Janet Lee Barton's Blog, page 3

Celebrating the Seasons with a new ebook

I LOVE this time of year. Thanksgiving coming up in less than two weeks and then Christmas next month. I love decorating for these special Holidays. I love getting together with family and making new memories each year. And I love putting Thanksgiving and Christmas in my stories.

I’m very happy to announce that, The Cookie Jar, a Thanksgiving/Christmas novella, is now  available as an e-book for the first time on Amazon.com. This novella was a finalist in the Novella Category of the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Awards contest for 2008.

The Cookie Jar is a contemporary story about a widower with twins and a young cookie shop owner just trying to get through Thanksgiving and Christmas and hoping to make her shop a success. Neither think they have time for love–but Jonathan’s two five-year-old twins really want a mommy for Christmas. If Santa can’t bring them one, they’ll pray for one. Now, I ask you. How can their daddy and Miss Cindy resist each other when God is on their side?

Landon and Lydia captured my heart the moment they came into my story and I loved the way they went about trying to get a new mommy for Christmas. I hope you’ll like this story as much as I loved writing it!

Until next time, Janet

 

 

 

Is it Fall yet?

 

I love Fall in Oklahoma! But it’s a little late in getting here this year. The trees haven’t turned yet and it’s not quite as cool as usual–but we’re hoping this coming week will bring us the cool fall weather we love. In the mean time, I’ve decorated some in the house, so fall is here–just not outside yet.

These are some shots of indoor Fall and well, outdoor too–the wreath is on the outside. But, the next picture is in the entryway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next  are some photos of the living room. The mantle, table decorations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And my reading chair. I love it!. It’s easy to sling your legs over the side and get lost in a good book!

Not a great picture–too much light– which is one of the things I love about our home. It’s full of natural light! But it’s not the easiest place to take good pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, on to the kitchen. And yes, I have enough room over the top cabinets to put paintings. And a pumpkin or two. Love this kitchen. Lots of light here, too. So that’s fall for now.

Until next time,

Janet

Language of Love: A Novella–now in e-Book for Kindle

This is the second novella I received the rights back to recently, and I’m very happy that It’s up in e-book now. I loved writing this story!  Language of Love takes place in Cajun country, Louisiana at Christmas time in 1916..

 

When Nicolas LeBlanc returns from World War I, longing to hear his beloved Cajun spoken once more, he finds it is in danger of being banned from the schools–and the new teacher is encouraging his siblings to speak English at his dinner table.

Suzette Devereux is trying to make change easier on the families of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. She even tries to persuade Nicolas to help her for the children’s sake, but he thinks she’s helping to make his Cajun language become extinct.

At odds with each other and fighting their attraction to one another, they try to make Christmas something special for his family as they disagree over what language to speak. Will Nicolas and Suzette ever find their very own language of love?

We’ll Never Forget

I first posted this last year. But as this is a day we should never forget, I decided to post it again this year with some small revisions..

Who can forget what happened in  our country on this day twelve years ago today? What started as a beautiful September day turned to heartbreak in a matter of minutes. I was drinking second cup of coffee and watching the news when their coverage suddenly switched to the Twin Towers in New York City. When I saw the first Trade Tower hit by the plane, I wondered how someone could just run into it? Did the pilot have a stroke? How could it have happened? Then the second tower was hit.  As the day went on, with the attack on the Pentagon and the plane going down in that field near Shankstown, Pennsylvania– to keep it from doing the harm our enemies intended–we all knew our country was under attack.

In the days following, we all watched, cried and prayed as this country came together. We watched as the people in New York City reached out to one another and became an inspiration to us all. New Yorker’s became more than what we’d sometimes been led to believe by what we’d seen through the media–people hurrying from one place to another down busy streets, never making eye contact with one another,  appearing not to care about each other. What a lie. They became what they’d always been–people who care deeply, with families who lost loved ones, who lost friends, who’d had their city attacked in a horrible way. They became people we deeply cared about, wanted to help and prayed for.

I don’t think I can fully explain how much I began to care about the people of New York City during that time and wanted to know more about the city.  Wanted to know about its history in this country. And as a writer, I began to want to set stories there–historical ones–to show that people in this huge city have always been like people in small towns and large all across this county. They care deeply about one another, their families and friends, their city and this country.

It took a long while for the ideas to form and longer still to figure out the connection that would bring all kinds of people together, showing their care for others and their city,  but God is so good and in His time, He showed me the way. I feel so blessed that I am now writing a historical romance series about people in New York City in the late 1800′s. Many people at that time reached out to others, too. I pray that these stories will somehow serve as inspiration to others just as the people of  New York City have been to me ever since that day eleven years ago.

On this day, our thoughts and prayers remain with those who have suffered so much because of that day eleven years ago–the families who lost loved ones and friends, the first responders and our military families, and those who witnessed the horror of that day from nearby buildings and the streets of New York City.  May God bless them and this country we love.

Janet

 

New Release

So excited that A PLACE of REFUGE is out this week! I so loved writing this story! A PLACE of REFUGE is a sequel to SOMEWHERE to CALL HOME, my first book for Love Inspired Historical. And I’m happy to say, I’m contracted to write two more for the continuing series called Boardinghouse Betrothals (you’ll see the series name on this book) set in 1890s New York City.  The third is almost finished and will be out some time next year.  Can you guess who will be the heroine or hero in it?

A Hero from Her Past:

 

If Kathleen O’Bryan were capable of trusting any man, it might be someone like  Luke Patterson. She never expected to be reunited with the man that rescued her last summer, but when she arrives at Heaton House, seeking refuge, it’s the handsome writer who greets her at the door.

Something about the lovely Irish immigrant stirs Luke’s protective instincts. Life in New York’s harsh tenements hasn’t dimmed Kathleen’s tender spirit. Day by day, Luke feels the walls around his heart crumble. But it will take faith on Kathleen’s side, too, and the heart’s power to recognized a real home at last.

Historical New Mexico Series now in ebook

While most of my back list from Heartsong Presents are now in e-book form, the series I thought would go up most quickly, my Historical New Mexico Series has taken the longest to get up. I am excited that the first novel has finally made it up on Amazon and hopefully will be up on iTunes, Sony and Barnes & Noble and others very soon.  But as of now, all three books included in my historical New Mexico series, and the novella that started it all, are in e-book form. I loved writing this series of romances about four women who are there for each other as they find the mates the Lord sends their way  in my hometown of Roswell, New Mexico in the late 1800′s. So very happy they are all available in ebooks now.

The novella that started the series: 

 

 

Harvest of Love: In her wildest dreams, Liddy Evans never thought she’d be widowed and pregnant–and the object of a corrupt banker’s attention. She needs help with her alfalfa harvest–and in keeping her home. Widower Calvin McAllister needs someone to teach his young daughters how to keep a house, cook a meal and become ladies. When Liddy and Cal agree to trade services to help each other out they never give a thought to how hard it will become to part each evening.

 

 

 

And the books in the order they should be read:

 

 

A Promise Made: When Emma Hanson’s young friend, a single mother, dies and leaves baby Mandy to Emma’s care, the town of Roswell takes sides. Most of the men say Emma can’t manage – after all, she has a restaurant to run – but the towns women have rallied to her cause, helping out as best they can. However, when the underhanded councilman Douglas Harper plots to take Mandy away, Emma has to take matters into her own hands. Despite her attraction toward the town’s deputy, Matthew Johnson, Emma has placed an ad in the papers for a mail-order husband. Can Emma trust God to bring her the right man?

 

 

 

 

 

Place called Home: Jeb will never settle down. At least that’s what Beth’s husband-to-be always said about his cowboy brother, Jeb. Since Harland’s death, Beth has worked to create a home for Harland’s two young children, Cassie and Lucas. Now, it seems that Jeb is coming to claim the only family he has left – and Beth’s heart is broken at her loss. When Jeb rides into town, though, Beth’s traitorous heart pushes aside all questions of his wanderlust, and she enjoys getting to know this exciting man. Will Jeb live up to his reputation and uproot the children Beth has come to love – as well as her affections? Or can he be persuaded to call Roswell home?

For the rest of this month, the second novel,  A Place Called Home is on sale for 99 cents!  Love this story!

 

 

 

 

Making Amends: John Harper arrives in Roswell to settle his Uncle Douglas’s estate and finds he is not welcome. His name brings fear and loathing to the townspeople. Yet, from his correspondence, his uncle lauded himself as a champion of the New Mexico Territory. Darcie Malone is certain her pain won’t go away. How can you forgive a man who killed your father through stress and worry? Douglas Harper drove her father into his grave, and for that, no restitution is possible – not even with the man’s nephew. Will Darcie allow the love of God to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation?

New novella up on Kindle

I am so excited to announce that I have a new novella up in the Kindle store at Amazon. For years I’ve been asked about Cal and Liddy’s story. The were supporting characters in my historical New Mexico series, consisitng of A PROMISE MADE, A PLACE CALLED HOME and MAKING AMENDS.

Well, Cal and Liddy’s story was actually the beginning of this series. It was a novella, and my very first sale , included in a collection called HARVEST HOME.

But by the time the last book in the series came out, Harvest Home was hard to find and I had to wait until I got the rights back to do anything about Cal and Liddy’s story. And this past weekend I worked to get it ready to come out as an ebook.  I am thrilled that it is now available in the Amazon Kindle store. If you think you’d like it, just click on the cover and it should take you to it.

For readers who never got to read Cal and Liddy’s story, I hope it will make you want to read the series again. And for new readers, I hope you want to read more about these characters who made their home in my home town of Roswell, New Mexico.

I hope you like it as much as I loved writing it!

More news next time, Janet

 

 

The Garden

 

Now I wish I had taken picutres of the before backyard/garden so you would really see the difference. But please trust me when I tell you it was an ugly MUD HOLE.

I tried planting seed twice, only to have it swept down the two drains we have in our yard. Finally we had sod put down and oh, what an instant change!

Love, love, love going barefoot back there now. 

Then when I wanted to plant in the garden area, I found that there were only a few spots I could actually plant anything with so many utility cables going from our yard to the neighbors!

So what to do with the ugly utility boxes and gas meter right in the middle of the garden?

Well, I finally decided to order plant stands and put potted plants on them. It isn’t exactly what I wanted to do, but it looks pretty good, all things considered. And we can see it from our bedroom window. It will make it easier to change plants out for fall and winter and sometimes you just have to make the best of things.  It’s not all blooming right yet–we’re waiting for the Azalea in our yard and the four in our neighbors back yard to boom. We know one is white and one is pink and I can’t wait to see what color ours is. Will try to take pictures of all of them in bloom and get them up in a future post.

 

 

And here is a picture of the patio for the full effect. And that’s about it for now. But be sure to check back tomorrow when I hope to have some writing news to share!

Until then, Janet

Catching up

Our kitchen the day we bought the house.

 

I don’t know where the days are going and I can’t believe it’s been so long since I updated my blog. It’s a wonder anyone follows me at all!  I do have an excuse though–my husband and I recently downsized and bought a small condo that we love. But before we moved in, we had the wallpaper replaced with texture and paint and new carpet put down in the bedrooms.  After we moved in, we updated our kitchen. The picture below was taking on the day of the inspection. There wasn’t and empty space in the house as they were having a big estate sale.  The picture below is after new appliances and counter tops.  We liked it before but we love it now!

Next up was the small back yard/garden. I’ll save that for the next post! But it went from a mud hole I didn’t want pictures of, to something we love. I’ll try to do better about posting–I have lots of news to share. So check back soon–and don’t forget to let me know how you like our new kitchen! Until later, Janet

Kitchen after updating

Newest Release-Remedy for the Heart

I loved writing this story! While this HP takes place in New York City as my LIH boarding house series does, this is set a few years later and has no connection to that series. Many of the settings will be the same, but this story is about a woman and her cousins who were raised in an orphanage and how their lives change with the help of a loving benefactor.

Even though she is thrilled to begin her career as a pharmacist, Esther is well aware that not everyone is willing to accept a woman in a man’s field. But she is no stranger to adversity. As an orphan, she knows it well. She just did not count on falling for Andrew Radcliff, a man whose opinions are entirely opposed to her own.

Andrew, a young doctor struggling to establish his own practice and reputation apart from his father, believes it is God’s will that he help those who cannot afford proper medical care. But he is not so generous when he learns Esther Melrose’s professional goals. Her place is in the home…and in his heart. But marriage seems the furthest thing from Esther’s mind.

They are from two different places in society. Do acceptance and love have a chance? If you like this story be sure to look for it’s sequal, Love Calling, coming out in March.

Until next time,

Janet