Friday Five...5 things about BELIEVE IN THE WISH

Okay, if you follow me on social media, you're probably sick of hearing me say it, but Believe in the Wish released yesterday and I'm just a bit excited....because I truly love this book. 
So, today's Friday Five IS going to revolve (mostly) around that book, but I'm hoping it will be fun to read regardless of whether you plan to read the book or not.
My TOP FIVE of MY BOOKS:Okay this is wrong, just because I love all my books. They're like my children, but unlike my children I do play favorites. And since Believe in the Wish is on that favorites list, I thought I would share my list with you today.
1. Found at the BookstoreThis book is a romance story, like all my books are, but what makes this story different is that it is also a love story about the love of books. Books are a theme throughout and since I love them, too...it's a book that just makes me happy. Tommy and Mac make me happy too...and the sub-story of Thomas and Rex.
2. Believe in the WishThis book is easily the most emotional book that I've ever written. I'll admit the first time I reread it after leaving it alone for several months, I was amazed at the emotional depth in it. (and note...I have no idea where that came from because it wasn't from me. When I wrote it was NOT an emotional time in my life.) The characters just leapt off the page and spoke through me. I think it's a beautiful story about life and living and how to go on when living is harder than the alternative.
3. Operation: EndeavorColton & Penelope...I still adore them. This was the second book I ever wrote and this entire first series (When the Mission Ends) holds a special place in my heart. Colton is my favorite hero ever and Penelope owns a bookstore and is a writer. Both of them have parts of me in them, but they're so much better. I love them so much. This book WAS my heart when I wrote it.
4. JustinThis book was the first in the Male Models Chronicles series. It's short...only 30,000 words and I wrote it in a week and a half. But I love this story. It's quirky and fun...and meant to be just pure entertainment. The meet-cute is my favorite meet-cute I've ever written. If you haven't read it, you can get it free when you sign up for my newsletter list.
5. Rejecting DestinyThe third book in the Through the Veil series. This book featured Bethany and Aaron, a couple who have been together for twenty years. Theirs is an unusual love story. They may have been a couple that long, but they weren't "together". This is a story about secrets and old hurts and the fact that even after 20 years, passion can be an important facet of the relationship that keeps a couple together. 
(If you want to take a closer look at any of these books, click on the BOOKS tab of my website and it will take you to a page of all the covers, blurbs, and purchase links.)****
Why I love St. Louis...Believe in the Wish takes place in the St. Louis metro area. That's where we lived before my hubby retired from the Air Force and we moved to Texas seven years ago. I'll be honest, if I had to choose a metro area to live in, St. Louis would be my top choice. We loved it there. 

Yes, it's a huge city, but it never feels like it. The entire metro is made up of quaint little suburban towns and a lot of them have a really fantastic history and vibe. Two of my favorites...Kirkwood and St. Charles...were kind of the basis for where I set the book. The actual town of Kirkwood, set in St. Charles' location. (hehe...I'm an author so I can do things like that).
I'm also a HUGE fan of this movie which might affect my love for the city itself... (This is seriously one of my all-time favorite movies especially around Christmastime.)
I talk more about my love for St. Louis in a blog post for the book release tour and you can find it... HERE .****
 I forgot to mention...Speaking of the blog tour, I completely forgotten to mention it yesterday with all the release hoopla. I have a full blog tour scheduled. Each stop has a blog post by me...hopefully, there are some fun and interesting little tidbits in there. If not, there is a prize that you could win...an Amazon gift card, so go check out the blog posts, and you might win.Tour Schedule5/11 ~ Hearts on Fire Reviews5/11 ~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words5/12 ~ MM Good Book Reviews5/13 ~ Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents5/14 ~ Dog-Eared Daydreams5/15 ~ Happily Ever Chapter5/16 ~ Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy5/16 ~ MM Book Escape5/17 ~ Book Reviews Janisf & Leisha5/17 ~ BFD Book Blog5/18 ~ Dirty Books Obsession5/19 ~ Reviews for Book Lovers5/19 ~ Love Bytes Reviews5/20 ~ Bayou Book Junkie****
And speaking of new releases...This week I got to read two great male/male romance books that are releasing next week that you may want to check out.
Summer Stock by Vanessa NorthGoodreads linkMay 15, 2017This is a book that takes place in a tourist town on the Outer Banks of NC during the summer. It's just plain entertaining and fun. The romance is sweet. The characters are deep. And I smiled while reading it several times. I liked it a lot. It would be a great read for this coming summer. Light, but still really fulfilling.

Slow Heat by Leta BlakeGoodreads linkMay 16, 2017This book takes place in an Omegaverse paranormal world where only men survived. Despite the sound of it, these men are not shifters although they have quite a few shifter qualities. It was really creative and intriguing. I loved reading it. And now everyone needs to go buy it and read it so that the author will write a story for one of the side characters in it! (I'm selfish that way...I WANT Xan's story!)
 Note: Both of these books will have full reviews up on my Smitten with Reading blog next week.****
And that brings us to what I'm working on now...This week in my writing world, I've had three projects happening.
1. I'm actively writing and plotting When Love Comes Back, the fifth full-length book in the When the Mission Ends series. This is a second-chance-at-love story and I'm having so much fun exploring the main characters, Alex and Felicia, both their current lives and the past. Right now it's at almost 8,000 words so it still has a long ways to go to the estimated final 80,000 word count. 
2. I also wrote a little on Snowcroft Restoration, book #4 in the Men of Snowcroft series, this week. It's currently sitting at 12,000 words with a goal of 75,000. It had stalled out for a bit and I had to walk away, but I'm back in it again and excited. I also get to go visit the real "Snowcroft" this weekend and that always helps my inspiration. (You did realize that series was built on a real New Mexico town, right? We lived there for 3 years when we first got married and loved it!)
3. And I'm starting to put the final touches on Found at the Bookstore so I can send it to my editor. I'm also chatting cover design with my designer so things are happening there. This will be my next release, so keep watch. I may be able to get it out in June...crossing my fingers that everything falls into place so that happens.****
Thank you so much for all your support this week...and every other week. I seriously have the BEST READERS. Love you all.Have a great weekend everyone!smiles,Christi