Sharon Wray's Blog, page 21

Light My Fire Comes to an End

I can’t believe how fast time flies. It seems like just last week that Light My Fire, the fall-themed charity anthology where all the proceeds go to Wounded Warrior Project’s suicide prevention program, was released to the world. But since all wonderful things have to end, this anthology will be coming down in a few days, on February 20th. This anthology includes my Kingsmill Courtships series novella A Bonfire Night to Remember, a second-chance romance about Ivy Lane and Trent Mosby, a couple who must learn that instant attraction can hide the deepest, fiercest kind of love. The kind of love that begins with a single spark.

It’s almost gone!Light My FireA Limited Edition Charity Romance Collection

Bonfire Night, Homecoming, Harvest Festivals, Halloween, whatever the reason – ‘tis the season to sparkle in the firelight.

Gather your nearest and dearest (or those who you wish were) close as we fan the flames in this collection of stories from USA Today best-selling and award-winning romance authors curated by The New Romance Café sure to warm your heart…and maybe other places.

All proceeds go to charity in the fight for mental health support. Our chosen charities for this anthology are Wounded Warrior Project and theInternational Mental Health Association.

This collection includes my novella A Bonfire Night to Remember.

Available now! ↦Almost Gone!A Bonfire Night to Remember

Can a scorching one-night stand lead to a love that burns forever? 

After a spark-filled one-night romance months ago, Ivy Lane and Trent Mosby never expected to be thrown together again. But when Ivy returns to Kingsmill, VA to help with the town’s bonfire festival, she’s unexpectedly paired with Trent to run the event. As they work together, their feelings reignite despite Trent’s emotional walls threatening to keep them apart.

For Trent, being with Ivy again isn’t just about rekindling a romance; he’s carrying a family secret that could change everything—if he can find the courage to face it. 

As Bonfire Night approaches, and the local outlaw MC inflames the already-tense situation, Trent and Ivy must confront their pasts and decide if the future they want is one they can build together—or if his secret will burn away their last chance at happiness.

Available now! ↦

The post Light My Fire Comes to an End first appeared on Sharon Wray.

A Romance Writer’s Favorite Romantic Movies

Months ago, I wrote a post about my favorite classic holiday movies as a way to catalog the movies my family and I love to watch. Now that winter is here for at least six more weeks, and it’s the month of Valentine’s Day, I’m posting a few of my favorite romantic movies. Most of these movies are available on various streaming platforms, or if you’re like me, you may even have a few on DVDs.

Some of these movies are black-and-white classics, and a few are not even traditional romances. But all of them are filled with romance or romantic angst to enjoy while snowed in with popcorn and a roaring fireplace. I hope you all have a wonderful winter movie-watching season! All trailers are courtesy of YouTube and are in no particular order since I love all of them.

The post A Romance Writer’s Favorite Romantic Movies first appeared on Sharon Wray.

It was Nice Being Naughty

I can’t believe the holidays are finally over. It’s snowing here in Virginia, and I’m making a simple Valentine’s Day supper. But today’s also the last day that my final Christmas anthology, Nice Until Proven Naughty, is on sale. This anthology includes my Kingsmill Courtships series novella Eve’s Christmas Kiss. And at midnight, just like Cinderella, it will disappear. This post also includes two other holiday romances still on sale for a limited time as well… so if you’re in the mood for a few final holiday romance novella hits, here’s the last of them. It was so much fun while it lasted!

Oh, and I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

LAst day & On sale for .99!Nice Until Proven NaughtyA Limited Edition Romance Collection

Find the magic of the season under the mistletoe.

Spice up your reading with this collection of heartwarming and steamy Christmas romances featuring everything from sweet, snow-covered second chances to fiery nights by the fireplace. This collection of holiday romances delivers the charm and the magic of the holiday season.

Whether you prefer the nice or the naughty side of romance, there’s a story here to warm your heart or spice up your winter night. Are you ready to be naughty or nice this Christmas?

This collection includes my Christmas novella Eve’s Christmas Kiss.

Authors include: Colleen Key, Holly Winters, Ella Graeme, Sharon Wray, and Maya Black.

Available now! ↦Now on sale for .99!Someone Like Him for Christmas

She wasn’t looking for love… but Christmas has a way of surprising you.

For Carolyn Hardy, the holiday season is the loneliest time of the year. Quiet, brilliant, and hopelessly awkward, she craves connection but never thought she’d find it at Fantasy, an exclusive club with one rule–no strings attached.

Billionaire Martin Fuller has everything money can buy, but the glow of Christmas lights leaves him yearning for more. Meeting Carolyn at the club feels like a gift he never expected, and as their no-strings arrangement deepens, the magic of the season begins to rewrite the rules of their hearts. And changes everything they thought they knew about love… and Christmas.

Available now! ↦Now for sale!Love in Other WorldsChristmas Romance Digest 2024: Book 2

 A magic-filled collection of Christmas-themed portal fantasy romance novelettes.

Slipping through a portal to another strange world, filled with magical beings and fantasy creatures, and finding true love is challenge enough for any self-respecting hero or heroine.  How much more magic and mischief can Christmas deliver to transworld-travellers and their loved ones? 
 
Here are seven delightful Christmas romances featuring fantasy worlds reached from ours via portals of all varieties, where our heroes and heroines struggle to find true love at this most magical time of the year. 

 Authors/stories included :

“Veilbound” by Taylen Carver 
“Winter Fruit” by Chelsea Mueller 
“Second Christmas Solstice” by Meg Napier 
“The Hanukkah Pretzel Prophecy” by M.L. Buchman 
“Crowning the Snow Queen” by Michelle Moras 
“Ornaments of Ice” by Erin M. Hartshorn 
“Blackmont Bitters” by Tracy Cooper-Posey 
 

Available now! ↦

The post It was Nice Being Naughty first appeared on Sharon Wray.

February Book Fairs & Reading Events

There are so many fun reader events in February! Today I’ve included Bookfunnel promos, a live author interview, and a Galentine’s Facebook party. These are great events to help you find new books and authors. There are tons of books for every type of romance reader that are guaranteed to keep you warm during these long, dark winter days.

1Romance Chicks Galentine’s Day Party

Today is the Romance Chicks Valentine’s Day Party in their Facebook Group! Come join over 100 authors as we celebrate our favorite holiday with free books, swag, and special prizes for our beloved readers. I’m so excited and I hope you’ll join me there!!

2Resolutions of the Heart Bookfunnel Promo

Resolutions of the Heart is a Bookfunnel collection of free, preorder, and on sale contemporary romance novels, including a new anthology I’m in Finding Forever, which comes out summer 2025. This collection includes romance tropes of all types, including weddings, forced proximity, and billionaire romances.

3Out-Of-This-World Stories Bookfunnel Promo

This collection includes sexy sci-fi romances, fantasy, and paranormal romances. It may include boxsets and anthologies.

4February is for Romance Bookfunnel Promo

This bookfunnel includes free and on sale sexy romances, including small-town, sweet romances, historical, billionaires, and other popular contemporary romance sub-genres. It may include boxsets and anthologies.

5The Isn’t it Romantic Book Club Group Monthly Livestream

The Isn’t It Romantic Book Club Group will be live-streaming on February 27th while we interview Sarra Cannon and her newest release The Disappearance of Vanessa Shaw! It’ll be live-streamed on our YouTube channel and we hope you’ll join us there!

6Cupid’s Library of Love Romance Bookfunnel Promo

Cupid’s Library of Love includes free and on sale sexy romances, including billionaires, paranormal, urban fantasy and other popular fantasy romance sub-genres. It may include boxsets and anthologies.

The post February Book Fairs & Reading Events first appeared on Sharon Wray.

Just Add Love Releases Today!

The Christmas anthologies are almost gone (this one will be around until Friday!), but now it’s time for the Valentine’s Day anthologies. And Just Add Love, an Instalove Romance Anthology is a charity collection where all the money we raise will go to Breast Cancer Research. This anthology includes a sweet (with a hint of steam) novella in my Kingsmill Courtships series. This story, His Perfect Valentine, is an instalove, marriage-in-jeopardy love story about Kane and Eve Mosby who question–and must end up believing–in the powerful teenage love that brought them together if they want to save their future. 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?

Just Add LoveAn Instalove Romance Anthology

Dive into a world where love ignites in the blink of an eye with “Just Add Love,” a captivating collection of contemporary romance short stories. Each tale weaves the enchanting theme of instalove, exploring the magic that happens when two hearts collide unexpectedly.

From encounters in bustling city cafes to chance meetings at picturesque parks, these stories celebrate the exhilarating spark of immediate connection. Follow characters as they navigate their emotions, face their fears, and discover the transformative power of love at first sight.

Perfect for readers who believe in the beauty of spontaneous romance, “Just Add Love” invites you to experience heartwarming moments, laughter, and a few delightful surprises along the way.

All proceeds go to Breast Cancer Research.

Authors include:

Michelle Moncrieff

Linda G. Hill

Danielle Sibarium

Sharon Michalove

Gabbi Grey

CM Peters

J.M. Adele

Juliet Martini

Harper Michaels

Angela Kady

Sharon Wray

Emma Lynn Everly

Jeanine Lauren

Charlotte O’Shay

Trinity Wood

Gabbi Black

Available now!

His Perfect Valentine

Can the powerful teenage love that brought them together save their marriage and protect their future?

When 16-year-old Eve Crenshaw and Kane Mosby fell in love instantly, they believed they could transcend any problem, until their marriage crumbled, and they separated. Years later, after reuniting, they believed they finally had a chance at happiness.

Except Kane, now a reformed outlaw biker, can’t forgive himself for the pain he caused. And Eve’s silent longing for a family has caused an emotional distance he can’t breach—until he comes up with the perfect Valentine’s Day surprise.

Available now!

The post Just Add Love Releases Today! first appeared on Sharon Wray.

Even Writers Need Friends

I rarely have guest bloggers any more, but today I’d like to welcome a good friend and fabulous author Keely Thrall. This article originally ran on the Writer Unboxed blog, but since the early bird pricing for The Dazzling All-Star Book Marketing Retreat ends on February 15th, I offered to rerun the article here. Welcome, Keely!

J. Keely Thrall

Keely writes contemporary and paranormal romance and is a proud member of the Stays Up Too Late Society of Book Addicts. (Their motto: “Just one more page, I swear!”) Her next short story, “The One That I Cherish” – in the Finding Forever Limited Edition Wedding Romance Collection – is available for preorder. (I’m in that one as well!) Learn more about her books on her website, and read on to learn about her efforts to grow a local writing community — especially if you live near Dulles,

“In March of 2024, I heard a call to step up to leadership in my local writers group. Like any sane person, I stuck my fingers in my ears and said, “I’m not listening.” I had my priorities straight: write more stories, continue publishing, get better at marketing. Sell a few books. But over the next two months, the whisper resurfaced, exhorting me, “It’s time.”

Time to put my strengths back into service in support of Washington Romance Writers (WRW), the writing community I’ve called “home” for 25 years. That March, members of WRW were gathered at a rare in-person presentation and the then president asked, “What do you want from this community?” Among the replies:

“I want something on worldbuilding.”

“I’d like help with social media marketing.”

“How do I get better at conflict?”

“What should I include in my newsletter?”

All practical requests geared to helping writers at various stages. Yet even as folks voiced their individual asks, one wish was universally expressed:

“Nobody else understands me the way writers do.”

“I miss my people.”

“I want to network with other word nerds.”

“I crave more of the inspiration and support that comes when I’m with my writer pals.”

“I need more writer buddies.”

The common thread: each of us yearned for more time in the company of writers. For deeper connection. Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s not that online communities don’t allow for building strong ties. I’m still logging into a morning Zoom writing session with a group I started back in May 2020. And, the leaders of Washington Romance Writers during the pandemic years kept our community up and running online when it could have poofed into nothingness. But in March 2024, in that room with all of us rocking the particular high that comes from grooving with folks who are wired for story, that whisper reminded me: creating this kind of welcoming space is one of my superpowers.

Flash forward to July 1 when my term as president of Washington Romance Writers begins. We have 42 members (our pre-pandemic numbers hovered between 250-300). We have a July word count challenge starting. But the rest of the program year is a blank slate and I’m holding two priorities:

enhance our chapter’s value proposition for current and prospective membersgrow the membership

How could our team show folks that entrusting us with their time, attention and dollars would net them a worthwhile ROI? Could we develop a mix of online and in-person offerings to maximize member and potential member engagement opportunities? Equally as important, how could we do this without burning ourselves out or eating through the chapter’s funds? We make two immediate low-no cost/high impact changes:

We set up a Zoom room available 24/7 for writing sprints. Members can either drop into one of the weekly scheduled zoom sessions or initiate their own “pop-up” sessions and invite chaptermates to join. We relaunched our newsletter. With 500 subscribers, reactivating this tool helped us spread the word about this beloved community. The next item to tackle: crafting that mix of can’t-miss programs. Between August and early November, we:went to the moviesconvened an in-person annual meetingtest drove a week of Zoom “business sprints”held a 101 session with a rep from Draft2Digital.

We shared knowledge. We shared meals. We connected. We grew. During this timeframe, we blew past my initial, “Wouldn’t it be nice to grow the chapter by 10%?” goal. From a low of 42 members, we were now sitting around 50, a twenty percent increase. Could we hope for more? We invited members to co-create peer-to-peer connections during Meetup November. Among us, we hosted 10 in-person and 21 Zoom writing sessions with over half the chapter participating in at least one event. Folks hosted in their homes. We met up at coffee shops and food courts. We opened our gatherings to non-members. We shared knowledge. We shared meals. We connected. We grew.

By the end of month, we were hovering around the 60 member mark — a near 50% increase from our beginning number. Wow. After our December holiday luncheon — where (are you sensing a theme?) we shared a meal and connected — we saw another uptick in members. As of early January, we’re closing in on 70 members. In 2025, our chapter is doing another online word count challenge in January. We’ll gather in person in February for a session on “The Ins and Outs of Writing Short Fiction” and March will see us online for a 101 session about all things Canva.

But our next really big test of growing our community’s return on investment will come in April, when we host The Dazzling All-Star Book Marketing Retreat, in Dulles, VA. With presenters like Ines Johnson, Grace Burrowes, Lee Savino, Holly Darling, Quinn Brooks, Veronica Yager and so many others, our weekend will offer actionable content and opportunities to network. To learn. To share meals. To connect.

Again, my goal has never been growth for growth’s sake, but a growth derived from enriching and renewing the ties within and among our writing community. In this modern world of hyper-connectivity, it’s a little crazy that we’re suffering from a loneliness epidemic. But we are. And writers, man, we’re so good at staying cozy and alone in our writing nests. It can be all too easy to let a day, a week, a month slip by without refilling from the well of human interaction. We need our peers. We need each other. We need connection.

I take the growth we’ve had so far as proof we’re doing something needed and welcomed. I’m keen to keep proving ourselves. And I hope you’ll join us in April. We can’t wait to connect with you.”

The post Even Writers Need Friends first appeared on Sharon Wray.

Thrifting for Love

Twice a month, I spend two hours in the car driving to my volunteer job. It’s a long drive, but once I get out of my suburban Virginia area, I end up driving through the lovely foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains. I love the quiet and calmness that comes with narrow roads and no traffic. My destination is a tiny Hamlet called Upperville, population 655. The heart of Upperville consists of a general store, gas station, Irish pub, and three churches. One of these churches, Trinity Episcopal, is built like a medieval cathedral. 

Upperville also happens to be in the center of Virginia horse country (think Kentucky Derby-type farms and horses) and has some of the most expensive real estate in the country. In contrast, it also has some of the poorest rural homes in the state. And the people who live there—both rich and poor—have lived there for generations that date all the way back to pre-Revolutionary days. So what do I do twice a month? Well, Trinity Church–the largest church in town–has an outreach program that fills a local food pantry (a pantry that feeds families in three counties) and provides prepaid cards for oil and gas heating, as well as gas cards so people can get to their remote jobs. And one way this outreach program is funded is through the Trinity Thrift & Boutique store.

A few of our treasures…Photos courtesy of Sharon Wray (me!) and Trinity Thrift & Boutique.

This boutique and thrift shop is housed in a Federal-style brick home built sometime between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. It has fluky AC and even flukier heat. And many of the windows have the original glass panes. Yet, despite its humble appearance, this thrift shop makes enough money to keep the food pantry stocked year-round. And when the annual County Stable Tours take place in May, the thrift shop holds a “Boutique Sale” where the the proceeds could feed the entire state for a week. (I may be exaggerating, but not by much.)

There are so many reasons to shop and donate to second-hand clothing stores, the most important being that recycling and reusing keeps things out of landfills. But this thrift shop in particular is famous because of the what they sell and how many people the proceeds feed on an annual basis. Because of its location, the Trinity Thrift & Boutique is the place where some of the richest people in the state (maybe in the country) donate their used clothing, furniture, and other household goods. I’m not talking clothing from The Gap or Talbots (although the shape carries those brands), I’m talking about original Chanel jackets from Paris and Ferragamo shoes from Italy. Name the uber-expensive brand, and this humble thrift shop has sold it. 

The amazing thing is that these things don’t sell for thousands of dollars, so anyone can shop there. Despite the low prices, the shop makes more than enough money for the food pantry and its other social services. And, even more impressive, the shop makes all of their money between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday because that’s the only time it’s open to the public. Twelve hours a week brings in enough money to feed the county’s neediest. That’s a remarkable feat.

The thrift shop is manned by one employee and volunteers (myself included!) who sort through the huge piles of donations, arrange them in the shop, and sell them on the days the store is open. And my daughter and nieces will openly admit that their entire wardrobes comes from the thrift shop. My daughter even bought her prom dress there, as well as all the clothes she took to Chicago when she began her first job after college. 

These days, the shop is filled with high-end and medium-end men’s and women’s clothing and shoes, leather handbags, wool coats, furniture, a curated collection of books (including some first editions), a collection of gently used riding clothes, boots, and accessories, framed art, and lots of lovely jewelry. There’s even a wedding boutique for bridal and evening gowns as well as accessories like vintage evening bags and furs.

It’s hard to describe the vibe in the Trinity & Boutique Shop—it’s a combination of gratitude and happiness. The first few times we went there, we had to stop shouting at each other across the store with things like “Look what I found!” and “It’s a Lily Pulitzer!”. Once we got used to going, and started donating those things we felt were worthy, we slowly became a part of the church family that runs the place. Those who donate gorgeous things are just hoping that the shoppers will find exactly what they need. And those shoppers are thrilled to find things that they’d not purchase otherwise. Then there’s the truth that the money made in those twelve weekly hours go to the most important ministry of all—feeding the hungry.

So if you ever get a chance to pass through Upperville, VA on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., stop at Trinity Thrift & Boutique. (And it’s also fortuitous that this Friday is Valentine’s Day!) The building doesn’t look like much, but inside there’s magic fueled by generosity and love and gratitude. And once you’ve shopped, walk down the street to the Hunter’s Head Pub. Sit by the colonial-era fireplace, drink a pint of beer (or their home-made orange-vanilla iced tea), and talk to the locals. You may even hear stories about how, not that long ago, people rode their horses into town to eat, drink, and worship. And, of course, drop off their donations and give thanks. 

The post Thrifting for Love first appeared on Sharon Wray.

Sarah Munro’s Honey Hand Balm

Last week we were talking about dry feet, and today we’re moving on to the hands. Hands take the brunt of the cold weather, even if you wear gloves. Fingers and nails dry out from the lack of humidity, and they’re worn out from all the shoveling and scraping. So this time of year, I get addicted to hand creams. And this homemade honey hand balm is not only easy to make, it’s both soothing and healing. It’s great for the cuticles, and the essential oils mixed with the beeswax give this balm great staying power. I’ve also used this balm in the summer as an emergency conditioner for the ends of my sun-scorched hair and to calm sunburned skin, although I try really hard not to get sunburned anymore. This balm isn’t sticky, and it has a lovely smell. Also, you can change out the lavender oil for any other scent you prefer.

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 all of these ingredients are known for their soothing and restorative properties.

Ingredients:

½ cup coconut oil¼ cup almond oil1 Tablespoon shea butter1 1/2 Tablespoons honey10–20 drops of lavender essential oilSterilized tins with tight-fitting lids[image error]Directions for Honey Hand BalmIn a glass bowl, stir together the coconut oil, almond oil, and shea butter. Heat in the microwave for two minutes, but use 15-second bursts and stir in between each interval.While the ingredients are melting, sterilize your tins and lids (or a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, if you prefer)Once the oils and butter are melted, stir in the honey and lavender oil. If you’re not happy with the texture, and want it smoother, you can microwave it again and add more beeswax and essential oils. When it’s all combined, pour into the tins or glass jar. Cool before adding the lid.USAGE: Rub into your hands anytime your hands feel dry and cracked.NOTE: You can use any scent of essential oil you prefer, I just like lavender in the winter. 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!

The post Sarah Munro’s Honey Hand Balm first appeared on Sharon Wray.

Family Emergency Plan

A few weeks ago we discussed building a Family Emergency Binder. This was a collection of all the documents you would need to rebuild your life in case of an emergency. And we stored it in a binder so, in case you had to run out of the house with no notice, you could grab the binder as you leave.

But today I want to talk about another important aspect of emergency planning. I wrote about this a few years ago, but the information needs to be updated. So this post is about building a Family Emergency Communications Plan. This is a family meeting where you all work together to build a plan so that, regardless of the emergency, you can communicate with each other if you’re not together when disaster strikes. Part of this plan is to discuss an alternate meeting place if you can’t make it home.

If your neighborhood is burning down, or under police lockdown because of a fugitive hunt (that happened to us a number of years ago), where will you all meet? A friend’s house? The library? A local coffee shop? It’s important to figure this out now, instead of later when cell communication might be iffy.

I know this is a distressing topic. But in light of all the emergencies lately, it’s an important topic to discuss now in a Family Emergency Communications Plan meeting, before an emergency, especially if you and your family are normally separated during the day. Luckily, a lot of this information is well laid out on the Ready.gov site, especially their tab titled Make A Plan. But since government sites can be glitchy, I will lay out the most important details in this post.

Here is a list of the basics to be discussed during your Family’s Emergency Communications Plan meeting:Figure out how each family member will receive information/alerts/phone calls from home and from local authorities. If the family members all have cell phones, that will help. But if you have younger children, talk to them about what to do. If the chances are good that they will be in school or daycare, or with a sports team/after school activity/religious group, talk to the schools and groups and find out what their emergency procedures are and make sure the children know. Will you meet the little ones at school? Have them go home with a neighbor? Can they go to shelter and you find them there? Ask the schools/after school activity centers about their emergency protocol so you can work that into your plan.Think about your pets. If none of you are home, and an emergency strikes and it will take hours to arrive home, what will happen to your pets? Can a neighbor check in? Do you have a dog sitter you can call? There may be no good answer to this, but knowing there is no answer is just as important. Now you know you need to figure this out before an emergency strikes.If you are all separated when an emergency hits, and can’t go home, where will you meet? Set up a meeting place that everyone can get to, even if they have to walk.Now that you know how you’ll receive information, decide which alerts you want to receive. Every jurisdiction has their own way of communicating, and here’s a good resource list to help you get started. There are all kinds of alerts to receive: weather/storm alerts, university alerts (for college-aged kids), local news & law enforcement alerts, national alerts, nearby airport alerts, alerts from nearby military posts/bases/forts, etc. You don’t need all of them, but discussing which alerts each family member should receive is an important part of your family emergency meeting.Now that you know how you’re going to communicate, and where you’re getting your information from, it’s time to talk about your emergency shelter plan. Talk about, and plan for, how to shelter in place. Then discuss the options of evacuating–where you’d go, how to get there, and what to bring with you besides your Family Emergency Binder. This discussion may take time as you all work through the pros and cons of staying and leaving and what each type of emergency would require. (we discussed the types of emergencies you’re most likely to deal with in Prep & Plan: Week 1.) Later in this series, we’ll talk in more detail about how to plan to shelter in place and how to prepare to evacuate.If you are going to evacuate, work out your evacuation vehicle, your evacuation route, and your relocation site. Make sure you have paper maps of the routes you are considering in case the internet/cell/satellite service goes out. You don’t want to get lost in the woods. Also, you may want to keep an extra red can of gas in the shed just in case you didn’t make it to the gas station before the emergency hit. Read reviews for emergency radios and choose one to purchase. If you can’t buy it now, at least you’ll know the price so you can save up for it. But you may need one if the emergency takes out the internet/cell/satellite services. Make sure is has a flashlight and can charge your cell phones. This is similar to the one I have. (I am not an Amazon affiliate so I don’t make any money off of click throughs. This is just to show you what’s available.)Build a Bug Our Bag, aka BOB. In a few weeks I will have a few posts devoted to this topic, but here is a FEMA list to help you get started. The basic idea is that you always have a bag (one per person/pet in the household) ready to take with you, along with your Family Emergency Binder, if you have to leave quickly. A lot goes into building these bags, and this meeting isn’t meant to discuss what’s in the bag. (that’s another meeting!). But just be aware that if you think you will ever have to evacuate, you can save yourself a lot of trouble by having BOBs for every family member/pet ready.If you work away from home, and for some reason you can’t drive home or use public transportation, how will you get home? Can you walk? If so, do you have walking shoes in your car or at work? Do you have a backpack to carry your belongings while you walk? Do you have the right kind of outerwear? Ask yourself, if you had to walk all the way home, how you would walk and what would you need to do it successfully regardless of the weather/season. If you have any medications you or family members need, how are you going to manage that? Do you have enough meds in the house in case you have to shelter in place and can’t leave for weeks? Do the meds need to be refrigerated? If so, can you travel with them? Or how will you keep them cold if you lose power? These are big questions so make sure you think of ALL your medical needs. Now is the time. Because in an emergency, it will be too late.Consider all disabilities your family members/friends may have. If you have to walk out of a situation, or walk home from work/school, will everyone be able to do that? If you care for people with mobility issues, your only choice may be to shelter in place (unless, of course, you’re forced to leave). While this is a difficult topic, it’s better to discuss all of your options now. There won’t be time to think clearly in an emergency.A few last questions to consider: Are there any language issues? Will someone in your family/group need a translator? Are there any dietary needs? Do you have any pregnant women or babies or very small children to take care of? Are there any religious/cultural concerns? Will you also be responsible for your elderly neighbor or close friends?A few final notes:

I know all of this planning can be overwhelming and even scary. And, to be honest, it’s a huge amount of work. But please don’t let that put you off. Yes, there’s a lot to think about and to do but try to imagine yourself at the other end. If everything in your world falls apart, would you rather be prepared to save your family and be prepped to rebuild your life? Or would you rather be stuck in a FEMA camp, waiting for the Red Cross to help you? It’s a stark question, I know. But we all think that bad things will never happen to us, until they do, and then we’re stuck.

One of the other, most important reasons to do this work, is for others. If you are prepared with a long-term food supply, you won’t need to run to Costco when the next pandemic hits. Your family will be safe at home and that means there will be more necessary items available for others to purchase. If you end up on a closed highway in the middle of a snow storm, but have enough food, water, and blankets, you may be able to help out the family with young children who are stuck in the car next to you. Because if you’re prepared, you’re in a better position to help others. And that’s what a prepared and prepped mindset is all about.

The post Family Emergency Plan first appeared on Sharon Wray.

A Winter’s Night Reading List

As much as I want Spring to be here, it’s still winter and the nights are still long and dark. And when I’m fussing about the weather and lack of sunlight, I usually retreat into some of my favorite books. So today I want to share a few of my favorite winter-themed novels. This is not a complete list, but it’s a nice combination of romance, women’s fiction, and YA, with some romantasy, suspense and mystery thrown in. I hope these books keep you warm for the next few weeks, especially now that the annoying ground hog has seen his shadow.

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All book blurbs courtesy of Amazon (I am not an affiliate so there are no affiliate links in this post).

Women’s FictionOne Day in December by Josie Silver

AMAZON BLURB: Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn’t exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there’s a moment of pure magic . . . and then her bus drives away.

Certain they’re fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn’t find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they “reunite” at a Christmas party, when her best friend, Sarah, giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It’s Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah, and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming, and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.

Holiday RomanceThe Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

AMAZON BLURB: Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze. 

Holiday RomcomThe Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

AMAZON BLURB: When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell—both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie’s identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family’s bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won’t get the memo that they’re over. 

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven’t done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins’ identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

Women’s FictionAlways in December by Emily Stone

AMAZON BLURB: Every December, Josie posts a letter from her home in London to the parents she lost on Christmas night many years ago. Each year, she writes the same three words: Missing you, always. But this year, her annual trip to the postbox is knocked off course by a bicycle collision with a handsome stranger–a stranger who will change the course of Josie’s life.
 
Josie always thought she was the only one who avoided the Christmas season, but this year, Max has his own reasons for doing the same—and coincidence leads them to spending the holiday together. Aglow with new love, Josie thinks this might be the start of something special. Only for Max to disappear without saying goodbye. 
 
Over the course of the next year, Max and Josie will find that fate continues to bring them together in places they’d never expect. New York City. Edinburgh. The quiet English countryside. And it turns out, Max had every reason to leave and every reason to stay. But what does fate hold for Josie and Max as Christmas approaches again?

Holiday romcomThe Holly Dates by Brittainy Cherry

AMAZON BLURB: Quirky Holly Jackson was unlucky in love, yet her romantic heart refused to give up her search for companionship—even after her fiancé left her at the altar on Christmas Eve.

Grumpy restaurant owner Kai Kane wanted nothing to do with love. Unfortunately for him, when an eccentric Holly kept entering his restaurant nightly with a different first date, his annoyance grew. When Kai volunteered to help Holly find a suitor it was for one reason only: to get her out of his restaurant and on to a second date with someone at a different location.

It was all going great until Kai became increasingly jealous of the connection Holly developed with another man. The more Holly fell for Kai’s pick for her, the more overprotective he became. Kai quickly realized that all wasn’t fair when it came to love and the holidays. He was going to have to step up his game if he wanted a shot at the ultimate prize—being Holly’s favorite date.

winter romcomIcebreaker by Hannah Grace

AMAZON BLURB: Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team.

Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins. Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him. 

But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot. Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried…because she could never like a hockey player, right?

Winter ThrillerThe Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

AMAZON BLURB: West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter.
 
Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara’s farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that has weighty consequences when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished. In her search for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea’s diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother’s bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked into the historical mystery, she discovers that she’s not the only person looking for someone that they’ve lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.

Winter YA RomantasyThe Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

AMAZON BLURB: Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.

Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village. 

But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

Winter Magical RealismThe Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

AMAZON BLURB: Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart — he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season’s first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone — but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. 

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

Holiday Romantic MysteryThe Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

AMAZON BLURB: The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room two days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt: She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery. He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.

She hates his guts. He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.) But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself. That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust? As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor. Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

The post A Winter’s Night Reading List first appeared on Sharon Wray.