September 10, 2025
I had the most amazing weekend in Galena, Illinois a few days ago at the Romantic Galena Reads Author/Reader event. For history lovers alone, Galena is a delightful, must-see town. Main Street winds along the bluffs of this little-big town tucked into the rolling, unglaciated hills of northwestern Illinois. Here are a few photos from my weekend:
Meeting readers is always a highlight for me. As much as I crave low-key social events, hanging out with book lovers for an afternoon was so energizing! I met a few authors in person who I've interacted with only online up until this weekend which was a wonderful bonus. My hubby came along too, so we tried a few new eating spots (Vinny Vanucchi's and Charlie's Eatery - yum!), and then we hit up an apple orchard on our way out of town for cider donuts and slices of apple pie.
This month I'm buckling down on writing Christmas in Port Chance, coming your way in November. Stay tuned for a sneak peek in the next newsletter!
What I love about the Clean Romance Mega-Giveaway is that these titles are all FREE! You'll find bite-sized stories and novels in this HUGE listing of romances, some by familiar authors, but also new-to-you writers. With over 140 books to choose from, I'm sure you'll find something you like!
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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 continue to bring 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. Some of these titles I have not read, so I can't attest to the spice level. You may want to do your research if reading low-spice books are important. This month's selection includes:
- Beachside Beginnings by Sheila Roberts
- Starting Over in Silver Leaf Falls by Christina Butrum
- The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil
- The House on Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale
- The Inn on Harmony Island by Anne-Marie Meyer
- Secrets of the Tulip Sisters by Susan Mallery
The contest closes this Sunday night 9/14/25, 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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I hope you're enjoying September so far. I'm feeling fall in the air today; it's in the 70s here, but the heat comes back this weekend. Still, who says pumpkin spiced lattes and caramel apples taste no less than amazing when the summer-time temps return? Not me.
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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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