I wrote about how September feels like the beginning of a new year and the changes I want to start making. I've feel like I'm doing pretty well. I'm back on track with my writing and I've eaten healthy all week so far. There's still the weekend to go which is usually my downfall. I can't exercise yet, but I hope to be able to start by mid-October.

Random Photo of the Week: 

I don't have a photo this week. I need to start taking some so I have something to post here. Here's a picture of Cookie Monster. Why? Because I like cookies as much as he does. :o)

He looks like he's thinking about cookies. Something I'm trying not to do since they don't qualify as healthy eating.
  

Happy New Year...huh?

I've written in the past that I always feel like September should be the beginning of a new year instead of January. Kids go back to school/college, schedules change, the season changes from summer to fall, and it's the end of the less hectic day to day life that summer seems to bring. Nothing seems to change in January except college students start the spring semester. The weather is still cold and snowy (depending on where you live), and there is still the hectic schedule of getting everyone where they need to be for school and after school events.

This September I've decided to view it as a new beginning especially since I was pretty much confined to the house all summer due to my ankle surgery. I've started back to work (though I'm still hobbling about wearing an orthopedic boot and using one crutch), I need to get back to my writing/revisions, and I want to get back on track with healthy eating and exercising. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back on the treadmill or rowing machine, but I'm hoping I'll get a general idea of when that can happen after I see the surgeon in a couple of weeks.

I'm starting a new planner, so it will really feel like the beginning of a new year. (It helps when you buy an 18 month planner that started in July 2016.) I'm also starting a new gratitude journal as I've run out of room in my current one.

Here's to new beginnings even if it isn't January.

This I know for sure...

I don't watch a lot of television, but there are certain shows that are a must watch for me: Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Blindspot, and NCIS. I'm looking forward to checking out some of the shows in the new fall line up. Conviction, Designated Survivor, and Bull. I think there were one or two more that when I saw the commercial said I wanted to watch, but I can't remember what they were off the top of my head.

I usually watch the first one or two episodes of a show before deciding if it's worth my time to watch. I don't watch sitcoms because I have a hard time believing a lot of the situations would even happen in real life, much less that people would actually react to those situations the way the characters do. I have to say that I do watch Big Bang Theory. I love Sheldon and wish I could say some of the things that he does. :o)

Are there any shows you're looking forward to watching, new or returning?

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress):  Finishing up the last few things for separate project I've been working on. I go back to work tomorrow so I'll be back to working on revisions of my WIP next week.

Quote of the Week: “It’s impossible to complete a race if you don’t make it to the starting line.” ~ Unknown

What I'm reading:  Marry Me at Christmas by Susan Mallery. This is part of her Fool's Gold series. It's a little early for Christmas themed books, but my mom recommended this to me.

Random Things:  Even though the new year officially starts in January, I always feel like September is the start of the new year. The kids go back to school, schedules change, the season changes, etc.

Random Photo of the Week:

   Random thiSomebody fell asleep right next to the front door. Guess he was tired of waiting for me to get home from the doctor's office.

Visiting Angela Hayes

Today I'm visiting Angela Hayes' blog and talking a bit about myself. I hope you'll stop by.
Link: http://authorangelahayes.blogspot.com

This I know for sure...

My surgery recovery is going really well. I've been cleared to return to work in about a week. I have to have 2 physical therapy sessions completed before I can go back. I'm excited about getting back to a normal routine, getting rid of my crutches, and being able to start walking on my foot again (I'll have to use a cane, but it's better than crutches).  The down side -- I can feel the job stress mounting already.

Stress keeps me up at night. I find it hard to get my brain to shut off and allow me to sleep so I'm loading up on lavender which is supposed to help relieve stress and help you sleep. Let's hope it works.




                                        Purchased from Bath and Body Works

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): Still working on the separate project I want to try and finish before I go back to work. I'm about 1/2 done so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get it completed.

Quote of the Week:  "Do one thing toward your goals each day." ~ Stephanie Clinton, MD

What I'm reading:  I'm not reading a book right now. I've been reading magazines that I've let pile up.
 
Random things:  I've been teaching myself how to use our scanner that we've had for at least 4 years. I never had a reason to use it before. I don't mean just scanning something to the laptop, but learning how to resize/crop something, flip it around, and such.

Random Photo of the Week:

                                               Somebody's ready for his close up.