Allie Bock's Blog, page 10

Book Review: Dating Nellie!

 

 

Book Blurb:

Rich women don’t date their mechanics . . .

 

Coop keeps telling himself this after the spitfire in the red business suit storms into his auto repair shop and his life. His mantra might work if she didn’t keep coming back. Not that he minds.

 

Nellie can’t stop thinking about Coop, so she pretends her Jeep is making noises just to see him again. And it turns out the third time is the charm. After a few dates, she knows he is the man she wants. There are only two things standing between her and a happily ever after. A few billion dollars and an old man with a heart of stone.

 

After a heart-wrenching betrayal, Nellie chases after Coop . . .  which isn’t easy to do in an evening gown.

 

Now that he knows her secret, will he still want her?

 

Remi Carrington

 

Book Review: I absolutely adored this story. Nellie is a high-powered corporate executive that is follows every one of her grandfather’s wishes, except to date some one he deems appropriate. Her car breaks down, and she coasts into a nearby mechanic’s shop. The only one there is Logan Cooper, the owner. After a series of mishaps, the sparks fly and they hit it off. The only catch is that her grandfather doesn’t approve.

 

This book is the perfect escape for a few hours during the weekend. I finished it in 4 hours or a little less. The setting is in one of my favorite places in Texas, San Antonio. The author described the city perfectly with the atmosphere and the food. I want to go back so badly. The story was very sweet and gave me that happy satisfied feeling. You know when you finish the book and want to bask in the aftermath.

Short Fiction Friday: A Returned Love

 

Hi reader,

Welcome to my Short Fiction Friday. On the first and third Friday of the month, I am going to post a short fiction. It might be a flash of only 500 words or it could be a short story. I don’t really know. I was just going to write until the story is done.

If you are a writer and want to participate, link to your blog in the comments and I would love to read what you wrote!

 

Hope you enjoy it!

 Hugs,

Allie

A Returned Love

Mark watched the seconds tick by on his wristwatch as he sat his patrol car at the edge of Sunnydale. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. The second hand inched from one line to another until the minute hand clicked on to the black number twelve at the top of the watch. He blew out a breath and reached for the radio.

                “This is Deputy Mark.”

                “Go ahead, Mark.” The radio crackled and wheezed.

                “Heading out.”

                “Ten-four. See you on Monday.” The radio buzzed and then fell silent.

                “Finally, the weekend.” He shifted the police cruiser into drive and turned on the lights. Accelerating the car, he pulled out into traffic and weaved his way around pulled over vehicles. Cracking the steering wheel, the car skidded around the corner, off the highway, and on to Main Street. He lifted his foot off the accelerator and whipped the car into the only remaining spot in front of Sunny’s Flowers and Gifts. Killing the engine, he leapt from the vehicle and sprinted to the door. The humidity from inside the building fogged up the glass panes, making it impossible to see inside. He jerked the door open as a little bell rang out.

                The little stooped man sat on a high stool in front of an ancient cash register. “You’re just in time,” he called out. The factory bell tolled five o’clock and the old man jumped down from his stool. He scurried across the floor, ignoring the woman who had just put her flowers on the counter. His gnarled fingers turned the sign to Closed and he locked the door. Hurrying back to the counter, he winked at Mark.

                “Just in time indeed,” Mark muttered under his breath. He scanned the shop, looking for a large bouquet of flowers. Any flowers would do at this point. He was already late to his great-grandma’s birthday party. He picked up a blue ceramic vase with flying pigs on it and held out the arrangement. “Happy birthday, Oma.” He envisioned himself giving her the flowers. She would think that the flying pigs were funny. This was the right one.

He took a step back and bumped into the woman at the counter. She stumbled forward and her elbow knocked over the potted plant she was purchasing. The green leafy vegetation flew end over end until it landed with a thud, cracking the pot, and sprinkling the area with potting soil.

Mark grabbed the woman’s other elbow with his free hand. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Clumsy me.” He eyes traveled from the messy ponytail to the eyes that had been starring in his dreams for years. “Jenny? When did you get back into town?” He swallowed several times and shook his head. “Is it really you?”

She laughed and patted his arm. “It is. And you just smashed Oma’s present from me.”

Mark’s mouth opened and closed several times. She placed a manicure nail under his chin, effectively closing it.

“What?” Mark stammered. “How? Why? When?”

Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and she laced her fingers between his. “I missed you and came home to you.”

Mark set the flowers on the counter and wrapped his arms around her.

“I missed you too.” Then, he kissed her.

Writing and Life Update! Long time, no see!

 

Dear Reader,

 

It has been a couple of months since my last post, and I apologize for that. I didn’t forget you. My regular life became overwhelming. My writing life moved to the back burner for a while until I could get the rest of it under control. Spring was a busy time to be a veterinarian. My vet business took off faster than I ever could imagine. It was a blessing since I just passed the one-year anniversary of being in business for myself. The days grew long, and I was exhausted. Now that we are heading into summer, it should even back out again.

 

The other big news I have is that Hubby and I found out that we are expecting a baby in November. We are so excited as we have been praying for one for years. We can’t wait. It is a little scary to think about how our lives are going to change!

 

On the writing front, I dug back into the next in the Cowboys of Sunnydale series. This will be Lindsay’s story and I am excited to see how it progresses. Being typical Lindsay, she is marching to the beat of her own drum and not following the plot lines I had laid out for her. The book should be out this fall.

I also started an Etsy shop to sell signed paperbacks of my current stories! Check it out if you are interested at AuthorAllieBock.

 

Below I have a free read by Remi Carrington. I just finished it myself today. It isn’t a long book but very sweet. It is about a high-powered corporate executive who falls for her mechanic. It is set in San Antonio and is very Texas. I absolutely loved it because it gave me an escape for a few hours and had a happy ending. Hope you like it too!

 

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with your family and friends. Until next time!

 

Hugs,

 

Allie

Weekend Sale!

 

View in browser Sale Alert!

Hi Reader!

This is a short email to let you know that my books are on sale on the Smashwords website. They are having a read e-book sale through Saturday night. Falling for my Cowboy is free! My Cowboy Crush and Second Chance with my Bull Ride are 50% off.

Smashwords is an independent ebook retailer. Books are in Mobi and epub formats so you can read them on any device. Just click on the book covers below to check them out!

Happy reading,

Allie

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

View in browser Feb. 15th Newsletter

Hi dear reader,

Happy Valentine's Day a little late! 

Did you celebrate it? Or did you celebrate Galentine's Day? 

Galentine's Day is the day before Valentine's day and celebrating friendships. I had to look it up on Wikipedia as I am a little behind the times. 

Hubby and I didn't do much. We went out to Culver's for lunch, which was delicious. If you aren't in the Midwest, Culver's is a burger and frozen custard joint. It is similar to Steak 'n Shake, Texas Burger, or Whataburger (which I also love). It was really delicious. Plus, we enjoyed going in to sit and eat, especially with the below zero weather. Who wants to sit in the car when it is that cold?

Hubby is not much of a gift giver. He is the kind of guy that likes to give practical gifts for things. One time I got a pair of Muck boots for our anniversary. Anyway last weekend, I was cleaning the house when I heard a ruckus and Tank left my side to race into the bedroom. His brother, Finn, had opened the night stand and pulled out the box of chocolate Hubby bought. Luckily, Finn just ripped into the wrapping and did not eat any chocolate. Hubby was disappointed, because he actually planned ahead of time and the surprise was ruined. It all turned out fine. I got to eat the chocolate and Finn didn't.

Below you'll find some new Valentine's read. I hope you find something you like!

Hugs,

Allie

Feb. Update

 

View in browser Feb. Newsletter

Hi dear,

How are you doing? Are you staying safe, warm, and busy?

It has been beautiful weather for the month of January here in Minnesota. It has been warmish, like in the teens and twenties. But the weather is going to turn cold this weekend with the high of maybe zero degrees. Brrr...That's cold! I can't believe I live somewhere that makes my eyeballs hurt!

I'll be spending my weekend reading and cuddled on the couch with my dogs, Tank and Finn. They usually sit one on each side, so I am nice and toasty warm. How will you be staying warm? Or are you lucky enough to live somewhere that is sunny and seventy-five?

Below you'll find some fun giveaways. Enjoy the books!

Until next time, stay cozy! Lots of hugs,

Allie

Tank is ready for some snuggle time. Isn't he adorable?  Do your pet(s) like to cuddle with you during reading time?

Interview with Delilah

 

Hey Guys,

I have a special guest today. Let's give a warm welcome to Delilah Allen. She was Melanie's best friend in Falling for my Cowboy and then starred in her own story, Second Chance with my Bull Rider.

Me: It is so nice to have you here with me. How are you doing?

Delilah: It's really great to talk to you. Everything is going great. Kade and I are getting the ranch up to shape. The stables and arena are all set for the kids to come for therapy. We just got in a lift to lift some of the heavier riders on to Billy's saddle. We are remodeling the house. It was a little dated and we are doing it in a farmhouse style. Melanie is helping with the colors, furniture, and pictures. It'll be great when it is done.

Me: How are the wedding plans going? 

Delilah: We haven't settled on a date or place yet. Melanie is going to make my dress and Tabitha is going to be the flower girl. We have to plan it for when my parents get back from their mission trip. It'll probably be this fall. Katie and Levi are moving home and they should have their wedding first. 

Me: Really? They are moving home?

Delilah: Yup. Kade offered Levi a job as ranch manager of our place. Kade wants to start raising bucking bulls and cows. Neither one of us has time to do that. Levi was pretty excited to get the offer. Katie is going to continue her photography.

Me: So I think we are caught up with everything that is going on. Let's get into the interview. How old are you and when is your birthday? What's your sign and do you care about it?

Delilah: I'll be 30 on April 4th. I'm an Aries, but I don't keep track of it and don't really care about my sign.

Me: What is your most prized possession?

Delilah: I have this volleyball from high school when my team went to the state finals. It was a great time and I just can't get rid of the ball. Silly, I know.

Me: Do you have any hobbies? What are they? What kind of music do you like?

Delilah: I run and workout. When I worked in the emergency room, volunteering at Happy Hearts Therapeutic Riding Stable was my hobby. Now running the stable is my life and I am loving every minute of working with the children and horses. I listen to old stuff. My favorites are the Beatles, Monkeys, and the Beach Boys.

Me: Do you have any pets?

Delilah: Besides the horses, I have a betta fish and Zip, Kade's blue heeler.

Me: What would you do on a half a day off for fun?

Delilah: I usually go for a run and to the gym. Then, I would go get a massage and have dinner with my bestie, Melanie.

Me: What's your favorite food and drink?

Delilah: I love a good plate of spaghetti and a glass of wine. Dr. Pepper is my favorite pop.

Me: What’s your education? What's your job? What's your dream job?

Delilah: I have my RN and was working as an emergency room nurse. I thought it was my dream job, until I got burnt out. Now, running the therapeutic riding stable has become my dream job.

Me: What's your family like? Is family important to you?

Delilah: My family is great. I am close to my mom and dad. They both live in Sunnydale. My mom works in San Antonio as a receptionist and my dad works at S.D. Manufacturing with Pete and Todd. They have been happily married 40 years. I am pretty close with Damien, my big brother. He is a retired marine and has his own security business. Kade's family is just wonderful, and I've known them for a long time. It was easy to step back into the Kisment family.

Me: What are your goals for the future?

Delilah: I want to have the stable up and running full time. I'd love to get more horses and start working with veterans along with the children. Maybe, I can actually hire a couple of stable hands to help with the every day stuff. Kade and I want to have a large family so we need to get married sooner than later. I can't wait to marry him. 

Me: That's all I have for questions today. Thanks for taking time today.

Delilah: No problem. It was fun.

Below you'll find some fun giveaways for the month of January. Enjoy the books!

Until next time, lots of hugs,

Allie

What motivates you?

 Hi y'all,

How are things in your neck of the woods? 

I had planned on writing this awesome blog post for you, but I found I had nothing to say. It seems my motivation for writing anything has been waxing and waning. 

So the question is what do you do to motivate yourself? Do you have any special tips or tricks? 

My writing goal for 2021 was to write 500 words a day. Now that doesn't seem that much, but when I'm staring at a blank screen for several minutes it seems daunting. 

So I figured I needed something to keep me accountable. I made a spot in my schedule everyday to write down a word count. I made a little excel sheet to make it into a graph. I give myself a little star everytime I reach the 500 words. Finally, in one of my writing groups there is an accountability thread. It's amazing how motivating that is. Every week, we post our goals and how we did the week before. It is having a great group of people cheerleading for you everyweek. 

What do you do when you get that dreaded writer's block?

This one is hard for me. I have been getting stuck in my story. It usually means that something is wrong, either the plot is weak, the characters are wrong, or motivation is lacking. In my current story, I have 10,000 words of the people walking around town. How BORING! I have found that I need to talk it out and that definitely shows the holes in my story.

The other thing I do is go on Reedsy and look at their writing prompt generator. I pick one and just write for 15 minutes. It helps to get the creative juices flowing.

Until next time,

Allie

Happy New Year!

Happy New Years!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Hubby and I spent the holidays in our home. We made a lot of food, watched movies, and hung out. It was a relaxing and quiet holiday. I only had a couple of emergencies to go on, but everything ended up O.K.

I wanted to thank you for riding along with me on my first year of being an author. It has been a crazy year. I published 2 full length novels and 1 novella. I couldn't imagine in a million years that I have published 3 stories! I appreciate all the comments and support.

What device/app do you read e-books on?

I have an old Kindle Fire that I read my books on. It is one of the first Fires that Amazon made and it just keeps on trucking. When it dies, I would love to try the new Nook. It looks really cool.

What is coming this year?

I am currently working on Lindsay and Kurt's story. It's a enemies to lovers story. So far, I am loving writing Lindsay's quirkiness. Then, I will work on Kaleb's story. I don't want to give too much away as his love interest hasn't moved to Sunnydale, yet. I hope to get both done this year, but we'll see how life goes. I do have a Christmas story started. It's about Ma and Pa Kisment's relationship. It is about halfway done and so far I think it is cute.

Did you make any New Year's resolutions?

Besides the usual eat better and exercise more, I am going to try to write every day, at least 500 words. So far, it has been going good as I started my resolutions in December. I also started a bullet journal to keep track of my writing and other life stuff. I reward myself with little stickers for each accomplishment. It's amazing how motivating those little stickers are. Do you have any tricks to keep yourself on track?

Well, that is all for today. Happy New Year's and take care.

Hugs,
Allie

It's finally here!

 

View in browser Allie Bock's Mid-December Newsletter

Hi lovely readers,

I am so excited to FINALLY be able to tell you that Delilah and Kade's story is live. Yah!!! Happy Dance!!

For a limited time, it will be $0.99 (actually until Friday at midnight). If you enjoy it, please feel free to leave a review! Buy Here!

Until next time!

Hugs,

Allie

Book Blurb:

What do you do when the past is your future?

Eleven years ago Delilah Allen was in love, but he left her heartbroken and alone. To survive the pain, she threw her passion into becoming one of the top nurses in San Antonio.

The Happy Hearts Therapeutic Riding Center needs a new owner or it will have to close. Now, burnt out from her job and looking for a change, Delilah steps up to help the children and the horses. It is her dream come true until everything falls apart. Suddenly, she finds herself with a herd of horses, no job, and no money.

Kade Kisment has been on the road for the past eleven years trying to run from the mistakes he made in Sunnydale, TX. He has scratched out a living on the bull-riding circuit and is now one of the top riders.

Just a few months before the Bull Riding Championships, he is laid up with severe injuries and only his brother, Kaleb, has a place for him to stay. But Kade's injuries and the family ranch are too much for Kaleb to handle by himself.

Kaleb runs into Delilah at the grocery store. He offers her a job as an in-home nurse, taking care of her ex-boyfriend, Kade. Can she control her heart long enough to earn enough money to save the riding center and her new future? Or will the past be too much to overcome?

Hang onto your hats for this sweet and clean cowboy romance from Sunnydale, TX. This is a standalone novel. Buy Now!!!