Dear ,

When I met Mr. Bloom, fourteen years ago, he had a beard. And a full head of hair.

Just over ten years ago, he joined our local fire department. Hooray! for volunteer service. Boo! that he had to shave his beard.

Although him maintaining his beard was never officially part of our relationship contract, I've always looked forward to the day he'd be able to grow it again.

'Maintain beard' in the marriage contract?

Unlike Mr. Bloom and I, turns out my dad's beard was part of his implied marriage contract with my mom...

Several years into his and Mom's marriage, Dad was offered a job with a German company. But back in the 70s, Europeans weren't as open-minded as Canadians about business executives sporting facial hair.

The way Dad told the story, "Your mother said if I shaved the beard she'd divorce me."

Mom and Dad celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their first date before he died. And aside from photos taken before I was born, I never saw him without his full beard. As a result, the only words I know in German are food-related: schnitzel, spätzle, Jägermeister... Mom wasn't kidding, I guess.

Back to Mr. Bloom and his beard.

Three weeks ago, my man retired from his role as a Lieutenant in our local fire department. Two weeks ago, I noticed he was looking a little scruffy. For the first time in a decade he'd gone more than two days without shaving. I mentioned it and he shrugged, "Just lazy, I guess."

It didn't occur to me was growing a beard again since his whole face was hairy and when he'd sported a beard, it was a tidy circle beard. So when he emerged from a shower last weekend having shaved his messy chops but kept the stylish fur around his mouth? Rawr!

The last ten years have not been kind to Mr. Bloom's head of hair, but I am loving the new 'bald with beard' look he's rocking.

Which beard makes your heart pitter-patter?

Adam Rhodes, a single dad with a beard

Last week gave me another furry face reason to celebrate—I crossed the 50% mark on my work-in-progress. The couple have met and fallen in love. Now I get to make them question their "I love you's." Fun!

This is book four in The Mixed Six-Pack series, tentatively called, Dad Genes. It's a single dad, fake marriage romance.

It's brother Adam's story. He's a retired stunt snowboarder who's got guardianship of his best friends' daughter since they died in a stunt accident three years ago. When I picture Adam, he's got messy hair and long stubble.

What's your gut reaction? Should I clean him up for the book cover or let him show his devil-may-care attitude about appearances?

Other bearded heroes

Like every week, I'm hoping you'll take a chance on a new author. Here are some that look interesting, all with bearded heroes! These men are gatekeepers to dozens of more books, so have a peak to see what other heroes hide behind them, even if beards aren't your thing!

That's it from me for the week. I always love getting email from you, so let me know what you think of beards—bald-head or not. Are you like my mom who insisted on facial hair "or else..."? Or are you like my sister who loves a fresh face and only a fresh face? Or are you like me, a woman who loves a beard, but won't throw the man out with the razor?

love & fuzzyface stuff,

Danika

xo

PS—I'd also love to have your thoughts about my work-in-progress—should my cover show a scruffy-haired, bearded hero or should he clean-up for his photo? Which version of him would you be most inclined to pick up? I mean, as a book, not in a bar...