February 5, 2025
I'm pretty discerning these days where I devote my energy outside of my family and writing time. I used to be a "yes" person but all it did was make me stressed and a little crabby when I was so crunched for time that I couldn't recharge which, for an introvert like me, is HUGE.
When a spot opened up on our library board three years ago, it made sense that I accept the appointment as a trustee. And last month when I saw that our local zoo desperately needed volunteers, animal-loving me stepped up.
Today was my first day at the zoo. Four-hour stint. Children's zoo. Hanging out with other animal-loving people. Easy, right?
Oh. My. Word.
My muscles were screaming at me halfway through my shift. The keeper in charge, another volunteer, and I shoveled semi-frozen mulch into 15 big garbage cans which we then trucked across the zoo on a Gator to deposit in the geese exhibit. We scraped mucky straw from the guanaco exhibit. We let the goats make "art" with non-toxic paint and paper as a going away gift for the other volunteer on her last day. This involved leading them around a three-foot by three-foot area with treats in hand for 20 minutes, enticing them to step in the paint so their little hoovies would forever be stamped on paper.
I had at least 25 years on these two young ladies, and now I'm feeling it. I could've used another two layers underneath my coat and two shirts. And wool socks. And a hat.
I've made a six-month commitment to help once a week for four hours. Am I regretting it? Nope! I'm looking forward to next week already. And I'm also trying to think of how I can use this experience in a book.
Locked on Love's Landing releases February 25th!
Locked on Love's Landing is at the editor - phew! It was a quick turn around this last week as my beta reader finished on Thursday, and I had to revise before I turned the book in on Monday. I can't wait for you to read Kit and Holden's story!
For fans of clean fiction and small-town romance, discover the magic of a delightful river town and its inhabitants as this sweet, heartfelt love story of friendship and forgiveness unfolds in a new series by D.E. Malone.
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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!
Iโll 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., Iโll offer a $5 Amazon gift card instead.
Secrets of the Tulip Sisters by Susan Mallery
Under the Southern Sky bu Kristy Woodson Harvey
Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale
Finding Forever at Silver Leaf Falls by Rachel Meyers
Starting Over at Silver Leaf Falls by Christina Butrum
A Perfect Match by Kaci Lane
The contest closes this Sunday night 2/9/24, at 7 p.m. CST. Winners will be notified via e-mail on Monday and have 48 hours to respond. PLEASE check your e-mail on Monday! Winners will also be announced in the next
newsletter.
Are you in the mood for a new series? These free books are the perfect jumping off points. Get drawn into new romance worlds with these clean, kisses-only books. Chances are you'll find your new favorite series!
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Below I'm sharing Kerry Evelyn's latest hockey romcom, and it's part of the third collection of Coffee Loft titles! It sounds adorable, and I can't wait to dive into it after I finish my latest book. Today is release day, too!
๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ซ๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐น๐๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ready ๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ฒ ๐จ๐ป๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ! Donโt miss this new Denver Edge Hockey Rom-Com. Click on the photo to go to the sales page.
๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ข๐๐ก๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฎ๐๐ช๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฃโ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฉ โฆ
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐ฅ๐๐ง ๐จ๐ฌ๐ค๐ค๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐๐ฉ๐๐จ-๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐/๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ญ๐๐ข๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐จ ๐ง๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐๐จ and ๐ฃ๐ค ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐.
Celebrate with fun and games at the Release Party, Wednesday, February 5th at 7pm EST and Facebook Live Q&A at 8:30! Facebook.com/groups/thecoffeeloftafterparty
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*NEW BOOK*
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!
Port Chance Series
New, small-town romance series! It's in Kindle Unlimited too.
That Woman on Thistledown Lane
Apple Blossom Dreams
Locked on Love's Landing (February 2025)
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
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.
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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