 Four Stars
I loved Feels Like Easy by Caroline Hollis because it made me feel so good as I read it! In addition to the primary story line about the main character Laura, and the crossroads she's facing in her life, there are sub-plots and a lot of lovable secondary characters who round out the book. Laura takes a much-deserved vacation in the charming community of Willow Glen, but the trip doesn't turn out the way she expected. Laura's inner struggle is very compelling and the story is quite relatable...how often have we all found ourselves on the precipice of a major life decision? Willow Glen is a charming place and the author did a great job establishing the setting. I could practically see myself kayaking on the river, hiking in the woods, and taking walks with my own dog on the beach. This book was wholesome, small town fiction at its best. Can’t wait for the second book so I can go back to Willow Glen! Connect with Caroline Hollis: Website
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 I'm participating in my first live Facebook event--the Contemporary Romance Romp, Sunday, August 16. Twelve authors of contemporary women's fiction will gather to interact with readers with fun, giveaways and games throughout the day. The festivities begin at 2 p.m. Central, and I will be live from 7-7:30 p.m. Central. To participate, join this Facebook group, and then join the event. Hope to see you there!  You will have to read Summer, released on August 1, 2020, to understand why my husband gave me this drawing of a Small Whorled Pogonia for our wedding anniversary, also August 1! Hint: It is a wild orchid featured in the book and is a plot device that leads to the resolution of one of the sub-plots!
- Buy the Book - Read an Excerpt - Other books in the Finch's Crossing Series❤️  GET YOUR COPY NOW!
Free-spirited Summer Hamilton has fallen back in love with her charming hometown. After ten years of chasing the open road, she lovingly restores a historic building in Finch's Crossing, and opens a yoga studio to much fanfare. Surrounded by the friends and neighbors of her childhood, it feels right to put down roots. But then she meets carefree Trevor Banks, and their instant connection is electrifying. There's only one problem. Trevor's job building adventure parks takes him around the country for weeks at a time. Having just tamed her wanderlust, Summer must decide if she should join Trevor on the road in order to be with the man she loves. What is she willing to give up for her soulmate? Summer is the third book in the Finch's Crossing series, and a breath of fresh air for readers who love feel-good fiction set in cozy small towns. Throw in a mystery Summer must solve before someone gets hurt, and other couples learning to compromise in their relationships, and you have a heartwarming story about what it means to live, love, and let live. Get your copy of Summer today, and meet this enchanting heroine who radiates love, kindness, and wisdom wherever she goes.  Four Stars
Growing Season is what I like to call a "quiet" feel-good story. Some feel-good books are very dramatic, and don't get me wrong, I love that. Sometimes, though, a book comes along with subtleties that make the reader think and feel, more than anticipate. (Again, nothing wrong with anticipation!) I was happy to just be in the story with Melinda Foster, who was laid off from her job in Minneapolis and returned to her home town in rural Iowa to nurse her wounds while helping her family. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Melinda learn how to bring her rented farm and garden back to life, with the help of new friends and neighbors. The rhythm of small town life is enchanting, and the author does a great job of evoking a rural setting. Yes, everyone was very nice in this story, but in these dark times in our nation--a global pandemic and civic unrest--nice goes an awfully long way. There are seven books in this series, and I can wait to read the next one.  A typical day of being a full-time author when I am about to release one book and start another:
7 am: Rise and shine; feed the dog (husband walks the dog!) 8 am to 6:30 pm: Edit the Summer manuscript (again!) before it goes to the editor/proofreader. A few breaks during that time. I have to eat, stretch and take the dog out! 6:30 pm: Social media; listen to music; watch news; dinner 8 pm: Update the Finch’s Crossing Style Guide 8:30 pm: Continue to plot Winter 9 pm: Brainstorm ideas with hubby over a glass of wine. 9:30 p.m: Read 10:00 pm: Lights out! I use a mini-binder planning system, with planning pages that I have customized over the years, based on what I'm doing at the time. Currently my planner includes a monthly overview of daily word counts and other milestones; a weekly overview and daily tasks list, plus a weekly social media action plan. The mini binder and tabs come from Russell+Hazel stationers.  This weekend I started writing letters to residents of senior care homes in North Carolina as part of a pen pal initiative I saw on Facebook. This made me reflect on how much I love to write notes and letters. When my husband and I moved away from his family 7 years ago, I started writing weekly letters to his mother and aunt. Now I probably average 40 letters a year to each of them. It has helped us stay connected across the miles. A letter that comes in the mail enriches a person's life far beyond opening and reading it! My stationery box is one of my most loved and revered possessions. I inherited it from my mother (also a prolific letter writer) when she died in 2012. It's pictured here. Enjoy!
PS I also made a video about this box and all its treasures!  This is an example of how a Kanban board works. Each sticky note is a task, and as tasks are in progress and completed, the sticky note is moved. I can't believe another three months has passed since I updated my Kanban board with my 90-day goals. (Kanban is Japanese for sign board and is used to manage systems and projects--see visual example) I updated it yesterday for June 1-Sept. 1. Highlights: (1) Complete Finch's Crossing Book Three, Summer, and publish on all platforms. (It's currently available for pre-order). You can read an excerpt here. (2) Write 12,000 words on Finch's Crossing Book Four, Winter. (3) Write 12,000 words on my new series (Shh! It's a secret for now) and do cover design research. 4) Run three special promos and giveaways, (5) Continue Facebook ads and audience/demographics research. There...now it's all out in the open and I have no choice but to meet the goals! :) Please heIp me keep it real people! I am forever indebted to the amazing Sarra Cannon of Heart Breathings for sharing how she uses a Kanban board to steer her writing career. |
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