Refilling the Well - Dana Nussio

One of the things many of my romance writer friends and I share in common is that we have more stories inside us than the time to write. I, for one, started coming up with stories, mostly to avoid mom's stink-eye, long before I started in Miss Summers' kindergarten class. And I never stopped telling them. Just ask my sister, Sabrina. The family lore is that I once blamed her for wetting my pants during a difficult day in the old potty-training regimen, but I don't remember that far back, so I can neither confirm nor deny that one.

I'm sharing all this juiciness - and sogginess, as the case likely was - because I've learned another thing about writers. Although we might have tales stacked three deep in the bookshelves of our minds, our creative wells aren't quite as constant. They're temperamental founts, sensitive to the strains of our daily lives and easily drained without some of the same tender care we build into the relationships between our heroes and heroines.

That's why it's so important that we take the time we need to refill our wells. I did just that this past weekend by attending "Retreat From Harsh Reality," sponsored by the Mid-Michigan chapter of Romance Writers of America. The annual retreat provides an opportunity for writers to relax, share creative energy with fellow authors and get back in touch with the stories that compelled us to write in the first place. And then they're are encouraged to sneak away or collect in groups and start typing.

This year's event took place at the Bay Pointe Inn, a resort on Gun Lake, in Shelbyville, Michigan, a setting so beautiful that I would have come away inspired, even if no one had spoken a word. But then Rita Clay Estrada, co-founder and first president of the now 10,000-member Romance Writers of America, started sharing her wisdom. She inspired us, telling tales from some of the pioneers of the romance industry and encouraging us to keep writing our stories. I couldn't wait to get back to my book - to Ben and Delia and their rocky journey toward love - which is good thing since I'm on deadline. :)

DID I MENTION THE SETTING? Who wouldn't be able to get into a romantic writing mood watching a sunrise like this?

Sunrise over Gun Lake, Shelbyville, Mich.

Or staring out over a scene as serene as this one?

Water like glass on Gun Lake

Filling the creative well is important whether we're writers, artists, employees, mothers, sisters, daughters or any combination of those things. We all constantly give of ourselves and are split in so many directions. Filling the well allows us to be our best selves and to give our best to the world. It is my hope that my own fill-up will help me to bring my best stories to SuperRomance readers.

And here goes nothin'

HI, everyone.  This is my first blog on the Super Blog and I’m so excited to be here.  I thought I’d start out answering some questions that will, hopefully, help you get to know me. 

1.  What made you choose Supers?    

I've always loved category romance, and yet, I also love big, long, complicated books.  As a reader and as a writer, it's a perfect fit!

2.   Tell us a little about your road to publication.    

It's been a long and winding road.  I've always written, but trying to learn all the skills needed took years.  I've been to so many conferences I'm sure I've taken more classes than a PhD student!  I won the RWAs Golden Heart, but that didn't guarantee anything.  It did get me noticed, though.  Still, I made the choice to go with a smaller publisher, to get my foot in the door, and because I was writing paranormal.  That allowed me to catch an agent's eye, an agent who got me a meeting with Paula Eykelhoff...who was so gracious and encouraging.  At that meeting, we actually brainstormed part of the story I finally sold.  Too many years to count later, I'm writing a series and working just as hard as ever.  I just keep learning with each new book.  I love it!    

3.  Who are some of your favorite authors? 

I will drop everything for a new JR Ward book!  I love to read things I know I'll never write.  Gayle Wilson, and while I don't think she's writing anymore, I've read and reread every book by Paula Detmer Riggs.  Deep, strong stories.

4.  What was your biggest surprise about the publication process?

Probably the realization that I still had so much more to learn and that publishing professionals really do want to help you.  I'd heard so many horror stories, and ran across some really ruthless teachers and critiquers.  I came prepared to have to fight for my wishes.  I'd still do that, but I really don't have to.  My editor SO gets me and what I'm trying to do. I learn and feel as if my writing grows with each book.  A very pleasant surprise.

5.  Favorite holiday?

It's a tossup.  Christmas because I get to see so much of my family and enjoy them --something that's getting to be more and more difficult as the kids grow up and Valentine's Day because I get my husband all to myself, again something we seldom accomplish.

6.  Tell us one thing about you that no one would ever believe?

I am horrible at math.  I avoided it in school and managed to flunk Math 101 in college and had to retake it.  Why is that surprising you ask?  In my day job, I do payroll for a major corporation.  Scary isn't it? :)

7.  If you could live anywhere on the planet, where would you choose? 

I'm living there!  My husband and I chose to live in Colorado. I grew up here, but thought as a kid that I wanted to live anywhere else.  Then when we moved away, I was so homesick for the sight of the mountains that he put in for a transfer so I could come home.  I don't ever want to leave.  Though a castle in Ireland wouldn't make a bad summer home...

8.  Did I hear that the adorable little boy on one of your covers is the son of one of the Super editors?  If so, did you know this when you got the cover? 

Yes, it's true!  It's a fun, amazing story.  My editor actually asked me before they did it to make sure it was okay.  She showed me a picture of her son, and he fit my idea of Tyler in A FAMILY FOR TYLER perfectly.  She shared how excited he was, and nervous, as he'd never modeled before.  The male model kind of took him under his wing and helped make him laugh and relax. She didn't show her son the cover until the book was released.  He was so pleased, he took my book to school for Show and Tell.  I'll bet that was a bit different for his teacher.  It was lots of fun for both of us.   

9.  Social Media? 

Of course.  I'm on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AngelSmitsAuthor.  Twitter at https://twitter.com/Angelwrite.  And I have boards for each book with inspirational and cover photos (and a whole lot of other cool stuff) on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/angelsmits/.  Also I'm on Goodreads with my own page as well as with the other Super authors in the Super Romance group.  

I look forward to being here more and sharing with everyone what's going on in my world.  It's a crazy place sometimes, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  

Angel Smits

Connect with SuperAuthors on Goodreads too!

Hello Everyone!

Instead of blogging today, I am going to invite you to join a brand new group we are creating over on Goodreads.  It's for Superromance readers and writers, and we hope it will be another chance for us all to connect.

If you join the group, you'll be able to ask questions of your favorite authors, discuss books and writing and reading, and there will be contests and giveaways and more.  So please come find us on Goodreads.  We're very excited to get our group started and we hope that you will join us! 

Here is the link:  Harlequin Superromance: Contemporary Romance with More

And meanwhile, make sure you check out the previous post about the amazing giveaway going on over at the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books Blog.  It's in honor of our four RITA finalists, and the winner will receive a year's subscription to Superromance! 

Happy Reading!

~ Claire McEwen

The Ultimate SuperRomance Contest!

Hey folks, if you haven't seen this yet, you NEED to boogie over to Smart Bitches, Trashy Books to enter the ultimate SuperRomance contest: a year's worth of Supers!

Yes, we decided we had to celebrate the fact that four, count 'em, FOUR Supers are finalists for this year's RITA award. What better way than to share the Super love? The Smart Bitches are helping us spread the word. So click on the link check out the official rules, and comment to enter. We would love to have one of our loyal readers take home this awesome prize!

I Got To Move It, Move It

Kris Fletcher

I've written in the past about my preference to stand, rather than sit, while I'm at the computer. Standing to write is still my preference - after all, it's a lot harder to fall asleep over the keyboard if I'm upright - but there are times when my legs and feet want a break. Also, as good as standing is, it doesn't add a lot of movement to my day. I still ended a writing session feeling slightly stiff and achy from holding one position for a long time.

Sitting at the desk or in a cozy chair appealed, but I know myself. Five minutes in a snuggly chair and I would be either nodding off or feeling like it was break time and reaching for something good to read. (Preferably while eating something chocolate.)

I had long thought about getting a treadmill desk, but seriously, those things are expensive. (A worthy investment, for sure, but still a decent chunk of change.) Besides, what I wanted was something that gave me a change of position.

The answer came not long before my birthday, when a friend posted a link to an Amazon deal on a bike desk. I clicked on the link, read the reviews, hemmed and hawed for a couple of minutes, and then told the husband that he was about to give me an awesome gift for my birthday.

I'm so glad I did it. No, I haven't lost (any) weight or built up any (significant) endurance or noticed any huge differences in my life, but then, I wasn't expecting thoseto happen. But you know what I did discover?

I think better when I'm moving.

I don't believe I'm a true kinesthetic learner, but I've definitely had more brainstorms while on the bike (or walking, or doing the dishes) than while sitting in a chair. Maybe movement keeps enough of my brain occupied that I don't have enough cells left to over-analyze everything, which is my usual pattern. Maybe it soothes me in some way. Maybe it's activating more neural pathways and building synapses and all that good-sounding jazz. I don't know, and I'm not going to jinx anything by digging too deep.

Here's what I know:

• the bike desk is fun
• it's good for me
• it helps me think.

Add in the fact that it looks totally badass in my office, and folks, we have ourselves a winner.

Am I the only one who needs to move to think? Share your strategies in the comments. My family will assure you that I need all the help I can get!

A Modern Day Horse Story

by Amber Leigh Williams

Hubby and the horse in the corral....

My husband and I took a road trip with his brother and sister-in-law and two of their children in July 2012. It was a rescue mission. My in-laws are horse owners. Before our trip, they had three horses and room for more. When they heard of a wild, abandoned horse on a large property outside of the busy city of Mobile, they decided to help.

 
The story of the horse unfortunately has a lot to do with the economic downturn from last decade. A family built a beautiful mansion in the woods outside Mobile. It’s removed from the city and sits on many acres. The family, however, couldn’t afford the house and were forced to give it up to foreclosure. Instead of finding their horses loving and caring homes, they left them to roam wild on the land that now belonged to the bank. It’s rumored that one of the horses died because by the time my brother- and sister-in-law got wind of it, there was only one horse on the property. The upside to this tragic story is that the bank was concerned for the remaining horse’s welfare, so much so that they offered it free of charge to whoever could catch it.

Several people tried and failed. It seemed that the abandoned filly was a bit feisty. One Saturday, my brother- and sister-in-law traveled with a horse trailer across the bay to see if they could rescue the poor animal. They spent the better part of the day trying but couldn’t quite get the horse corralled. That night my brother-in-law called my husband, asking for his help. My husband agreed and the next day I tagged along for the ride.

When we pulled through the gate onto the property, we spotted the horse lingering around the house. She shied at our approach even when my sister-in-law got out of the truck and tried walking to her with a bucket of feed. We parked the truck and horse trailer so that it would be ready if and when we needed it. I was five months pregnant at the time so I sat with my in-law’s youngest child from a safe distance on the porch. Together, we watched as the horse ran into the woods and the others did their best to catch her. It was a hot day, as most are on the Gulf Coast in July. Thankfully, the bank had left the back door to the house open so we could take advantage of the air conditioning and restrooms if we needed to. My niece and I watched as the horse ran from the woods and into the fenced-in pasture where it was once stabled. The others hurried to build a corral with portable fencing we had brought in the truck at the entrance to the pasture. It took them less than an hour after building the corral for them to corner her inside. The four of them were already exhausted from running across the large property, but now that they had the horse in the corral they were so close to their goal of getting her safely into the horse trailer that they couldn’t stop.

Brother-in-law and hubby in the corral with the horse....

It was now clear to everyone that the horse hadn’t had any human contact for some time. Her diet was poor and she was dirty. The fact that she was small took everyone by surprise. My sister-in-law managed to get a look at her teeth when the horse took a treat from her hand. They were tiny, meaning she wasn’t more than two years old. Still, she didn’t make it easy for my husband and his brother to get her into the horse trailer. By the time they finally did so, their clothes were soaked clean through and everyone was in desperate need of some cold beverages.

The ride back to our side of the bay was a long one, but we made it safely out of Mobile and soon brought the horse to her new home. She shied away from the other horses at first, but by the time my husband and I visited a few weeks later, she seemed to be warming up to her new abode, the family, and their animals. She had started gaining weight and seemed to love the shade of the front pasture. While we were there visiting, she even went so far as to let me pet her face. When the veterinarian came out to inspect her shortly after her arrival, he informed my in-laws that she was barely a year old. They decided to name her Bella and cared for her for several years before giving her to another caring family.

The horse with her new family....

I love a good redemption story, especially those that involve animals. Further, I love those who rescue animals in need without question. It’s why including the story about hero Gerald Leighton and the stray dog in my second Harlequin Superromance novel, Married One Night, was so important to me. This was my way of recognizing everyday heroes like my in-laws and my husband who don’t hesitate to take action when an animal needs help or a loving home.

This month I’m celebrating the book birthday of my Harlequin Superromance debut, A Place With Briar! Happy birthday to my hero and heroine, Cole & Briar! Here’s a little after-HEA slice of life from their wedding day to celebrate….

Read Local

Before I started in on my post, I wanted to share some news. Winning Ruby Heart won the 2015 RT Magazine Reviewer's Pick for Superromance! The fact that there are 4 Supers that are RITA finalists shows just how awesome Superromance is and I'm so pleased RT Magazine recognized Ruby Heart. Thank you, everyone, who has read Ruby Heart and recommended it to your friends.

Now, onto the rest of the post. . .

I've mentioned before that Durham, North Carolina is awesome and that I love my job at the library. There are times when being an author and being a librarian come together and I get to do something amazing. Read Local is one of those times.


Read Local is the brainchild of Elizabeth Turnbull of LightMessages Publishing. Durham, like many areas of the country, is experiencing a "support local" movement. People are eating a locally owned restaurants, shopping at the farmers market, and buying their books at local bookshops. Elizabeth's idea was to have a festival supporting the local literary arts and to have the festival be a benefit for the library.

This, folks, is a packed weekend! Seriously, check out the schedule. Even if you don't live in Durham (and most of you don't), you'll be amazed at the kind of events a group can put together. There are several "dine with authors" events, including one I'll be at. There are panels on writing about sex, writing about music, writing about home, writing for social change, and writing for young readers. We have a stage where people will be reading passages from local author's books. And there's a "writers in the ring" event where writers will (gasp!) be given a prompt and WRITE A PASSAGE LIVE ON THE STAGE.

I'm so incredibly proud of this event. I've been involved since the beginning and it's gone beyond anything I ever imagined.

If you live in or near North Carolina (or know people who do), forward this information to them. Maybe they can come! The more the merrier.

If you don't live in my area, I want to know:

Do you have a literary festival in your area? What's it like?

Question of the Month: Do You Karaoke?

Here we are, back with another Question of the Month: Here in the US, the 4th week of April is National Karaoke Week. We want to know: if you *had* to karaoke, what song would
you choose and why?

Janet Nye: Do I Karaoke? Has torture become legal? I love to sing in my car. Alone. With the windows up. Where I can harm no one.

Dana Nussio: I’ve only done Karaoke a few times, but I have a standby song: “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee” from Grease. I might be a nervous public singer, but I can affect a mean Sandra Dee a la Stockard Channing.

I performed it last summer when I went out with several cousins after our family reunion. For the record, I’m from a singing family, with cousins who are professional Bluegrass Gospel singers and one who is a country back-up singer and  performed at the Grand Ole Opry. (Yes, she was in the group that night we went out. It’s always good to have a ringer with you at Karaoke.) Together, all of us also performed “Love Shack” by B-52s, and that was a blast.

Jeannie Watt: *shudder*

Joanne Rock: If I had to karaoke? I'd pass out earplugs like they do at racing events since I would sing a song I'm wildly ill-equipped to sing. Etta James' At Last, maybe. Or Aretha Franklin's I Say a Little Prayer. Barring the ear plugs and I needed a more conservative choice? One of my favorites is Emmy Lou Harris's Two More Bottles of Wine.

Kristina Knight: I haven't karaoke'd in forever! But RadioMan and I actually both took a turn at the mic at our bachelor/bachelorette party ~ he and his oh-so-inebriated buddies did a *cough* interesting *cough* version of Kenny & Dolly's Islands in the Stream ... my friends and I did an incredibly off-key version of Stop in the Name of Love. I think we may have scared everyone not part of our party out of the bar that night...

Pamela Hearon: I karaoke--but only in my head!  I sing along (really loudly!) to the radio when I'm alone in my car, traveling down the highway.  But in front of a group?  Never--unless a great deal of alcohol was involved.  Should it ever happen anywhere except in my daydreams, my songs of choice would be He's Not You by Patsy Cline or I Only Want to Be With You by Dusty Springfield.

Sharon Hartley: Never have.  Never will.  I worry  too much about the mental health of any potentially normal human beings in the audience.

Lisa Marie Perry: Do I karaoke? Yes, yes, yes! I don't claim to have the strongest voice in town, but I'm an enthusiastic performer. My go-to songs are "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar, "I Could Fall in Love" by Selena and my absolute favorite ... "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder! Take a look at the video to see why I love performing this so:

Kris Fletcher: I have never done karaoke, but since I am the world's biggest ham and have no problem making a public fool of myself, I would love to try sometime. As for what I would (attempt to) sing: Oh, no question. Paradise By The Dashboard Light. Except I would be singing the guy's part. Because it ROCKS.

Nan Dixon: I have done Karaoke and I am a trained singer/actress - so I go for the heart jerking songs.
Memories
Wind Beneath My Wings
I Will Always Love You  (Lots of alcohol for this one)
Or if they have Broadway Musicals - you name it!!

Angel Smits: There are few songs that I enjoy murdering, but if Keith Urban is singing…I’ll join in. Other than that?  For your own protection, don’t make any requests.

Tara Taylor Quinn: I used to sing in choirs – even one that traveled and performed as part of a theater production – I did solos.  But my singer father died, I hyperventilated next time I was on stage, and haven’t attempted to sing in public since.  I’ve never even been present for someone else doing karaoke! But since the question asked if…I have no idea if they are karaoke songs, but I’d belt out either “I Am Woman.” Or “I Will Survive.”

Jennifer Lohmann: I haven't done karaoke in years! I've got a terrible singing voice and couldn't carry a tune with a dump truck and help, but I love to belt it out. Of course, that's better done at home, where only the cats and dog can here me.

I think the last time I did karaoke, it was Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places." But the year I lived in China, I did karaoke on a regular basis; it was the thing you did at parties and celebrations. Of course, that was almost fifteen years ago and the options for songs in English were limited to "Country Roads" by John Denver and "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion. I always chose "Country Roads." :-)

Vicki Essex: I love karaoke...after a couple of whiskeys. And if there's one thing I can't abide by, it's a silent karaoke room. That's why I'll usually warm up with a few 90s pop hits--Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, maybe some Britney Spears--before launching into some old school classics like Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and Billy Joel's "Piano Man". Once the vocal chords have warmed up, I'll do Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and, if I feel like blowing my voice in one go, I'll try the Glee version of "Don't Rain on My Parade." And then more whiskey.

Promotion…and the cost to the author

Mary Sullivan

I haven't posted to the blog in a long time and find I've missed being here. Last fall was crazy busy with writing my next book, creating and presenting my first workshop, attending book fairs, having a busy personal life…and promoting my October Superromance. I did a LOT of promotion. It was all great stuff, but left me tired. I guess that puts it mildly.

After meeting my December 15th deadline on my Super, I was supposed to send out my first newsletter with a free short story included, before Christmas, but found I had burned out. The story wouldn't come. The first chapter was awful and I wouldn't send out work I didn't like.

I've been struggling all winter with how to get this short story finished—after the disaster of the first chapter, it became a burden and I was frozen—even while meeting other deadlines and writing the next Super. I came up with a viable solution I really like. I need to have fun with it.

The biggest responsibility, besides the writing, that gobbles up an author's writing time at an alarming pace is promotion. Each and every book requires so much of it. I was developing the newsletter and my short story as a means of promotion…and that was the problem. I had put too much pressure on myself to promote.

Now? I want to connect with readers in a different way because I thrive on camaraderie, friendship and dialogue. On Saturday, I attended my local RWA chapter's latest workshop, which was excellent and at which this old dog learned fabulous new tricks, but the absolute best part of the day was touching bases with people I truly enjoy. So much warmth in that room. I made connections with new members, too, and came home filled with the joy of genuine, warm contact.

You know all of those funny memes and jokes that people share on Facebook and Twitter and through email every day? They brighten my day. They make me laugh. They give me energy. From the person sending them I get a little, "Hi, I'm here. Are you here? This is for you. Smile today,"and I love the connection made.

I want to have more dialogue with readers. My next Superromance won't come out until September, so this isn't about promotion for that book. This is about having fun.

So…in my effort to make a connection and to just have a good time writing this story, I've come up with this scheme…after changing the way I've been looking at this problem, I've managed to write a new first chapter I like—a lot—with a cliffhanger for an ending. Where will the story go next? Where will Chapter Two begin? Wherever the reader wants it to! 

I'm going to send out only Chapter One in my newsletter with a multiple choice question for the reader. Where do you want it to go next? After I receive reader responses, I will take the most popular choice, or even any suggestion from a reader that intrigues me (!), and will then put on my creative cap and write the second chapter. I'll send that out a week or two later with another multiple choice question at the end of the chapter…and so on until I finish the story.

Just the thought of working in this way has given me renewed energy for this story. I want to hear what readers have to say! How creative do you feel?

If you would like to join me in this adventure, please go to my website, click where it says NEWSLETTER SIGNUP and register to receive my newsletter. After a few minor edits, and figuring out how to send out the newsletter (I sincerely hope MailChimp is foolproof, because I'm all thumbs where technology is concerned, LOL!), I will send it along by the end of April.

www.marysullivanbooks.com

I look forward to starting a dialogue.

For the Love of a Series

By Joanne Rock

What’s better than reading one romance that you absolutely love? Finding out it’s a part of a series and that there are MORE books like the one you adore! At least, that’s one of my favorite joys as a reader. But then, I’ve always been a big fan of series.

Book #1, Heartache

For a long time, I just assumed everyone loved series as much as me. Long before I sold my first book, I was planning romance series that I would write. I didn’t just plot one book. I planned whole series—family connections, quirky relatives, past secrets and common settings that different books might visit. The trouble with this, when you are an untried writer and can barely write one book let alone four, is that if an editor doesn’t love book one—there goes your series!

I learned to tuck away my series dreams and focus on writing one good book. Later, I went back to my elaborately plotted series and used the basic story ideas for stand alones. This kept me writing for awhile because I had a lot of series planned! As I started to find my storytelling rhythm though, I grew to the point where an editor would say to me—should this be part of a series, Joanne?

Funny you should ask. It would be my absolute pleasure to add in four brothers.

Book #1, Runaway Brides

And just between us, that’s still one of my favorite ways to connect a series—through family. Editors urge us to be creative though, and I thought I came up with a really nice connection in my Single in South Beach series where a handful of girlfriends invested in a resort hotel property. I always like writing friendships with undercurrents, so the “friends” had some trouble working together. But either way, I loved that series and wrote six books. You might not be surprised to learn that I also worked in three brothers for one of the women—all of whom had storylines. But the hook wasn’t the family, the hook was friends who went into business together.

This month, all my practice has resulted in me having books in two series releasing. I began a Runaway Brides series with Catherine Mann and you can download the first story How to Lose a Groom in 10 Days for free. And in my second book for Superromance, Nights Under the Tennessee Stars, I was able to revisit a setting and family that I loved in last fall’s Promises Under the Peach Tree. I didn’t start out writing a series, but soon, when I didn’t leave the town of Heartache, Tennessee over the course of three books, my editor thought we’d better make sure readers knew the stories were connected. My first three books are now a series and I couldn’t be happier.

Book #2, Heartache

But ala Superromance, there are far more connections than just the brothers in the Finley family. There are sisters. There are shared family dynamics. And there is the town of Heartache itself that charmed me from the moment I started writing about it. There is something so warm and inviting about a series where there are familiar faces and places, kind of like taking a vacation in the same summer resort town year after year. You look forward to revisiting some of the same spots, even as your adventure changes from year to year.

I hope you’ll give the latest in my Heartache, TN stories a try. I’ve had a lot of practice writing series by now, my friends! You haven’t seen all my attempts, but I’d like to think they all paid off in the rich world I’m writing now. Consider yourself cordially invited to Heartache…

***Are there any resort towns you love to visit again and again? Vacation places that call to you even when you travel elsewhere? Tell me about a town that you love to visit today on the boards and I’ll give one commenter a copy of their choice of book from my 2014-2015 releases.  

April 2015 New Releases!

Those Cassabaw Days (The Malone Brothers) 
Cindy Miles

A bond that not even time can break… 

As kids, Emily Quinn and Matt Malone were thick as thieves in the tightly knit community of Cassabaw Station. Then Emily's world crumbled into tragedy, and she was sent away. She's just returned to run a beachside café she now owns. A free spirit…with a guarded heart.

But while this town still feels like home, Matt is nothing like the boy she remembered. He is a man lost to shadows and doubt. As he helps Emily restore the café, however, their childhood bond reignites and unfurls into bittersweet longing. Now they face the greatest test of friendship…love.

 

My Way Back To You
Pamela Hearon

Married too young, divorced too soon? 

Jeff Wells hasn't seen his ex-wife, Maggie Russell, in years. Yet as they reunite to settle their son into his college dorm, Jeff discovers the attraction between them is still present—and very strong. Yet so are the reasons they shouldn't be together…

Still, what's the harm in giving in to their desire for a few days? No expectations, no strings. But the affair is so passionate, soon Jeff wants more. He wants what they used to have, only better. First he needs to convince Maggie this is their second chance at love and not simply a repeat of the past.

To Love A Cop
Janice Kay Johnson

 She's sworn to protect her heart 

After what Laura Vennetti and her son have been through, she's avoided all contact with the police. Then her son brings detective Ethan Winter into their lives. Despite how appealing—and gorgeous—he is, it's safe to say Ethan isn't her dream man.

Immediately, though, Laura can see how different he is from her late husband. Ethan is thoughtful, considerate and a good influence on her son. Add in the intense attraction between her and Ethan… The temptation to give in is irresistible. To her surprise, Laura feels the wounds of the past healing, making her wonder if she could love this cop forever

Nights Under The Tennessee Stars (Heartache, Tenessee)
Joanne Rock

Heartache—the best place to heal 

Erin Finley heads home to Heartache, Tennesee, after the perfect guy turns out to be anything but. She throws herself into running a vintage store with her sister and surrounding herself with the comforts of her small town. Then one rainy night, TV producer Remy Weldon shows up and almost sweeps her off her feet!

Remy sees more in Erin than she sees in herself. Quirky, beautiful and capable, he needs her for his antiques show—and for himself. Because Erin is the first star Remy's found in the very dark night that has become his life. And she might just be able to lead him into the dawn…