Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 39

Author Interview: Regina Rudd Merrick

Do I have a treat for you today! I'm going to introduce you to a sweet lady I got to meet last summer when I attended the writing retreat. She's got a great sense of humor, a huge love of literature, and is about to release her third book! I just read her first one a few weeks ago and it was really good. Without further ado, here's Regina Rudd Merrick!

Regina, I loved getting to know you last June at the Ken Ten Writers' Retreat. How has being a member of that group impacted your writing career?

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Amy! I was so happy to meet you and get to know you better at last year’s retreat! The retreat has been an outpouring of the work the KenTen Writers Group accomplishes on a monthly basis. It’s been such a blessing to me both in my writing and in my personal life. Impact? It has had a major impact. When I was just starting the writing thing, I met author Kaye Dacus, who kept telling me, “You need to meet Kathy Cretsinger.” When I finally met her and was invited to meet with the fledgling writing group with Susan Page Davis and Sandra Robbins, I found my writing home. I actually stopped writing for a while, and missed the group so much that when the itch to begin writing again came along, my first instinct was to rejoin KenTen. It was a life-saver for my writing, and through it, I met my publisher and my editor!

I know you were a librarian. Do you think that helped your writing? I know librarians read a lot of books. What other author do you think your writing style is most similar to?

I’ve been both a school librarian (media specialist!) and a public librarian, and both impacted my writing. As a school librarian, I learned the importance of encouraging people to read for enjoyment as well as knowledge. As a public librarian, I learned more about Christian writers and their books. It helped my writing tremendously. I found that no longer were there only “bonnet” books in the Christian Fiction section, but a wide variety of romances, mysteries, and historical novels. This only increased my desire to write in this genre! As for who to compare myself to, the two authors that I found first, that really inspired me, were Janice Thompson and Kaye Dacus. Their contemporary romances have wonderful humor in them, and I can say I have read some of both of their books more than once!

You write stories set in South Carolina, but you're from Kentucky. How does that work? Is it a good excuse to go on vacation? ;-)

I wish!! I first went to South Carolina in 2003, when my extended family went on vacation to celebrate my parents’ fortieth anniversary. I fell in love with the area, and we went back again a few years later, after I had the idea for the first book in the Southern Breeze series, Carolina Dream. I’ve been told that reading my books makes people want to visit!

Sort of playing off the question above, if you had your 'druthers, where would you most like to live?

I would move to Litchfield Beach, SC in a heartbeat! :)

Tell us a little about this series. You have two books out (one of which I'm reading), and the third releases next month. Will this wrap up the series? Are the book stand-alones?

The Southern Breeze series is a continuing story, but each book has a satisfying ending. They could be read out of order, but I think you’d enjoy them even more in order. There is the Kentucky/South Carolina connection, although in my February release, Charly and Rance are both South Carolinians!

In book 1, Carolina Dream, I explore trusting God. Sarah Crawford wants more from life than to attend the wedding of her ex-fiancée. An unexpected inheritance in South Carolina comes at the perfect time, just as Sarah is willing to use any excuse to get out of town.
When she meets potential business partner Jared Benton and discovers that a house is part of the inheritance, she is sure that God has been preparing her for this time through a recurring dream. But will a dream about an antebellum mansion, many rooms to be explored, and a man with dark brown eyes give her the confidence to take a leap of faith, leaving friends, family, and her job behind?

Book 2, Carolina Mercy, features Sarah’s best friend Lucy and Jared’s best friend Tom. Both characters have a difficult time accepting the truth of God’s mercy and provision. Her best friend’s wedding is foremost on Lucy Dixon’s radar. Her biggest concern is once again meeting Tom Livingston, who has ignored her since an idyllic date on the boardwalk of Myrtle Beach the previous summer. At least, it is her biggest concern until tragedy strikes. Where is her loving, merciful God, now?
When Tom Livingston meets Lucy, the attraction is instant. Soon after, his mother is diagnosed with an untreatable illness, and his personal life is pushed aside. His work with the sheriff’s department, his family–they are more important. He knows about the love of God, but circumstances make him feel as if God’s mercy is for everyone else, not him. Can a wedding and a hurricane–blessing and tragedy–bring them together?

For book 3, a little time has lapsed – five years, in fact, and the key players are Charlotte Anne (Charly) Livingston, Tom’s sister, and a new character, Rance Butler! In this story, I explore God’s amazing grace in the face of bitterness and anger.
First-year Special Education teacher Charly Livingston demonstrates God’s love on the outside, but is resentful that God allowed back-to-back tragedies in her family. Rance Butler is a top-notch medical intern. He’s on his way to the top, and when he meets Charly, he knows things will only get better. When he discovers family secrets and a dying father he never knew, his easy, carefree life seems to disintegrate.
Even in the idyllic ocean breezes and South Carolina sunshine, contentment turns to bitterness and confusion except for God’s amazing grace.
I can’t wait for you to read Charly’s and Rance’s story!!

Now that your girls are grown, and you're retired from working at the library, do you find it easier or harder to write, and why?

Would you believe a little bit of both? It’s hard to be at home with housework staring at you. For some reason, the older I get, the more I appreciate a clean house! LOL! I can structure my time, but when things get out of kilter – like over the holidays! – it takes that much longer to get back in the groove!

One last thing, because I love asking everyone this. Please leave us with a little-known fact about you. Thanks!

People who know me personally know this, but most people don’t – I come from musicians on both sides of my family!
On my Dad’s side, my grandmother was a singer and church pianist, my Dad was in quartets and played the banjo, his first cousin’s son (on HIS dad’s side) is Steven Curtis Chapman, and other cousins were in the quartet, The Jordonaires, who sang with Elvis Presley.
On my Mom’s side, her grandfather was an organist and song leader in his church, and his daughter, my great-aunt, played the piano for him! My mother refuses to be musical, but she knows when we get it wrong! LOL

Wow! That's amazing! Thanks for sharing.

Amy, this has been fun! Thanks so much for inviting me to be on your blog, and I hope you and your readers have an amazing 2019!

​Thanks so much for joining us, Regina.
​To my readers, if you'd like to know more about Regina or her books, keep reading below. Carolina Grace

She knows about God’s grace for her life, but pushes it away. He hasn’t experienced it, but finds grace in a way he never expected.
First-year Special Education teacher Charly Livingston demonstrates God’s love on the outside, but is resentful that God allowed back-to-back tragedies to happen to her family.
Rance Beaumont is a top-notch medical intern. He’s on his way to the top, and when he meets Charly, he knows things can only get better. When he discovers family secrets and a dying father he never knew, his easy life seems to disintegrate.
Even in the idyllic ocean breezes and South Carolina sunshine, contentment can quickly turn to bitterness and confusion except for God’s amazing grace.

​Click here if you're interested in Regina's books.
Regina Rudd Merrick began reading romance and thinking of book ideas as early as her teenage years when she attempted a happily-ever-after sequel to “Gone With the Wind.” That love of fiction parlayed into a career as a librarian, and finally to writing full-time. She began attending local writing workshops and continued to hone her craft by writing several short and novel-length fan-fiction pieces published online, where she met other authors with a similar love for story, a Christian worldview, and happily-ever-after. Married for 30+ years and active in their church in Marion, KY, Regina and her husband have two grown daughters who share her love of music, writing, and the arts. She is the author of three books: Carolina Dream (Apr. 2017), Carolina Mercy (July 2018), and coming in Feb. 2019, Carolina Grace in the Southern Breeze Series.

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Autumn Macarthur

If you know me at all, you know I love to read. It not only keeps me sane, but it also helps me be a better writer, myself, at least in my opinion. I stumbled across Autumn Macarthur a couple of years ago when she was giving away one of her stories for free. Free is my favorite price, so I snatched it up. I've since snatched up almost all of her other stories, too. I loved her writing that much. She has a way of telling a story that gets you involved heart and mind, from the very beginning. So, when I reached out to her to see if she'd be interested in doing an interview, and she said yes, I was thrilled. I just finished reading her latest release, Together for Christmas, which is a re-release of four of her stories as a boxed set for Christmas. Read all the way to the end to find out how you can be entered to win your own copy of these sweet stories.

Without further ado, let's chat with Autumn.


Autumn, you're an Australian living in England, but a lot of your characters are American. How does that work? Is it harder or easier to write about people not from your home country?

Great question! After living away from my home country for twenty-two years now (eep, how can it be so long?!) it’s easier not to write Australian characters! I’ve lost touch with how Aussies talk now. My trips back haven’t been long enough or frequent enough to get to know the current language. So I kinda feel I only how Aussies used to talk. Not good for writing contemporary romance!
Though I would love to write stories set in the country I love, I’ve decided to move a part-drafted romance series set in Australia to the US, instead. The stories will need some significant changes, but the small-town coastal setting should transfer okay. I have a bunch of ideas for historical novels set in Australia, and God willing, I’ll get to write those someday.
Of course, I don’t always get my American characters right. I’m constantly discovering US/UK English differences I wasn’t aware of. But reading loads of American books with American grammar and spelling in a lifetime as a voracious reader, working for an American company for several years, plus having an American editor and a critique partner who has lived in America for twenty years do help!

I don't even want to try to write a character from somewhere else for fear I'll mess up the colloquialisms, so I'm impressed at how well you pull it off.
Speaking of things more typical to places other than here, when I was in college, I ran around with several friends who got me hooked on drinking hot tea. I know I probably don't drink it properly, but I usually have at least one cup a day ... or more. This is probably a silly question, but I'm curious. How do you take your tea? Do you have a favorite?

LOL, hot tea is downright un-American, isn’t it? A very English thing. Ask for tea in many parts of Europe and they’ll ask if you’re ill, as on the Continent, “tea” equals herbal tea, taken as medicine! I confess to not ever drinking regular tea. No coffee either. I react badly to caffeine, so it’s safer to give it a miss. I’ll occasionally drink green tea with lemon or a herbal tea. My husband is a huge tea drinker, though he’s recently switched to drinking a spiced chai. I love the smell, but haven’t been tempted to try it!

Chai is one of my favorites, but I understand avoiding caffeine, too.
It's always fun to find out how other authors got started writing. What led you to put fingers to keyboard?

I’m one of those people who started reading aged three, and started writing stories as soon as I could hold a pencil and form letters. I just loved books and stories so much! One of my biggest ambitions was to be a published author.
I started so many stories over the years. But though it’s embarrassing to admit it, I didn’t finish anything longer than a few thousand words until I was 48! I have a sad and shameful trail of abandoned first chapters behind me. Then as 50 approached, an inner switch seemed to flick over, I gave myself permission to write lousy first draft, and started finishing full stories at last.
I’ve learned a lot about writing and written a bunch of books since then, but some things never change. I still write lousy first draft! I just learned to love the revision process instead of judging what I’d written so harshly. There’s something so satisfying and exciting as with the help of my crit partner and editor the “real” story begins to emerge from the mess!

I've read quite a few of your stories, and loved every single one. Can you give us a hint of what you're working on now?

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed my stories. Finally, finally, FINALLY, after keeping the poor guy waiting for years, I’m about to start Brodie’s story, book 4 in The Macleans, my Scottish series. He’s a difficult and challenging characters to write, disabled, angry, and prickly. He’s definitely met his match in the girl I have lined up for him, a feisty single mom. And God has some big lessons in store for them both!

Yay! I've loved that series, so I'm excited to read another.
You've released several books that belong to a series written with other authors. Do you prefer to create your own world when writing, or is it easier to have the other authors helping by adding in their own characters?

I’ve loved the experiences of working in shared worlds, both someone else’s world, like the now defunct Kindle Worlds project; or a world I’ve at least part created, like A Tuscan Legacy, a storyworld Marion Ueckermann and I created. Working on shared projects with other authors is great fun, and it’s amazing seeing how each author adds something unique and new to the setting and the characters.
But oy vey, the time needed in joint brainstorming, planning, discussion, making sure settings and characters stay consistent between books! Allow two or three times longer than it would take to write a book on one’s own. It’s soooooo much easier and quicker to just create my own world and my own characters.
Despite that, Marion, Alexa Verde and I have teamed up and brainstormed several new three-author projects we’re super excited about. Lack of ideas is never a problem. Time to write unfortunately is!

One last question, just for fun. Can you tell us something very few people know about you?

I’ve tandem skydived not once but twice. The first time I was scared silly, literally frozen with terror. It was a horrible experience. So much so, I had to do it again next time a skydiving team came to town, to prove to myself I could overcome the fear. The second time was great, I loved every bit of it. But I hope and pray I never, ever do it again!

Wow! I'm not sure I could even talk myself into getting on the plane. Whew. Thanks for chatting with us today, Autumn! We've enjoyed getting to know you better.

Autumn has agreed to giveaway an ecopy of her book, Together for Christmas, to a lucky winner. To be entered, just leave a comment below. Thanks!

Keep reading to find out more about Autumn, ways to keep in touch with her, and more about her stories. And if you don't win the giveaway on here, on December 8-12, check this link to snatch up her Christmas book, Believe in Me, for free. ​I'm a USA Today bestselling author of clean Christian inspirational romances with a strong touch of faith. If you love happy-ever-afters, sweet romance, and Hallmark movies, chances are you’ll enjoy my stories!
Originally from Sydney, Australia, I now live in a small town not far from London, England, with my very English husband (aka The Cat Magnet), and way too many rescue cats for our tiny house! We’ve now also recently added two guinea pigs to our family. For such small creatures, they have amazingly huge personalities.
When I’m not feeding cats, I garden as much as I can, hand sew, read, and most of all
write my heartwarming stories of love and faith. With every story, God teaches me
the exact same lessons my hero and heroine need to learn to commit to their forever
love.
My website is http://faithhomeandheartwarming.com, and I’m on Facebook as Autumn Macarthur. You’re very welcome to join my friendly Facebook reader group,
Three Authors and a Blogger!
Sign up for my no-more-than-weekly email newsletter here for all my book news! Or if you’d like to be updated about my new releases but get fewer emails, you can choose to follow me on Amazon or BookBub.

Four sweet and clean Christian romances to warm your heart this holiday season! Snuggle up with these faith-filled stories of hope and love, celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. Visit London for a series of Christmas dates, experience New Year's Eve in Edinburgh, fall in love all over again in lake-side Idaho, and discover home and healing in small-town Oregon, all within the pages of these complete and standalone romances. If you love Hallmark movies, Love Inspired Books, and happy-ever-afters, chances are the Together for Christmas collection will encourage, uplift, and inspire you!

Book 1: Believe in Me (Love in Store series)
When Nick Gallagher, the Hollywood actor playing the store's celebrity Santa challenges accountant Cara to a series of dates as a Christmas dare, can the Christmas-hating accountant overcome her painful past and rediscover love, joy and faith? A heartwarming reminder of the importance of believing in God's promises. Novel-length. 
Previously in Home for Christmas, now also in London Loves.

Book 2: A Model Bride (The Macleans series)
Christmas in London, New Year's Eve in Edinburgh, where next? Nothing in her Europe trip goes as Tiffany Gallagher planned, but when she meets wounded Scottish photo-journalist Mac while volunteering at a homeless shelter, she discovers God's purpose for her life is far more than she imagined! Novel length. 
Previously in Winter for Love, now also in London Loves.
Book 3: Calm & Bright (Huckleberry Lake series)
Will Brad and Maddie let God use a Christmas together for the sake of their son to help them rediscover the love that led to their whirlwind romance, and overcome the issues that caused their divorce? Even Maddie's matchmaking grandmother and their adorable four year old might not be enough to help them reunite! Longer novella length. 
Previously in Candy Cane Kisses, and Frosting & Flurries; now also in Come to the Lake.

Book 4: His Healing Touch (Sweetapple Falls)
Are some wounds too deep for love to heal? When grieving nurse Lainie Sullivan encounters Adam, a wounded warrior and her ex-patient, in a small Oregon town at Christmas, only trusting in God's goodness can heal both their wounds and free them to love. Short novel length - a revised and significantly extended version of the story previously published as Love's Healing Touch in the First Street Church Kindle Worlds. The new edition is available for the first time in this set. 
A revised and extended version of a Kindle Worlds story, Love's Healing Touch.

Nanowrimo Recap

Technically, it is the last day of the month, so I could add more words, but I'm pleased with how things worked out this year. I started with a personal goal of 65,000 words, 15,000 over the normal 50,000 goal. I hit 50,000 before Thanksgiving. And I finished up the story yesterday at 65,261.
I started with a rough outline, several scenes in my head, and a few characters I knew about. I added more characters and scenes. And I only surprised myself about three or four times. In the next to last chapter, one of my characters made a decision I was NOT expecting, but as soon as the words popped in my head, I knew they were right. My husband likes to tease me, saying, "Didn't you create these characters? Don't you know what they're going to do?" Yes, I created them. But that doesn't mean I can control them!
​Anyway, I feel pretty satisfied with the way the story turned out. Hopefully, after quite a bit of editing, you'll get to read it yourself in a few years. :-)

Author Interview: Karen Witemeyer

Y'all, I am so star-struck today. Karen Witemeyer has been one of my favorite author for years now. Her books are Historical Romances set in the 1800s in Texas, full of vivacious, feisty heroines and heart-warming stories. I just finished reading her latest, which has me completely caught up and waiting for another. Her books are the kind that I know as soon as I get it in my hands I won't get much else done over the next couple of days. They're too hard to put down once I pick them up.
When I first started interviewing authors on here, Karen had come to mind as someone I'd love to host. Unfortunately, I let myself be intimidated by the fact that she was one of my most-loved authors as well as being award-winning. I was just a recently-published nobody.
I'm so thankful to God's graciousness that He has allowed me to meet so many authors over the last year and realize that even the ones who have won multiple awards are just people. We all struggle with writer's block every now and then. All have to juggle life outside of our writing-time. All want to support each other. So, I am pleased to announce that when I reached out to Karen, she very kindly agreed to do an interview with me. I'm excited to help you get to know her a bit better, too. Read on!

Karen, I know you're not originally from Texas, but all of your stories are set there. What is it that draws you to that state? Have you ever considered writing about the area you grew up in?

Texas is home now and has been for nearly 30 years, so even though I wasn't raised here, it is certainly close to my heart. I've always loved westerns, and Texas just seems like the perfect setting for cowboy heroes. I must admit that I love mountains, though, so areas like Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming also have great appeal. However, my brand is Texas, and I love it. I love exploring different areas of my state, whether in person or in my virtual time machine. Texas is so large and has such a variety of settings and topography, that the possibilities for story worlds are numerous. My last two projects involved deep research into areas that aren't too far from where I live, and I loved learning more about the rich history of the area and visiting sites where my characters would have walked.

I haven't really considered doing a story set in my home state of California, but who knows what the future holds?

I know most of your books are set in the 1800s. Writing historical fiction takes a lot of research. What's one of the neatest things you've discovered as you researched for your stories?

You are right about the research. It is a big component of my writing. My favorite recent discovery came when I was researching Texas Harvey Houses for a novella collection I was working on featuring Harvey Girls. I uncovered a Harvey House in Gainesville, TX in their historic Santa Fe depot that was still standing. I knew I had to visit.

As it happens, Gainesville is within easy driving distance from my hometown of Abilene--a little over 3 hours. So when I first decided to set my story there, I posted about it in my Facebook group, The Posse. As it turns out, one of my members lives right outside of Gainesville, and she offered to arrange a research day for me. The depot museum wasn't open on Saturdays, the only day I can travel with my day job, but Bonnie made it happen! She worked with the museum to arrange a private showing for me. Not only that, but one of the museum volunteers, Sherryl, went out of her way to provide me with all kinds of old newspaper clippings, original photographs, and all sorts of historic memorabilia for me to dig through to give me a feel for what the town was like at the turn of the century. I walked through the depot, saw the indentations in the floor where the Harvey lunchroom's horseshoe counter had stood, and I even got to step inside the upstairs rooms where the Harvey girls boarded. Not only that, but while I was in one of the rooms, a train came by. I got goose bumps. It was as if I had actually stepped back in time. You can see some of my photos here.

That is so neat! I can't wait to learn more about the Harvey girls when your book comes out.

Okay, let's talk about your latest release, The Christmas Heirloom. It's a collection of stories with three other authors. I know you've done several of these collections, and have more in the plans. Do you prefer to write with others? What's the hardest part?

Working with other authors, especially when they are already friends of mine, is a pure joy. Kristi, Sarah, Becky and I have known each other for several years and are great friends. We brainstormed the connections between all our characters (since there are about 3 generations between each story) as well as what the actual heirloom would be. When Becky's character needed a way to research the genealogy of her family and the brooch, we came up with the embroidered bag with all the initials and wedding dates on the back. Those kind of touches really add a wonderful continuity to the stories even though the actual writing of the stories was a completely individual process. They all took place in different time periods and settings, yet the heirloom thread wove them all together. The actual writing is solitary, but having partners to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of is a blessing.

I definitely enjoy reading them, and I know I've had times I needed someone to brainstorm with, so I can understand that.

I did quite a bit of canning from my little garden this summer, and it made me have a greater appreciation for people who used to rely on preserving food that way. Thinking along those lines, if you could go back and live in the times you set your books in, what do you imagine your life would be like? Would you live on a ranch? Work as a telegrapher? Maybe be a seamstress or tutor?

​Fun question! I imagine I would be a teacher. I would get to work with books and children, two of my favorite things. And maybe I would make just enough salary to take my clothes to a laundress because I have NO desire to do laundry 19th century style. Ha! 

Can you give us a sneak peek into something you're working on now that we can look forward to reading in the future?

​My next project is More Than Words Can Say. It's a stand-alone sequel to More Than Meets The Eye. Big brother Zach is getting his own story. Here's the blurb:

After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free to live life on his own terms. No family entanglements. No opportunities to disappoint those he cares about. Just the quiet bachelor existence he's always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away once again when the baker of his favorite breakfast treat is railroaded by the city council. As hard as he tries to avoid getting involved, he can't turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples.
Abigail Kemp needs a man's name on her bakery's deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. Not the stoic lumberman who oozes confidence without saying a word whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can't even control her pulse when around him.
When vows are spoken, Abigail's troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. As trust grows between Zach and Abby, she finds she wants more than his rescue. She wants his heart. 

You can read an excerpt here.

Ooh. That sounds so good. I know I loved the first one, so I'll be excited to see what happens to Zach.

I always end my interviews by asking the author to share with us a fun fact not many people know about her.

A fun fact you might not know about me is that I live next door to my in-laws . . . and love it!

​Awe! I love my in-laws, too. I always love hearing that others do, as well. Thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with us. Sneak peek at the cover for More than Words Can Say ​For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Winner of the ACFW Carol Award, National Reader's Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and a finalist for both the RITA® and Christy Awards, Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. Learn more at www.karenwitemeyer.com or join her private Facebook group-The Posse. ​In Kristi Ann Hunter's "Legacy of Love," Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson, a man far above her station.

In Karen Witemeyer's "Gift of the Heart," widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love.

In Sarah Loudin Thomas's "A Shot at Love," Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her family's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance.

In Becky Wade's "Because of You," Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

Book Nesting

You've heard of nesting, right? That time near the end of a pregnancy when a mama gets this unexplained urge to clean anything and everything so that her "nest" is completely ready to bring her chick home to. I somehow never had that urge hit me with either of my pregnancies. I wanted the home to be ready, but I wasn't willing to get on my hands and knees and scrub baseboards like some I have heard of.
I'm not pregnant, but I am sort of getting some nesting urges as November draws closer. With Nanowrimo starting in only a few days, I know my life is going to take some major changes later this week. My mind will be half in the real world and half in the world of the book I'll be writing ... or birthing, if you will. That makes it hard for me to focus on things that need to be done. But am I focusing on normal things, like making sure we have clean sheets or getting ahead on meal prep or anything? No. I'm wanting to dig out all the mostly empty bottles of lotion from under the bathroom sink and combine them into one that will actually squirt when I push the pump. Or work some more on getting stains out of clothes that are piling up around my dryer because the regular stuff isn't working. Or starting to make Christmas lists even though it's not for another month after I'll finish Nano. Or thinking about a dress I want to sew my daughter for next Spring. None of this is urgent. We've lived without it for this long, and can live without it for another month. But the urge is there, nonetheless.
Ridiculous? Maybe. Or maybe I'll save a few of those for the days when the muse is silent and I need to procrastinate my word count ...
Nanowrimo starts November 1st. My username is jersgirl, if you'd like to come follow along on my journey to more than 50,000 words in 30 days. If you're participating, too, I'd love to friend you. Do you have anything you're wanting to complete last-minute before you start focusing on words?

The Romance of Spilled Milk

Did my title intrigue you? Let me tell you the story behind it.
Very early in our dating relationship, my sweetheart decided to surprise me with a rose. My roommate had headed to the store to buy some milk because we were all going to make milkshakes that afternoon after classes. He rode with her and was helping carry the milk in when they came back. Unfortunately for him, I stuck my head out the dorm window to give my roommate a heads up about something else that was going on in our suite. In his haste to hide the rose behind his back, the gallon of milk dropped from his hand and hit the parking lot pavement. Milk went everywhere.
Why is that sweet? The sweetness is in the motivation of wanting to surprise me with something he knew I loved. Gift-giving is one of my main love languages, and he was definitely getting bonus points that day. Although my roomie was a bit put out with him. (He did replace the milk.)
In the story I plan to write next month, several people are going to tell my main character, Genevieve, to remember why she fell in love with her husband in the first place. What had caught her eye? What had he done early in their relationship that were so special to her? I don't know if he'll spill milk in my story. It doesn't really fit. But I love to hear other people's memories of things that happened while they were falling in love. So, please, share with us. Got a story as funny and sweet as mine? Did your husband spill more than milk? Or even something with no mishaps that won your heart over the moment he pulled it off? Lay it on me!

Just Keep Falling in Love

Romance.
It's fun to read and it's fun to write. It's even fun to watch on television or movies. Or listen to in songs.
But it's not always easy to put our finger on exactly what makes something romantic. I imagine it's a little different for everyone. For me, it's my husband jumping in when he can see I'm stressed and helping out with making a cake or saving lunch when the slow cooker died the day I had invited friends over. It's giving the kids a bath so that I can sit and read for a few minutes. It's making sure I get time to myself to shower without interruptions. Taking out the trash. Offering to swing by the store on the way home because we're out of milk. Coming up behind me and snuggling for a moment with a kiss to my cheek. It's sharing a smile when the children do something funny or cute. It's listening when I need advice on what to post. It's telling me I look nice.
See? It's not all roses and chocolate ... although I never turn those down, either.
It's the little things. On my grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary, all 13 of their grandchildren sang for them. The girls sang a song that played on the radio when they were dating, "Little Things Mean a Lot." It's been about twenty years, but every now and then a line from that song still goes through my head because the truth is still there.
So, I want to hear some of the romantic things your sweetie does for you. Anything swoon-worthy? What's something little that means a lot to you?