Sally Britton's Blog, page 3

My Comfort Item: Headphones

Do you have a comfort item as an adult?

I love my headphones. They're one of my comfort items for MANY reasons. First of all, they're super comfy. And cute. Rose gold accessories? Yes, please!

I slip them on when I'm working and need to focus - they mute the world, OR I can play ASMR videos on YouTube. My favorites are thunderstorms and crackling fireplaces. Sometimes, I listen to music.

These headphones let me enjoy audiobooks while I rest.

These headphones let me stay in a private bubble, even in public places like airplanes and airports. Wearing these is a signal - this person is not open to talking to strangers right now. For me, it helps so much. I'm so grateful for them. They give me a bit of quiet in a chaotic world.

What about you? Do you have something that you love, as an adult, that gives you peace? (Yes, I know I'll have many of you who immediately cite books or scriptures, I'm thinking outside those boxes today!) Get Your Own Headphones Here.

My Favorite Office Supplies, Part 1

If you have to wear glasses... ...keep them some place pretty!
I wear glasses when I write and read. Given my parents' eyesight, I knew my 20/20 vision wouldn't last forever. 
I love this case. It's super pretty. Makes me smile every time I use it. 
Get Your Sweet Case My Favorite Lapdesk When I'm not at my actual desk - like when I'm lazy and writing in bed or sitting in my comfy chair - I put my laptop on this little beauty. The surface comes in handy for Instagram shots, too. ;-) And yeah. I even use the little slot meant for phones and pens. It's a great quality lap desk and not expensive. I love the classic design of the fabric, too. Grap a Lap Desk! Typing Gloves. Whether the A/C is too cold or you're in the bitterness of winter, these are amazing for keeping you warm without compromising the use of your digits. I own four pair and use them ALL the time. They're the perfect gift for the writers in your life. Or for you. I mean, it's hard to turn the pages of a book if you're wearing mittens.  Get the Gloves! More to come.... You know how some people have weird/fun things in their office? Knick-knacks, organization hacks, that one reference book you wish you'd seen before... I have a ton of that kind of stuff. Things that bring me joy, things that are super functional, stuff that suits my personal aesthetic. I thought I'd share some of my favorite odds and ends in a series of posts about office supplies. 

And some of you are just like me. I know it. Where the very idea of walking into a stationary shop or office supply store makes you giddy. :-D So prepare yourself.  Stickers!!! I love these stickers. They make me happy - I put them everywhere and I send them to everyone! They're uplifting, bright, and encouraging. And available at Amazon. :-D  Grab Some! Yeah. More stickers. These are more about the text and less about the colorfulness - and LOTS of these are romantic. Perfect to stick on a package or love letter. I love these, too. I'm always happy when there are stickers. More Stickers!

How Children's Libraries Came to Be

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise
​by Jan Pinborough
Miss Moore Thought Otherwise is a book about a woman who made it her life mission to bring books to children through public libraries.

Have you ever enjoyed the children's section at a library? Or gone to story time? As an adult, I still walk into the children's section and have a sense of comfort and welcome. Like I'm returning to visit old friends. I love when my children find new favorite books, and stack their piles high, and get their very own library cards for the first time. It's a rite of passage in our family. I first found out about Paddington, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Corduroy at library story times. And I love that there are children's librarians ready to help my little ones find their next favorite read.

We owe most of these experiences to Anne Carroll Moore. If you don't know who she is, look her up! The @nypl posted about her on their website, and they're featuring one of her amazing mentees (Augusta Braxton Baker) on their instagram account today!

These women believed children needed access to books. Children from all backgrounds. All ethnicities. All walks of life. They believed in taking down the "SILENCE" signs in the library. They believed in children's furniture and children's spaces. They believed in finding the best, most interesting books that children would really love. They believed in fiction and non-fiction in little hands. They believed in children taking their books home. They believed in story time.

Librarians are so important. I wanted to be one when I grew up. I still kind-of do. They change the world, one book into the hands of one child at a time.

One of My Favorite Books...

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster The book is nothing like the movie. Just so you know. I was fortunate enough to read the book first, so when I watched the movie I wasn't TOO creeped out by the fact that the hero was played by a man old enough to be the girl's father. In the BOOK, he's quite young and handsome, and she misinterprets his age due to other factors. But it's a lovely book.

If you've never heard of this one or read it, I highly recommend getting a copy. It's a sweet story, a fairly quick read, about a young woman with a dream to make something of herself. She's intelligent, kind, and quick-witted. But she's an orphan. Enter a gentleman on the board of directors for her orphanage - she's aged out, but they keep her on because she has no place to go. He reads an essay she wrote and catches a glimpse of her, though she sees no more than his long shadow in the fading afternoon light. Lucky for them both, he has money. He decides to sponsor her education and send her to college. Anonymously.

The only stipulation? She must write to him. He wants to be sure she's deserving. He wants to be sure she's safe and doing well. But he will never write back. Ever. Not even once.

So she writes her letters into the void, addressing them to Daddy-Long-Legs. And he falls deeply in love with her.

It's a GREAT story. Five out of five stars for this one.

Behind-the-Scenes with Sally

There were a lot of different requests when I asked readers what they wanted from me, but most of them came down to one BIG suggestion: MORE Behind the Scenes features. Readers want character casting, you want to know what I'm reading, what I'm working on, and you LOVE photos of my dog. 

I obviously can't include everything all at once, but I can sure give everyone updates!
First of all, I AM putting up my personal favorite reads all the time on my Instagram account. If that's no fun for you though, know that I'll try to include more via the blog, too. 

Second, IZZIE. She's had a great week. She spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the countryside running around on a multi-acre lot. She chased horses down the fence line, met a new dog, and tried to babysit some chicks. Honestly, that was the cutest. She kept sticking her head in their little box and looking at us with this big puppy grin. We introduced to the chicks to her carefully and used all our "gentle" training words so she'd be kind. Worked like a charm. She adored them. (Pic below of her hanging with her horse buddies.) 

Third, ME. Okay. What's new with me? I'm in the middle of working on my next Regency romance...  A Companion for the Count.  And while the story is coming along well, I'm still nervous about getting all my chicks, er, ducks in a row with this one. Over one thousand people have pre-ordered this second book in my Clairvoir Castle series. That's a wee bit of pressure. But I'm sure it'll be great. Right? Right!

Fourth, ARTISTS. Did you know that I'm always on the lookout for artists taking commissions? Especially if the artists have shown interest in historical fiction or historical drawing techniques. Maybe you've seen the drawings on Instagram or received a postcard from me. I absolutely LOVE working with artists to visualize scenes from my books. Incidentally, if you or someone you know might be interested, drop me a line. I'll be sharing more artwork in a blog post very soon. If you want to see a couple of the works I've commissioned, click here for two scenes from Engaging Sir Isaac. Sneaky fact: If you order a paperback of this book, these two illustrations are actually in the book!
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That's about it for sharing today. But there will be more. 

Thank you for being here! Feel free to respond to this post with questions and comments. I LOVE THEM.  Izzie the Australian Shepherd and her two new horsey friends.

Celebrating a New Release

Silver Dollar Duke is Out at Last! This book has been in the making for almost five years. I knew I wanted to write a Western. I researched, toured ranches and old buildings, visited Tombstone, Bisbee, Sonoita, and Tucson historical sites. I loved every second of it - and then grew so intimidated by the project that I had to put it aside for a time. I focused instead on Regency releases.

At last, Silver Dollar Duke is available to the world! You can get the paperback with an incredible original cover (thanks to Shaela Kay of BlueWaterBooks.com) or grab the book, OR borrow it in Kindle Unlimited. The point is - you can now read about Evan and Dannie, and how an English lord falls in love with an Arizona cowgirl. 

​In celebration of this week's release, I've been doing giveaways. And I have one especially for this blog.... Today's giveaway includes Line by Line, a Victorian romance by Jennifer Delamere, my book Mr. Gardiner and the Governess, and a bookish paper fan! These items will be sent out in a lovely book sleeve obtained from the fabulous BookBeau company. 

Enter to Win: In the comment section, share your favorite thing about reading romance novels. What is it that brings you back again and again? Why do you pick up another "kissing book" after finishing the last? The answer can be as simple or detailed as you wish!

Rules: One entry per person. International entries permitted. Winner chosen at random on Monday. Winner contacted privately, though it will be announced on this page, too. If winner doesn't respond in 24 hours, new winner will be chosen. Must be 18 years or older to participate.  Don't forget to grab your copy of Silver Dollar Duke today! Get Silver Dollar Duke Now!

Silver Dollar Duke - My First Western

That's the title page for my book, just above this text. Isn't it fun and lovely and evocative of the American West? I'm so thankful for a wonderful friend who helped me find just the right design for this new series. Because my first Western, Silver Dollar Duke, is the first in a SERIES. At the moment, I have three glorious Western romances planned. I'm hoping the writing and releasing of the others won't be as nerve-wracking as this first release.  It's been a bit crazy of a trip to get this done.... This is the book art on the "opposite page," as we call it. You know when you have a new chapter start on the right of a book, but the page to the left is blank? Several publishers have started filling that blank with images related to the story. I'm so glad we found this one. It's perfect. (Oh, but hey, don't use it without permission. I bought it fair and square from the artist!) Oh, and I can't forget to share Izzie. She was a big part of this writing thing. She kept me company every late night I was in my office. Every time I wanted to bang my head against my keyboard. She was there, being sweet and fluffy, and inspiring the ranch dogs in my book - Fable and Gus. 

I hope you enjoy my first western. It's truly wonderful to have it out in the world. And I can finally relax... Until the next book deadline.  Get Your Copy of Silver Dollar Duke today! Get Silver Dollar Duke Here

A Heroine Named Sally

My Review of Esther Hatch's New BookOne of my favorite ever books is A Proper Scandal, by Esther Hatch. It's a Victorian romance with as many swoon-worthy moments as laugh-out-loud scenes. She always astounds me with her ability to write humor and romance paired so beautifully together. And then she takes me by surprise, every book, when she delivers a gut-wrenching scene that makes me cry and wonder who on earth she'll get the characters together again.

Her new Victorian Romance delivers the same witty banter and humorous scenes as those that came before, and I am absolutely thrilled that I snagged an advance copy to read. Because, y'know, I'm Esther's friend now and I get perks!!! 

One of the most unlooked for perks of being friends with other authors - though I have teased many of them about this - is that sometimes they do something truly amazing. Like name a heroine Sally.

I have always loved my name. But as a Sally born in the eighties, I never met anyone my age with my name. Instead, I often heard people say, "Oh, my great-aunt is named that!" 

Then I got into reading romances. Historical Westerns. Regency novels. Victorian. And you know who had the name SALLY?! Maiden aunts and maids. 

In Esther's beautiful romance, Sally Duncan is the heroine. (I may have teared up more than once due to that fact alone.) But I would love this book even if her name was anything else. This story has heart, laughter, a dark moment, swoony scenes, and a hero you dearly want to root for. 

Manor For Sale, Baron Included,  is about a woman who wants a house and not the man who sold it to her, while he wants the home back, and is thrilled at the idea of getting it by wooing the woman who bought it. Of course, along the way, they fall in love.
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This is a five star read. I was up until 3 AM trying to get to the end to see how Esther made it all work out. I won't spoil it for you - but I slept quite well after I finished reading.

​Make sure you grab your copy and prepare for a late-night read, too! Link below.

My 12 January Reads: Lots of Fantasy

Twelve books read. No wonder I didn't get more writing done... This January, I was on vacation for a few days. That's when most of this reading happened. And it was SO nice to just focus on enjoying some escapist fiction - also known as fiction NOT in the genre in which I write. Don't get me wrong. I love a good Regency romance. I just need a break every once in a while. I don't have time to tell you ALL about what I read. But I can list them in order and tell you which ones were my favorites. 

Top Four: The Bestest Books EVERYONE Must Read: Only Ever Friends by Shaela Kay (Contemporary Romance, Friends-to-True-Love, and a NEW FAVORITE - so good) Queen's Crown by K.M. Shea (Third book in this Urban-Fantasy series - but SO GOOD. Read the OTHER TWO first.) Persuading the Captain by Rachel John (Modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, and well done!)Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater (A Regency Fantasy - quite a delightful escape in a still-familiar setting.)
In no particular order, the other books I read (with brief notes) are as follows: Wraith, The Scarred Mage of Roseward #3 by Sylvia Mercedes (conclusion to trilogy, and pretty good overall - a twist on Beauty and the Beast I've never seen before)Of Goblins and Gold by Emma Hamm (Great for those who love the Labyrinth and the confusion/topsy-turvy worlds of Alice in Wonderland)The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (I wanted to like this one more, after LOVING her previous series, but I'm not there yet)A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova (A pretty good arranged marriage story, got a touch steamy, but left me with lots of questions)The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Okay, I sort-of get the hype. I need to read the next one to decide if it's a favorite, though)Fierce Heart by Tara Grayce (A clean arranged-marriage book, but I've got a lot of questions) Sinister Magic by Lindsay Buroker (Steamy urban fantasy, billed as romance but is it really? I read the first four books of the series and called it done, even though there are more. Dragon shifters involved.)Thorn of Rose by Emily Deady (A pretty good Beauty and the Beast retelling that tried some new things for the tale as old as time - and I enjoyed it) Did you read anything amazing in January 2021?

Audiobook Available at Last!

It's finally available! Mr. Gardiner and the Governess, narrated by the amazing Jessica Elisa Boyd, is available on Amazon and Audible. Make sure you grab your copy! Get the Book on Audible