June 4, 2025
One of my most favorite things about spring and summer besides all the new blooms is a farmer's market. We have a decent-sized one which isn't too far from me. I like to go really early and walk around with a coffee, looking at the fresh produce, honey, herbs, and of course ALL the baked goods.
I was in Iowa City visiting our oldest son for his birthday this weekend, so we headed downtown to the market, along with my mother-in-law who also shares the same birthday. The live music, the breakfast sandwich food trucks, and the dogs wearing colorful bandanas are a whole vibe. I can almost hear the displays of fresh strawberry rhubarb jams and cherry jalapeño jelly calling to me (and my wallet). I picked up some red leaf lettuce, chives to plant, a fat sprinkle donut, and some fresh-baked ginger cookies.
Real-life settings inspire my writing, of course. If you've read Apple Blossom Dreams (Port Chance #2), you might remember Linn's near-disaster at her farmer's market bakery booth, and how Heath comes to her rescue.
Have you visited a farmer's market?
Speaking of donuts, Friday is National Donut Day! I'll be on the lookout for posts about free donuts that day and plan to be in line somewhere. I know Dunkin' Donuts celebrates by giving away free ones. Krispy Kreme has too.
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Who's ready for another Clean My Shelves Giveaway?! If you're a new subscriber, let me clue you in on the fun. Clean My Shelves giveaways started out as a way to pass along some of the paperbacks that I've bought, read and enjoyed. But I can hardly pass up a good paperback sale or a Little Free Library so I keep bringing more books into the house than I give away!
I’ll pick TWO lucky winners from those who send me their choice by replying to this e-mail. Please take note: all of these are lovingly USED books. And so sorry, non-US friends, I can only ship within the country. If by chance I choose someone outside the U.S., I’ll offer a $5 Amazon gift card instead.
The Inn on Harmony Island by Anne-Marie Meyer
Starting Over at Silver Leaf Falls by Christina Butrum
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber
Beachside Beginnings by Sheila Roberts
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange
The contest closes this Sunday night 6/8/25, at 7 p.m. CST. Winners will be notified via e-mail on Monday and have 24 hours to respond. PLEASE check your e-mail on Monday! Winners will also be announced in the next
newsletter.
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These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of romance books without too much spice. Get all the swoony vibes, sweet kisses, and chemistry without the cringe-worthy scenes. feel-good stories for a literary escape! Check out these 80+ titles here for your next literary escape.
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I'll be traveling this next week, but I hope to get in some extra reading and writing time as usual. I'm still reading Black Woods, Blue Sky, then up next is Katherine Center's new book, The Love Haters.
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Port Chance Series (3 books)
New, small-town romance series! It's in Kindle Unlimited too.
That Woman on Thistledown Lane
Apple Blossom Dreams
Locked on Love's Landing (NEW BOOK!)
Hearts in Hendricks series (4 books):
Available on Amazon, and it just returned to Kindle Unlimited in September 2024 too! See the series page here.
Blueberry Point Romance series (7 books)
More small-town romance in Hendricks, MN with Darcy and Sean Stetman's romantic inn as the backdrop. Seven books plus a season-inspired, four-novella collection. Find the series here.
A Cafe Au Lait Kind of Love. Read this as a stand-alone romance or as part of the multi-author small-town Coffee Loft series featuring swoony romances set in charming coffee shop settings. They're in Kindle Unlimited, too!
Silver Leaf Falls series
Multi-author small-town romance series, all in Kindle Unlimited! Read my book as a stand alone or as part of the series. You can find A Forever Kiss in Silver Leaf Falls here as well as the rest of the Silver Leaf Falls books.
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