March 8, 2023

As the owner of an old house, there's a sound that I've grown to dread⏤rushing water. Aging pipes, hulking radiators, and a sump pump in the basement offer many disastrous, water-related scenarios if I let my active imagination wander in that direction.

Sunday started out pleasant. We went to church, came home and took the dog for a walk around the lake. It was sunny with the first signs of spring popping up from the flower beds after the snowfall from last Friday melted. Irises, daffodils, and grape hyacinths. Spring was on the way, I thought. Life is good.

We returned from the walk, and I wandered into the basement to check the sump pump as I usually do every few days when the ground starts to thaw in the spring. It chugged along but at a noticeably slower pace. And the water in the sump pit had risen to a higher level than was usual when it worked properly. When I peeked out the window to the side yard, no water drained from the hose. Meanwhile, water gushed into the pit from the saturated ground outside. It wouldn't be long before it overflowed onto the basement floor.

Uh oh.

My husband is the reluctant Master of Sump Pump Replacement. He was quickly summoned, and after a quick assessment of the impending basement flood, confidently unhooked the failing pump and replaced the back-up pump we had on hand for such an occasion.

Only the back-up pump didn't work.

UH OH.

So while he dashed off to the nearest hardware store ten miles away, I placed a panicked call to our son-in-law who is the calm in the storm during house-related catastrophes. And then I got busy baling water from the pit so it wouldn't overflow onto the floor. After no less than twenty trips up and down the stairs to heave full water buckets onto the lawn, I lost count. Three days later, my calf and tricep muscles still ache.

A half hour passed before my husband and son-in-law arrived within minutes of each other. The pump was replaced. Peace was restored.

Forgive me if I never write a book scene with a leaking pipe or failed sump pump disaster. I've lived through too many real-life scenarios and don't care to revisit them in my books!

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I took a few weeks off from profiling the Hearts in Hendricks series which is now available at all retailers, but I can't forget the last two books. This week I'd love to highlight LOVE LIKE AIR, Book #3.

Short Summary: Bakery owner Debi Thomas fights to keep a mining operation from encroaching on her family’s homestead and wonders if Mick Graham, the man that has suddenly captured her heart, is also part of the plan to make her sell the property.

What I loved about writing this book was combining my interest in baking (Debi) with my love of the outdoors (Mick is a park ranger). There's a mysterious poet on the loose in Hendricks, and Mick's precocious pre-teen daughter adds a fun element to the love story too. Here's an excerpt:

Mick had known Debi for more than thirteen years, yet it seemed like he’d met her for the first time last Thursday. That wasn’t an earth-shattering realization on his part since ordering donuts at the counter twice a week didn’t exactly count for deeply personal conversations. But there she was, behind the same pastry case, saying the exact same two words she said to everyone when they came to the counter—“Hey there!”—and it was like Debi Thomas was a newer, more thrilling version of herself. Her hair was a richer shade of chestnut, her eyes a cobalt blue like the cold water of Sheevy’s Lake before it froze over for the winter. Even her laugh—that laugh—had taken on a musical quality that normally made everyone laugh themselves at its heartiness.

“Dad?”

“Huh?” He liked how Debi’s eyes crinkled at the edges even when she wasn’t smiling. Bright, enchanting. Even from across the room. 

“What are you doing?” Stella asked.

Debi spotted him. She nodded a silent greeting across room. 

“What?” His attention was back on his daughter. Stella's eyebrows pinched together.

“You’re holding your donut in midair and your mouth’s open,” she said, looking a little disgusted.

The eclair was indeed poised in front of his face. 

Stella gave him a deadpan look. “That’s so embarrassing.”

He sank his teeth into it with exaggerated gusto. “Never mind me,” he said around the mouthful. “I was admiring its perfection before I indulged.”

“You were not. Just because I’m twelve doesn’t mean I’m stupid.” Stella set her notebook on the table and looked pointedly over her shoulder at the front counter. At Debi.

Unfortunately, Stella knew exactly what⏤or rather who⏤was on his mind at the moment. Too smart for her own good.

You can find Love Like Air at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play and more! https://books2read.com/u/ml8rQ7

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Here's your March pot 'o gold in the form of a sweet romance book collection, many titles by some of your favorite authors. Check out these cowboys, military heroes, dashing barons, athletes, and more. There's a favorite trope for everyone! I hope you find something you like!

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Maybe it's your lucky month to win a Clean My Shelves Giveaway paperback! I have six books to choose from this time. A few you've probably seen before, and there are some new books too. 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.

Titles include:

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

A Brambleberry Summer by RaeAnne Thayne

Beachside Beginnings by Sheila Roberts

Starting Over at Blueberry Creek by Annie Rains

Anything for You by Kristan Higgins

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

The contest closes on Sunday night 3/12/23, 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.

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I'm reading Rachael Bloome's New York, New Year, New You at the moment and enjoying it so much. I'll post a mini-review next week when I finish. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to speaking with a big group of sixth graders about my middle grade novel, The Upside of Down next Monday. Stay tuned for photos!

SWEET & SWOONY TITLE

(click the cover to visit the download page)

FREE BOOK ALERT!

Dylan Duke isn't your average multi-millionaire. To be honest, it feels like he's stepped inside someone else's life. After literally crashing into his old high school crush Jill, Dylan shares his distain for the lifestyle he leads. When Jill declares him crazy, Dylan issues a challenge⏤live his life for a week. The bet is on and so is the chemistry! Can two old friends find love together or will money tear them apart?

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Where to Find Me and My Books

Facebook Page * Instagram * Goodreads * Readers Group

Hearts in Hendricks series:

Now on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, & more!

Love Like Water: books2read.com/u/mZLjz5

Love Like Fire: books2read.com/u/bwqd5G

Love Like Air: books2read.com/u/ml8rQ7

Love Like Forever: books2read.com/u/mdjLQy

Blueberry Point Romance series

More small-town romance in Hendricks, MN at Darcy and Sean Stetman's romantic inn. Eight books, all in Kindle Unlimited!

Find the series here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089N4HJGN

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 it here as well as the rest of the Silver Leaf Falls books.