Sharon Wray's Blog, page 2

A Romance Writer’s Favorite Thanksgiving Movies

I know I recently wrote about my favorite summer movies with a witchy/Halloween vibe. But now it’s time to share some of my favorite romantic Thanksgiving movies. I’ll be honest… there aren’t that many of them. I guess Thanksgiving, because it falls between Halloween and Christmas, kind of gets ignored by the movie making crowd. But they’re a few made-for-TV and big screen movies about fall and gratitude and family feasts that I’ve enjoyed, and I’m sharing them below.

I’ve not included links to the streaming services because the rights to movies are constantly being sold between the services so it’s hard to keep up. All trailers courtesy of YouTube.

 Favorite Thanksgiving Movies 1. Holiday Engagement (2011)

Hillary hires an actor to pose as her fiancé over a Thanksgiving weekend with her family when her real-relationship falls apart.

2. Love at the Thanksgiving Parade (2012)

A parade coordinator in Chicago (Emily) anticipates a proposal. A wealthy consultant arrives to help with the parade finances, and sparks fly

3. A Family Thanksgiving (2010)

A high-powered attorney gets a magical look at a life she could have had — more family, kids, love — during a Thanksgiving gathering.

4. An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving (2008)

Based on Louisa May Alcott’s story — a struggling family at Thanksgiving time deals with challenges and hope.

5. Funny Thing about Love (2021)

A businesswoman brings her boyfriend home for Thanksgiving only to find her family is trying to reconnect her with a lost love.

6. Hannah and her sisters (1986)

A film spanning two Thanksgiving dinners where relationships intertwine among sisters and their loves.

7. Little Women (1994)

This movie contains one of the most memorable Thanksgiving sequences in film. The story (both the book and the movie) beautifully blends romance, family, and gratitude, all themes deeply tied to the holiday.

November Book Fairs and Reading Events: Part 2

November is moving quickly this year, and I still have book events, sale books, and free books for you all to enjoy. Now is a great time to fill up your TBR in anticipation of Thanksgiving… and the long holiday weekend coming up next week. Here’s to reading more romance novels in front of a fireplace and drinking the last of the fall coffee drinks… right before you decorate for the December holidays!

1The Isn’t it Romantic Book Club Group Monthly Livestream

The Isn’t It Romantic Book Club Group will be live-streaming today, November 20th at 3 pm EST, while we interview Michelle Major and her new book Someone to Hold. It’ll be live-streamed on our YouTube channel and we hope you’ll join us there!

2The Christmas Lily is on sale for .99!

The Christmas Lily, a prequel in my Deadly Force series, tells the story of Rafe and Juliet’s first and last Christmas together as newlyweds… right before everything falls apart. It will take another 8 longs years before they’re reunited in Every Deep Desire. (Because I’m mean like that. lol) And since it’s the holiday season, this short novella is on sale for .99 until Christmas!

Is Christmas Magic worth risking everything for… including the love of those they care about most?

Juliet Capel, from a remote southern sea isle shrouded in history and secrets, has never truly belonged anywhere. But now that she’s married to the man she’s always loved, she’s determined to share her dream of the perfect Christmas with her new family and the people of the Isle of Grace who’ve never accepted her. Except her dream falls apart on Christmas Eve when a rare snowstorm hits the isle, her father disappears, and Midnight Mass is canceled.

Green Beret Rafe Montfort will do anything for his new wife, even if that means hunting down everyone on the godforsaken Isle of Grace and forcing them to attend Midnight Mass. Although he doesn’t understand why his beautiful bride needs the acceptance of the people of the isle–especially those who treated her terribly during her poverty-stricken childhood–he knows this perfect Christmas is important to her. But what he’s willing to do for her could threaten everyone’s Christmas… along with their future happiness.

3Download Holly and Heartstrings Christmas Romance Anthology for free!

Curl up with a cup of cocoa and nine swoon-worthy tales that prove love is the greatest gift of all. From Broadway stages dusted with snow to small-town mistletoe mishaps, this collection of contemporary Christmas romances brings the heat to the holiday season. Whether you’re rooting for a theater director who finds unexpected love during opening night, a woman who discovers that sometimes the wrong person under the mistletoe might just be Mr. Right, or a hero in need of his own rescue this Christmas, these stories deliver heartwarming happily-ever-afters with just the right amount of steam to warm you through the winter.

Nine talented authors have crafted tales of second chances, holiday mix-ups, unexpected encounters, and the kind of Christmas magic that only happens when two hearts are ready to believe in love again. Best of all? It’s completely free. No strings attached, no newsletter subscriptions required. Simply download, discover the stories that speak to you, and if you fall in love with an author’s voice, you can choose to follow their future work. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of romance. Because sometimes the most beautiful love stories begin with a little Christmas magic.

And this anthology includes my brand new Kingsmill Courtships novella Mistletoe for Holly!

Nine stories. Nine chances at forever. One unforgettable Christmas collection.

4Download this Romance Novella Advent Calendar for free!

Unwrap a New Romance Every Day!

Cozy up with heartwarming holiday stories–19 free books that will keep you warm for the rest of the year. And this anthology includes my Kingsmill Courtships novella Eve’s Christmas Kiss!

5Secret Santa Days in Abbie’s Dangerously Dark Darlings Facebook Group

Abbie’s Dangerously Dark Darlings Facebook group will be hosting her annual holiday book giveaway event. It’s tons of fun and there will be over 300 authors giving away books and prizes and swag. I promise it will be tons of fun!

Free Books for NovemberRight on Target by Bly Donovan

If Cassie were as good at picking men as she was at throwing darts, she wouldn’t be in this mess.

Cassandra Jones attracts trouble . . . or maybe she goes looking for it. But that all changes when she finds herself in over her head.

Now, she’s dodging an ex-boyfriend who refuses to let her go because she knows too much. When she falls into the arms of yet another bad boy, her defense mechanisms go up. Yet, the more time she spends with him, the more she wonders if she’s pegged him incorrectly. When her ex shows up, she’s forced to admit Shane just might be the solution to her problem.

Shane Holand is no knight in shining armor, but when he rescues a damsel in distress, something about her rouses his protective instincts. Before he knows it, he’s suited up and fighting for her honor. Or at least her safety from a dangerous ex-boyfriend. But can he convince her to trust him before the chance at more slips through his fingers?

Get it for free now!Dangerous Seal by Paige Tyler

Her plans didn’t include a Navy SEAL.

Au pair Talia Holland couldn’t deny that the handsome Navy SEAL who saved her employer’s family a few months ago is tempting enough to break all her dating rules, but what could a mousy nanny have in common with a sexy man whose job is as dangerous as a Tom Cruise movie? Besides, she’d grown up with a father who was always away because of his job.

Talia did not want to live that kind of life ever again. But when another au pair goes missing and Talia narrowly escapes an attack, she doesn’t know who else to call for help but the one guy who lives, eats, and breathes danger. Getting close to a SEAL might keep her safe, but how will she protect her heart if she falls for a man who spends more time on foreign soil than in her arms?

But best laid plans…

Petty Officer Lennox Thompson had been hoping for a phone call from the beautiful dark-haired au pair, but not a call from the police station that she’d been attacked.

Unwilling to let Talia go home alone, Lennox offers his guest bedroom for the night. However, once he hears the details, he realizes she’s involved in something more suited to a SEAL Team 5 mission than adventures in babysitting.

Someone is willing to kill to get what they want, and Talia and her young charge are in the crosshairs. It will take help from his Teammates to avoid an international incident, but when Talia and little Maria are kidnapped, Lennox will take on navy protocol, smug CIA, and deadly terrorists to save the little girl who makes him laugh and the woman who makes his heart pound.

Get it for free now!Broken for Us by Alessa Kelly

Saddle up for small-town feels, slow-burn kisses, and a hero worth losing sleep over.

I don’t mean to challenge the law.

But when your best friend’s unraveling from trauma, and the system turns its back, you do something reckless. One fake prescription. One wrong person watching. Now I’m running.

Then I crash straight into Logan Pierce.

The gruff rancher catches me trying to steal his horse—with a busted hand and more attitude than sense. He should’ve called the cops. Instead, he hands me a plate of food, bandages my arm, and lets me stay. In his house. In his clothes.

And I’m falling for him all over again.

But the people after me don’t play fair. And when they come knocking, it won’t just be my freedom on the line.

Includes a sneak peek of Book 1 in the Buffaloberry Hill series: Wrecked for Love

Get it for free now! A Shot Worth Taking by Tracy Brody

FBI Linguist Angela Hoffman is no stranger to high-stakes missions, but her current one raises a new threat. Sent undercover to track a dangerous terrorist, Angela’s past collides with the present when her mission converges with Sergeant First Class Tony Vincenti and his elite Bad Karma Special Ops team. Scarred by past betrayals, along with threats from her past, have made Angela swear off serious relationships. She and Tony posed as lovers in the past. Now, she is forced to confront her lingering attraction to the soldier she can’t allow herself to want.

On Tony’s prior undercover op with Angela, their lives depended on selling themselves as lovers. It also meant sticking to their roles. Now, as they race against time to prevent a terror attack, Tony has more on the line than the mission. He’s determined to prove to Angela that her past won’t stand in the way of their future together.

But when Angela becomes the target of a lethal threat, trust becomes a matter of life and death. As danger close in, Angela must reveal her secrets—and her heart—to Tony, or risk losing everything. Can Tony protect the woman he loves and convince her they’re worth the ultimate gamble?

Heat level: Steamy. Contains sexual content/on the page. Not overly explicit.
Profanity: Moderate (These are military characters)
Contains hunky heroes, a strong female heroine, and a military working dog.

Get it for free now! Someone in the Water by Katie Mettner

Spring Lewis knows death. As a nurse in the ICU, she has experienced more than her fair share of it. The difference is, she is acutely aware not everyone who dies stays in the afterlife.

Vince Roundtree is tired. Tired of living life alone and where his health takes a back seat to his career as a music professor. His nightly walks along the river help clear his head and strengthen his body, but he never expects to find his heart there too.

Spring and Vince find themselves walking a path of forgiveness, understanding, and acceptance, but their rose-colored glasses blind them to the dangerous shadow lurking in the darkness. When Spring breaks her silence about the people in the water, the reaper comes calling, and it will be up to Vince to save her from certain death before time runs out.

Get it for free now! Blind Sided by Gwen Hernandez

A hacker framed for espionage. A sniper hot on her trail. Enemies who can’t resist falling in love.

Framed for divulging state secrets, reformed hacker Valerie Sanchez has no choice but to run. Worse, when the proof of her innocence is destroyed, things turn fatal. She must decide if the sexy special operator who mysteriously turns up to protect her is an ally or the real threat.

Scott Kramer’s job was supposed to be easy. Follow the hot computer geek who stole plans for classified weapons until she meets her buyer, then let law enforcement take over. But when Valerie becomes an assassin’s target, Scott’s gut says she’s innocent. Now, he must risk his life—and his heart—to keep her safe.

Get it for free now! Challenge My Heart by Diane Wiggs

Hotdish isn’t the only thing heating up in Ashwood.

Restaurant owner Bel Holloway’s nana passed down her cat and café to her granddaughter when she died, along with two rules. #1- Don’t share the award-winning recipes. #2- Never share the secret catering client list.

Detective Tanner Malone strolled into Miss Mabel’s thinking this would be a typical attempted smash-and-grab, but it soon becomes apparent that someone wants more than delicious food from the savory café owner.

Bel might be sweet as pie, but is reluctant to share her client list, even if it’s vital to the case. Can Tanner protect her when she starves his investigation for details?

Get it for free now! In Paradise with Someone Like Him by Susanna Eastman

Floral designer Anna is desperate to break the bonds of her loving but smothering family, her boss’s empty promises, and the humiliation of a broken engagement months before the wedding. Except she has no idea how to change her life until she discovers a Caribbean sex club called Fantasy. Fantasy, a luxurious realm shrouded in secrecy, promises anonymous, consensual ecstasy and a chance for Anna to redefine herself. Amidst this newfound-yet-unsettling freedom, Anna encounters Jacob, a handsome man with secrets of his own.  

Jacob, a charismatic billionaire who owns the lavish Caribbean resort hosting Fantasy, has doubts. While his wealth and power have allowed him to create a haven for those seeking clandestine desires and untamed passion, he’s not sure if this is the right direction to take his company. Things become complicated when he meets Anna, a beautiful woman seeking to change her life, and he experiences a connection that challenges the foundation of his controlled, unforgiving world. Although Fantasy requires anonymity, Jacob knows his secrets could ruin his future with Anna. A future he didn’t know he wanted. A future he’s desperate to save, even if he has to break his own rules.

Will Anna and Jacob’s rendezvous of passion and discovery lead them on separate paths? Or will their powerful connection offer them a chance at love that transcends the bounds of Fantasy?

Get it for free now! It’s All in the Hips by Diana Munoz Stewart

Winning the Fit for The World prize money is Yolanda Vasquez’s last chance at saving her family business. But to win it, she’ll have to face show creator Easton Blake––a steamy one-night stand she’s never forgotten––while also taking on the big kids of fitness. One of whom isn’t playing fair.

Yolanda Vasquez

Ten-plus years ago, I spent one glorious night with a hot stranger visiting Puerto Rico. Today, that heartthrob is a global health icon giving away millions on a reality fitness show. I really need that money to rescue my family business, am pretty sure I can win, and mostly sure he won’t remember me.

Easton Blake

I spent a decade building Fit for The World gym franchises, but after a reputation-ruining mistake, my board wants me out. Vowing to repair my image on a groundbreaking reality show is a huge gamble. One that turns dicey when the hottest hookup of my life makes the competition, and the other contestants quickly see her as a threat. Yeah. This can’t be what my board meant by reviving my public persona.

Knowing the disaster any romance would bring, Easton and Yolanda struggle to ignore their flaming-hot chemistry, but when someone schemes to drive Yolanda from the show, they join forces to stop them. Will their undeniable heat catch fire and burn down their worlds before they can eliminate the threat?

Get it for free now!

A Thankful Table

Here’s the thing about Thanksgiving: it’s less about picture-perfect tablescapes and more about the stories we’ll tell later. The burnt rolls, the improvised gravy, the laughter echoing through a too-small kitchen. This year, the prices sting a little more. But if you’ve learned anything from writing (or life), it’s that constraint breeds creativity.

You don’t need a luxury turkey or twenty matching napkins to make Thanksgiving feel full. You just need intention and a few tricks that make “on a budget” feel like “on purpose.” So here are some ideas straight from my prepper-meets-romance-writer heart because love, community, and clever planning never go out of season.

Real-World Ways to Host Thanksgiving on a Budget (and Still Make It Magical)

1. Host a “Thanksgiving Swap”

Writers trade critiques. Gardeners trade seeds. Why not trade holiday supplies? A week or two before the big day, host a mini swap with pantry staples, extra serving dishes, unopened bottles of wine, or even candles. You’ll clear clutter and stock your table for free.

Bonus tip: Plan a post-Thanksgiving “leftover swap.” Everyone goes home with something new and maybe a future story idea about the friendship that started over shared pie.

2. Make It a Potluck With a Plot Twist

Instead of a random potluck, pick a fun theme.

“Recipes from our grandmas.”“Side dishes from around the world.”“Five ingredients or less.”

Themes turn chaos into charm. And when everyone feels like part of the story, there’s more joy and less pressure on you.

3. Borrow, Barter, and Build Connection

You don’t need to buy another roasting pan or folding chair. Ask around, text a neighbor, post in your community group, or swap supplies with friends. Borrowing reminds us that we belong to a community, something easy to forget in our Amazon Prime era. And if you’re the one lending, tuck in a handwritten note. Small kindnesses are free, but they linger like good dialogue.

4. Rethink the Star of the Show

Turkey doesn’t have to be the main character. Try a smaller bird and let your sides shine. Or skip the turkey entirely and serve roasted chicken, a hearty soup, or stuffed squash. The story of your meal isn’t about sticking to the script. It’s about writing your own version of comfort.

5. Decorate With What You Have (or What the Wind Leaves You)

Forget Pinterest-perfect. Step outside. Pinecones, dried leaves, herbs, and twigs are nature’s way of doing the styling for you. Tie napkins with twine. Use brown paper bags as placemats. Let the imperfections tell their story. Beauty, like a good book, often lives in the rough edges.

6. Trade Tasks Like a Writing Sprint

If cooking isn’t your joy, barter your strengths. Offer to decorate, set the table, or host in exchange for someone else handling the turkey. Collaboration makes everything lighter… in stories and in life. And remember that a shared effort feels more festive than a solo performance.

7. Focus on Gratitude, Not the Grocery List

When the lights dim and the plates are scraped clean, what lingers isn’t the food. It’s the feeling. Pass around a “thankful jar” where everyone adds a note. Record snippets of gratitude on your phone. Or just sit in the quiet glow and take it in. You’ve already done enough. You are enough.

Final Thoughts

Thanksgiving on a budget isn’t about doing without. It’s about seeing what you already have and realizing it’s more than enough to fill a table, a heart, and a story. So light the candles, pour the cider, and make it yours. Because the best kind of abundance doesn’t come from your wallet. It comes from the warmth of the people who show up.

One Love Charity Anthology Release Day

The Christmas anthologies are coming out on a daily basis now, but today I wanted to share One Love, a new 3-volume charity collection where all the money we raise will go to Jamaica Hurricane Relief. One Love Volume 2 includes my story Luke’s Last Hot Summer, a novella in my Kingsmill Courtships series. This story is an instalove love story about Luke Mosby (an ex-lawyer/surf shop owner) and Holly Wythe (an OB/GYN) who must learn to trust the powerful emotions that have brought them together before outside forces tear them apart. This is one of my favorite stories in this series, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I loved writing it. And did I mention that all the proceeds go to charity?

One Love Vols. 1-3A Jamaica Hurricane Relief Charity Anthology

Wi likkle but wi tallawah.
We are small but we are mighty.

On October 28 , 2025, a devastatingly powerful Category 5 Hurricane Melissa slammed into the beautiful island of Jamaica. We all watched, helpless, as Jamaicans braced for the storm that destroyed countless homes and businesses and decimated the nation’s infrastructure.

60 romance authors have banded together to try to make a difference by releasing this three-volume anthology with 100% of royalties going to a reputable charity helping those in affected areas.

Enjoy these stories of hope and love and help us support those affected by the hurricane by celebrating one love of the Jamaican people.

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Luke’s Last Hot Summer

He’s running from his past while she’s racing toward her future… but love is about to change everything.

Luke Mosby has always been the black sheep of his family. While his five brothers settled down in Kingsmill, Virginia, Luke gave up practicing law to open a surf shop in Miami and seek out adventure. From fighting forest fires to riding bulls in rodeos, he’s built a life far from home, avoiding the feeling that he doesn’t quite belong. But now, for the first time in years, he’s heading back to Kingsmill for his cousin’s wedding—a reunion he dreads with his now-married brothers who seem to have it all figured out.

Dr. Holly Wythe thought she was ready for a change of pace. After leaving Boston’s busy hospitals behind, she’s taken a job in small-town Kingsmill, hoping to find the peace that’s eluded her. But her journey takes an unexpected turn when she’s forced to share a ride with Luke Mosby—a man who is everything she isn’t: free-spirited, spontaneous, and determined to live life by his own rules.

As they drive to Kingsmill and they hit unexpected delays, sparks fly between the wandering adventurer and the structured doctor. Can they find common ground in a place they both want to call home, or will Luke’s fear of being an outcast keep him from the love he never saw coming?

Available in One Love VOlume 2!

The Two Thanksgiving Gentlemen

Every November, I try to share stories that captures the heart of gratitude. Not the perfect, polished kind that lives on holiday cards, but the real kind that are messy, tender, and often tinged with melancholy.

This year’s choice comes from O. Henry, a master of small miracles and human ironies. The Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen first appeared in 1907 and tells the story of two men bound by a simple annual ritual: one offers a meal, and the other gratefully accepts. Yet, beneath its humor and charm lies something deeply moving. A meditation on kindness, tradition, and what it means to give even when we have little to spare. I love this story because it reminds us that Thanksgiving isn’t about abundance or perfection. It’s about showing up, keeping promises, and remembering that grace often arrives disguised as habit or humility.

As you read, I hope you’ll find a moment of quiet gratitude, not for what’s grand, but for what’s human. {This story is in the public domain so I can repost it below.}

The Two Thanksgiving GentlemenBy O. Henry

There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all we Americans who are not self-made go back to the old home to eat saleratus biscuits and marvel how much nearer to the porch the old pump looks than it used to. Bless the day. President Roosevelt gives it to us. We hear some talk of the Puritans, but don’t just remember who they were. Bet we can lick ’em, anyhow, if they try to land again. Plymouth Rocks? Well, that sounds more familiar. Lots of us have had to come down to hens since the Turkey Trust got its work in. But somebody in Washington is leaking out advance information to ’em about these Thanksgiving proclamations.

The big city east of the cranberry bogs has made Thanksgiving Day an institution. The last Thursday in November is the only day in the year on which it recognizes the part of America lying across the ferries. It is the one day that is purely American. Yes, a day of celebration, exclusively American.

And now for the story which is to prove to you that we have traditions on this side of the ocean that are becoming older at a much rapider rate than those of England are—thanks to our git-up and enterprise.

Stuffy Pete took his seat on the third bench to the right as you enter Union Square from the east, at the walk opposite the fountain. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years he had taken his seat there promptly at 1 o’clock. For every time he had done so things had happened to him—Charles Dickensy things that swelled his waistcoat above his heart, and equally on the other side.

But to-day Stuffy Pete’s appearance at the annual trysting place seemed to have been rather the result of habit than of the yearly hunger which, as the philanthropists seem to think, afflicts the poor at such extended intervals.

Certainly Pete was not hungry. He had just come from a feast that had left him of his powers barely those of respiration and locomotion. His eyes were like two pale gooseberries firmly imbedded in a swollen and gravy-smeared mask of putty. His breath came in short wheezes; a senatorial roll of adipose tissue denied a fashionable set to his upturned coat collar. Buttons that had been sewed upon his clothes by kind Salvation fingers a week before flew like popcorn, strewing the earth around him. Ragged he was, with a split shirt front open to the wishbone; but the November breeze, carrying fine snowflakes, brought him only a grateful coolness. For Stuffy Pete was overcharged with the caloric produced by a super-bountiful dinner, beginning with oysters and ending with plum pudding, and including (it seemed to him) all the roast turkey and baked potatoes and chicken salad and squash pie and ice cream in the world. Wherefore he sat, gorged, and gazed upon the world with after-dinner contempt.

The meal had been an unexpected one. He was passing a red brick mansion near the beginning of Fifth avenue, in which lived two old ladies of ancient family and a reverence for traditions. They even denied the existence of New York, and believed that Thanksgiving Day was declared solely for Washington Square. One of their traditional habits was to station a servant at the postern gate with orders to admit the first hungry wayfarer that came along after the hour of noon had struck, and banquet him to a finish. Stuffy Pete happened to pass by on his way to the park, and the seneschals gathered him in and upheld the custom of the castle.

After Stuffy Pete had gazed straight before him for ten minutes he was conscious of a desire for a more varied field of vision. With a tremendous effort he moved his head slowly to the left. And then his eyes bulged out fearfully, and his breath ceased, and the rough-shod ends of his short legs wriggled and rustled on the gravel.

For the Old Gentleman was coming across Fourth avenue toward his bench.

Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years the Old Gentleman had come there and found Stuffy Pete on his bench. That was a thing that the Old Gentleman was trying to make a tradition of. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years he had found Stuffy there, and had led him to a restaurant and watched him eat a big dinner. They do those things in England unconsciously. But this is a young country, and nine years is not so bad. The Old Gentleman was a staunch American patriot, and considered himself a pioneer in American tradition. In order to become picturesque we must keep on doing one thing for a long time without ever letting it get away from us. Something like collecting the weekly dimes in industrial insurance. Or cleaning the streets.

The Old Gentleman moved, straight and stately, toward the Institution that he was rearing. Truly, the annual feeding of Stuffy Pete was nothing national in its character, such as the Magna Charta or jam for breakfast was in England. But it was a step. It was almost feudal. It showed, at least, that a Custom was not impossible to New Y—ahem!—America.

The Old Gentleman was thin and tall and sixty. He was dressed all in black, and wore the old-fashioned kind of glasses that won’t stay on your nose. His hair was whiter and thinner than it had been last year, and he seemed to make more use of his big, knobby cane with the crooked handle.

As his established benefactor came up Stuffy wheezed and shuddered like some woman’s over-fat pug when a street dog bristles up at him. He would have flown, but all the skill of Santos-Dumont could not have separated him from his bench. Well had the myrmidons of the two old ladies done their work.

“Good morning,” said the Old Gentleman. “I am glad to perceive that the vicissitudes of another year have spared you to move in health about the beautiful world. For that blessing alone this day of thanksgiving is well proclaimed to each of us. If you will come with me, my man, I will provide you with a dinner that should make your physical being accord with the mental.”

That is what the old Gentleman said every time. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years. The words themselves almost formed an Institution. Nothing could be compared with them except the Declaration of Independence. Always before they had been music in Stuffy’s ears. But now he looked up at the Old Gentleman’s face with tearful agony in his own. The fine snow almost sizzled when it fell upon his perspiring brow. But the Old Gentleman shivered a little and turned his back to the wind.

Stuffy had always wondered why the Old Gentleman spoke his speech rather sadly. He did not know that it was because he was wishing every time that he had a son to succeed him. A son who would come there after he was gone—a son who would stand proud and strong before some subsequent Stuffy, and say: “In memory of my father.” Then it would be an Institution.

But the Old Gentleman had no relatives. He lived in rented rooms in one of the decayed old family brownstone mansions in one of the quiet streets east of the park. In the winter he raised fuchsias in a little conservatory the size of a steamer trunk. In the spring he walked in the Easter parade. In the summer he lived at a farmhouse in the New Jersey hills, and sat in a wicker armchair, speaking of a butterfly, the ornithoptera amphrisius, that he hoped to find some day. In the autumn he fed Stuffy a dinner. These were the Old Gentleman’s occupations.

Stuffy Pete looked up at him for a half minute, stewing and helpless in his own self-pity. The Old Gentleman’s eyes were bright with the giving-pleasure. His face was getting more lined each year, but his little black necktie was in as jaunty a bow as ever, and the linen was beautiful and white, and his gray mustache was curled carefully at the ends. And then Stuffy made a noise that sounded like peas bubbling in a pot. Speech was intended; and as the Old Gentleman had heard the sounds nine times before, he rightly construed them into Stuffy’s old formula of acceptance.

“Thankee, sir. I’ll go with ye, and much obliged. I’m very hungry, sir.”

The coma of repletion had not prevented from entering Stuffy’s mind the conviction that he was the basis of an Institution. His Thanksgiving appetite was not his own; it belonged by all the sacred rights of established custom, if not, by the actual Statute of Limitations, to this kind old gentleman who bad preempted it. True, America is free; but in order to establish tradition some one must be a repetend—a repeating decimal. The heroes are not all heroes of steel and gold. See one here that wielded only weapons of iron, badly silvered, and tin.

The Old Gentleman led his annual protégé southward to the restaurant, and to the table where the feast had always occurred. They were recognized.

“Here comes de old guy,” said a waiter, “dat blows dat same bum to a meal every Thanksgiving.”

The Old Gentleman sat across the table glowing like a smoked pearl at his corner-stone of future ancient Tradition. The waiters heaped the table with holiday food—and Stuffy, with a sigh that was mistaken for hunger’s expression, raised knife and fork and carved for himself a crown of imperishable bay.

No more valiant hero ever fought his way through the ranks of an enemy. Turkey, chops, soups, vegetables, pies, disappeared before him as fast as they could be served. Gorged nearly to the uttermost when he entered the restaurant, the smell of food had almost caused him to lose his honor as a gentleman, but he rallied like a true knight. He saw the look of beneficent happiness on the Old Gentleman’s face—a happier look than even the fuchsias and the ornithoptera amphrisius had ever brought to it—and he had not the heart to see it wane.

In an hour Stuffy leaned back with a battle won. “Thankee kindly, sir,” he puffed like a leaky steam pipe; “thankee kindly for a hearty meal.” Then he arose heavily with glazed eyes and started toward the kitchen. A waiter turned him about like a top, and pointed him toward the door. The Old Gentleman carefully counted out $1.30 in silver change, leaving three nickels for the waiter.

They parted as they did each year at the door, the Old Gentleman going south, Stuffy north.

Around the first corner Stuffy turned, and stood for one minute. Then he seemed to puff out his rags as an owl puffs out his feathers, and fell to the sidewalk like a sunstricken horse.

When the ambulance came the young surgeon and the driver cursed softly at his weight. There was no smell of whiskey to justify a transfer to the patrol wagon, so Stuffy and his two dinners went to the hospital. There they stretched him on a bed and began to test him for strange diseases, with the hope of getting a chance at some problem with the bare steel.

And lo! an hour later another ambulance brought the Old Gentleman. And they laid him on another bed and spoke of appendicitis, for he looked good for the bill.

But pretty soon one of the young doctors met one of the young nurses whose eyes he liked, and stopped to chat with her about the cases.

“That nice old gentleman over there, now,” he said, “you wouldn’t think that was a case of almost starvation. Proud old family, I guess. He told me he hadn’t eaten a thing for three days.”

Rough Draft November and Shiny Objects

We’re about halfway through Rough Draft November which means Thanksgiving will be here soon. With the shortened Advent calendar, the December holidays are closer than they’ve ever been. And, if you’re trying to write a rough draft before the end of the month, you’re probably a bit stressed. Stressed about word count, doubting your story, and freaking out about your characters’ emotional arcs. That makes this moment a dangerous time for authors. It’s the time when Shiny Object Syndrome comes knocking.

You’re in the murky middle of the book and it’s gotten really, really hard. You worry that the book stinks, the story is stupid, the characters hate you, and you feel like a failure. So why is this moment so dangerous? Because it’s during this stressful time that, inevitably, another story comes along with new characters and a new, exciting plot. This new project waves at you, holding a peppermint hot chocolate and Christmas cookies, trying to lure you away from your current pumpkin spice-flavored WIP. This new project seduces you by saying, “Hey! I’m an easier book to write. Drop what you’re doing and pay attention to me! I have a great transformational arc and you can finish me in a few weeks and I’ll sell for big money!!”

Don’t believe me about SOS? Just ask any author! They will all tell you the same thing. Shiny Object Syndrome is real and it can derail your writing plan faster than a blink. Does that mean you should ignore the new shiny story? No. Most writers agree that when the new story is clamoring for attention, take a few minutes and jot down everything you know about this new story. Write in a journal or type it in notes on your phone. It doesn’t matter. Just grab as much as you can about this story and then tuck it away. Tell the new story, sweetly yet firmly, that you will return to it when the time is right. You can even thank the new story for showing up and encourage it to keep percolating in your subconscious until it’s time to be written. (Yes, I know writers are weird).

Then, gently yet firmly, force yourself to return to you current WIP. Trust me, by this time next year when that story is either for sale or up for auction, you’ll be so happy you didn’t bail on your Rough Draft November project for the shiny object. And your readers will thank you too!

It’s Release Day for Holly and Heartstring Vol. 2

It’s time for the onslaught of Holiday Romance Anthologies, and today we’re beginning with two free collections. The first is Holly and Heartstrings Vol. 2, and it’s a collection of holiday novellas filled with charming and romantic stories that are perfect for reading in front of the fire, curled up with a blanket and your favorite hot chocolate.

My story in this anthology, Mistletoe for Holly, is a new novella in my Kingsmill Courtships series  starring Luke Mosby, a recovering lawyer who longs to begin his life over again and Dr. Holly Wythe, a renowned ob/gyn who’s moved to the smallest town in Virginia in order to find the peace she so desperately seeks. This is a romantic and poignant romance of two lost souls terrified they will never find their happily ever after… until they end up in a secluded cabin, surrounded by a snowstorm, a few days before Christmas. And I promise that this novella has all the holiday feels.

The second release today is a Free Holiday Romance Advent Calendar, also from Bookfunnel. My story in this collection is Eve’s Christmas Kiss, a holiday romance novella about Kane Mosby, a man who is desperate to win back his wife but knows the only way to save her may be to let her go.

Holly and HeartstringsA Collection of Christmas Romances

Authors include:

Ella Braeme

Susanna Eastman

J. Keely Thrall

Sharon Wray

Eliana Piers

Nichole Ringler

Nikki Lamers

Tina Skay

Available now!

Mistletoe for Holly

Can a mistletoe kiss hold a promise that lasts forever?

Holly Wythe never planned to find home in a snow-dusted mountain town or in the steady arms of Luke Mosby. Yet somehow, Kingsmill has given her both. She loves the work she’s doing at the small hospital, loves the man who sees her like no one else ever has… but when an invitation to speak at a prestigious Boston conference stirs up old dreams, she begins to wonder if she’s ready to give up the life she thought she wanted for the one she’s building here.

Luke knows Holly’s heart is as wild and bright as the mountains they call home. He’s ready to build a future with her. He’s got a ring in his pocket, and a proposal planned under the Christmas Eve bonfire lights. But as a snowstorm sweeps in and the distance between them grows, he begins to fear she might slip away.

On the most magical night of the year, Holly and Luke must face the truth neither has dared to speak aloud: love isn’t about waiting until you’re certain. It’s about choosing each other, every single day.

Available now!

This Romance Advent Calendar from Bookfunnel is filled with even more holiday romances, from Christmas through Valentine’s Day. I hope you enjoy it.. and my story Eve’s Christmas Kiss.

click Here to DOwnload the Romance ADvent Calendar!

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chili Cornbread Skillet

November is here and I’m participating in NaNo 2.0 which means I’m writing longer hours each day than normal. And this Chili Cornbread Skillet is the perfect dish to make when I’m really busy. I usually have the ingredients in the pantry, and it takes only about 15 minutes to put together. I make the chili ahead of time and then make the cornbread right before I want to bake it. Also, I’ve been known to use a box of Jiffy cornbread instead of making my own… it all depends on my time and my mood! I hope you enjoy this meal, and it’s perfect for these nights that are getting colder and darker. I also like to serve this with my favorite Artichoke and Hearts of Palm Salad. Because we all need veggies during these darker months.

PrintChili Cornbread SkilletI love this recipe because it's a "one pot meal". It can go from the stove to the oven and right to the table. I use black beans in my chili because my family hates kidney beans, but the original recipe calls for 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of black beans. But I've made so many substitutions to this dish that you can basically add or delete anything you want. The only caveat I have is to make sure your baking powder hasn't expired. Because that could be a problem! Course Main CoursePrep Time 15 minutes minutesCook Time 35 minutes minutesServings 8Calories 390kcalIngredientsChili1 pound ground beef½ large Vidalia onion diced2 15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained1 15 ounce can tomato sauce1 15 ounce can water2 Tablespoons chili powder1 Tablespoon brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cumin1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon dried oregano½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon onion powder¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper¼ teaspoon ground black pepper¼ teaspoon ground paprikaCornbread:¾ cup flour5 Tablespoons cornmeal¼ cup white sugar2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon salt½ cup whole milk1 large egg lightly beaten2 Tablespoons butter softened¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extractInstructionsPreheat the oven to 400℉. Heat an oven-safe skillet on the stove over medium heat. Brown the ground beef and onion until beef is cooked all the way through and the onion is soft. This will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Drain the grease from the skillet. Keeping the beef in the skillet, stir in the black beans (or kidney beans if you prefer), tomato sauce, water, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and paprika. Heat the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 7 minutes or until all the ingredients are heated uniformly. While the chili is cooking, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt together in a bowl. Whisk in the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla extract. Then spoon the cornbread batter over the chili in the skillet. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the cornbread is brown and slightly crisp around the edges. Serve immediately with your favorite chili garnishes.

Sarah Munro’s Vanilla Shampoo Bar

Winter is still weeks away, but this Vanilla Shampoo Bar is perfect for the dry weather that wreaks havoc on my hair. Since it needs 4-6 weeks to cure, this week is the perfect time to make this easy shampoo. And don’t be afraid to use a lye solution. While you do need to take some safely precautions (outlined below), it’s not hard to do. Although I can get organic oils and butters at specialty grocery stores, I prefer to get my organic and natural herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs.

For those of you new to this series, Sarah Munro, the heroine in ONE DARK WISH, the second book in the Deadly Force series, is an 18th century historian who inherited a collection of colonial-era herbal and homeopathic remedies. And, in this blog space, I’ve been sharing her recipes with you all. I’m adding this recipe to this collection because while the scents of vanilla and nutmeg are wonderful this time of year, the real value in this shampoo is that there are no preservatives and the natural fat in the oils can help repair damaged, dry hair. This shampoo both cleanses and traps in the extra moisture and is similar to some mid-eighteenth century recipes I’ve found.

Note: I am not an affiliate of Mountain Rose Herbs. I just love their website and buy most of my herbs and other special ingredients from them.

Ingredients:

6 ounces refined coconut oil5 ounces castor oil5 ounces avocado oil4 ounces mango butter4 ounces olive oil 7.7 ounces water3.1 ounces lye0.50 vanilla essential oil0.25 nutmeg essential oilDirections for Vanilla Shampoo BarIn a large stainless steel pot, stir together the coconut oil, castor oil, avocado oil, mango butter, and olive oil. Slowly bring the heat to medium and stir until melted. Remove the pot from the stove and stir until the oils are 90 degrees Fahrenheit.Using a glass container and a kitchen scale, weigh the water and set aside. Do this next part outside where no pets or children are around. Also wear gloves and a full charcoal mask. Still using the kitchen scale and another glass bowl, weigh the lye. Then pour the lye into the bowl of water. Stir until dissolved. DO NOT BREATHE IN THE FUMES! Allow to sit outside for a minute and let the lye water cool to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.Once both the lye water and the oil are cooled to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, pour the lye water into the bowl of oils. Blend with a wooden stick until a light trace forms (this is when the oils and lye begin to emulsify). Then stir in the essential oils until blended.Pour the oils into soap molds (lined if necessary) and allow to cool and harden for 24 hours. Remove the soap from the molds and allow them to cure in a dark cupboard for 4- 6 weeks. This recipe makes 8 4-ounce bars (or 2 lbs of soap).To use, just wet your hair and lather up. Then rinse. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ABOUT WILD PLANTS, FORAGING , AND MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES:

I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).

It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.

If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.

Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.

Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.

Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.

Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.

I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!

Snowed In With You Has Arrived!

It’s so hard to believe that we’re in November and thinking about what to make for Thanksgiving dinner. But one of the things I love about this month is the onslaught of holiday romance anthologies… and today I have a new one just for you! Snowed In With You  is a winter/holiday, snowed-in themed anthology filled with charming and romantic stories that are centered around the popular “forced proximity” trope of being stuck in a remote cabin during the snowstorm. Other tropes included are friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, unexpected proposals (and maybe a secret baby), unrecognized billionaires, brother’s best friend, and more. 

My story in this anthology, A Christmas Cabin Proposal, is a new novella in my Kingsmill Courtships series  starring Abe Mosby, a former Army Ranger trying to find his place in the world, and Daphne Thibodeaux, a prima ballerina desperate to discover who she is offstage as well as on. This is a romantic and poignant romance of two lost souls terrified they will never find their happily ever after… until they end up in a secluded cabin, surrounded by a snowstorm, a few days before Christmas. And I promise that this novella has all the holiday feels.

Snowed In With YouA Contemporary Romance Anthology

When the snow falls, sparks fly.

Snowed In With You is a collection of contemporary romance, filled with unexpected love and the magic of winter. When blizzards hit and temperatures drop, strangers, friends, and even enemies are forced into close quarters, discovering that sometimes being snowed in is exactly what they need to find their happily ever after.

From secluded cabins to bustling lodges, each story captures the feeling of being snowed in—where the world slows down and love takes center stage.

Perfect for readers who crave romance with a dose of forced proximity, crackling fireplaces, and cozy winter settings, Snowed In With You will warm your heart even on the coldest of nights.

Authors include:

Linda G. Hill

Anna Allen

Cynthia Terelst

Michelle Moncrieff

Gracin Sawyer

Emma Lynn Everly

Toni Denise

Deaia Sanders

Kalli Dean

MacKade

Ebony Snow

Sofia Aves

Chelle Pimblott

Skylar M. Cates

Lexi Haven

Clarice Jayne

Chele MacCabe

Bonnie Poirier

Sharon Wray

Laura M. Baird

Available now!

A Christmas Cabin Proposal

They planned on a quiet weekend away. They didn’t plan on forever.

Prima ballerina Daphne Thibodeaux is rebuilding her life one pirouette, one brave choice, and one Nutcracker performance at a time. Abe Mosby, a former Army Ranger, is launching his dream business in the Virginia mountains and carrying a diamond ring he hopes she’ll agree to wear.

But when a Christmas snowstorm strands them in a remote cabin, long-buried fears and fragile hopes resurface, threatening their future. As firelight flickers and old identities melt away, they must face the past and make a choice: let each other go… or leap into love with their whole hearts.

Available now!