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Monday was Veteran’s Day…and my birthday.
To celebrate, my son, Jon-Paul, took me to Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park then on a picnic hike to Illilouette Ridge. It was a perfect autumn day and the views were truly unsurpassed. And I saw a side of Half Dome I’ve never seen before.
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We finished the afternoon with a visit to Yosemite Valley, which was splendidly brilliant with autumn color (and no traffic!)
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Here’s a video I took in Yosemite Valley. The golden trees line the Merced River, and Jon-Paul filled me in on the interesting geology (basically, we were standing on debris that the last glacier shaved off the side of Half Dome).
It was a glorious adventure, topped off with a family barbecue. I feel so blessed.
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Newsletter EXCLUSIVE: I HAVE TITLES!
Choosing the right title for your book is no easy task. What key words will connect with a reader? What combination gives the best hint about the story without telling too much? What will Hallmark think? 😉
After some brainstorming with the team at Tule Publishing, here are our picks for my Property Sisters of Montana series:
#1 – MONTANA BLUEPRINT FOR LOVE – March 17, 2020
#2 – MEET ME IN MONTANA – May 19, 2020
#3 – ALL THE STARS IN MONTANA – July 14, 2020
My covers are in the early stages of development. I’ve just turned in my line edits of Book I, am completing the revisions of Book II and am plunging into Book III.
I LOVE these three McCall sisters and can’t wait for you to read their stories.
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LIVE TODAY LIVE TODAY LIVE TODAY LIVE TODAY
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HOLIDAY HEROES – A Christmas Romance Anthology Collection
by Lisa Mondello, Jean Brashear, Barbara McMahon, Debra Salonen,
Annie Jones, Kay Lyons, Dee Davis, and Rogenna Brewer
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As promised, today and each week for the next three weeks I’m including 2 snippets from our 8-book HOLIDAYS HEROES collection, which includes festive holiday-inspired romances from New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Lisa Mondello and Jean Brashear, USA Today bestselling author Barbara McMahon, and award-winning and bestselling authors Rogenna Brewer, Dee Davis, Annie Jones, Kay Lyons, and…me.
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DAKOTA BLUES by Lisa Mondello
Copyright © All Rights Reserved
Hawk McKinnon has been waiting for Regis to marry him ever since she stepped foot into his life. Now that they're expecting a baby, he's determined to finally make her his wife. But Regis has fears Hawk can't understand. As Hawk works to make Regis believe in the power of love and family, will he succeed in making Regis his bride?
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When Regis opened the door and looked up at him, her face was ghostly white.
“Some people think the idea of going to a doctor is nauseating. I hope I didn't do that to you,” he teased in an effort to make her feel a little better. He placed the back of his hand against her cool cheek as she sighed.
Her bottom lip trembled. “In the manner of speaking, you did.”
Regis walked past him down the hall to the kitchen and then sat in one of the kitchen chairs. He followed her but instead of sitting at the table he stood behind her and rubbed both of her shoulders as she leaned over the table, resting her head on her arm which was stretched out on the table. Confusion and concern clouded his thinking.
“You know, if you're sick, you really shouldn't be flying,” he said. “It’s only going to make it worse.”
She looked up at him. “I'm not sick.”
“Reg, I’m a doctor. You’re all clammy and you just threw up. That happens when you’re sick.”
Regis peered up at him, and shook her head. “I'm pregnant.”
Stay in touch with Lisa Mondello: www.facebook.com/LisaMondello.Author
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SECRET SANTA by Kay Lyons
Copyright © All Rights Reserved
Ty McGarretty must face the inevitable. His Cessna is going down in the Alaskan bush and there’s nothing he can do but pray for a miracle. From out of nowhere she appears. Beautiful, daring, a woman he finds himself drawn to after he wakes up in a secret off-the-grid compound. Who are these people? Where did they come from? Why are they here? A former soldier, Ty knows something isn’t right and it’s his duty to gain intel and unearth the many secrets being kept. Learning the truth may mean never making it home, but there is no other way to discern if his rescuer is an “angel”—or a terrorist in disguise.
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“McGarretty, can you hear me? Come on, open your eyes. Open your eyes!”
Ty hated the annoying voice pulling him from a warm, deep sleep.
“Ty McGarretty, open your eyes.”
He heard a groan, vaguely recognizing it as his own. Waking up a bit more, he realized he wasn’t as warm as he thought. Where was that draft coming from?
“Oh, thank God. That’s it,” the woman continued. “No, don’t close your eyes!”
Ty turned his head away from the voice deafening his right ear, a wave of nausea washing over him. Ah, man. What had old man Arnold fed him before take off, a plate of food poisoning?
“Listen to me. Are you listening? I can’t get you out of here on my own and we can’t wait for help or we’ll freeze to death. Wake up before we both turn into icicles.”
The woman’s desperate tone, her fear, cracked through the heavy weight holding him submersed.
Ty jerked his head up, groaning again because of the pain skittering through his brain as a result. Where was he? “What happened?” His eyes burned and were coated with something sticky.
“Here. Let me.”
The woman wiped a cloth over his face.
“Ow,” he said with a flinch, blinded by the piercing pain jabbing into his brain because of the bright light pointed in his direction.
“Sorry. I’ll move it.”
It took some time for the pain to fade and his gaze to adjust but the sharp smell of fuel cleared more of the cobwebs from his brain.
Fuel. He rolled his head on the seat and stared at the face hovering in front of his. “We have to get out of here.”
“That’s right. But you have to help me.”
Help her. Was she hurt?
He narrowed his gaze on the woman speaking to him and the shadow she cast became clearer. Mouth. Nose. Wide eyes. Beautiful, beautiful face. A dark stain on the white scarf hanging from her neck. “You’re hurt.”
“What? No. No, I’m fine. I used it to wipe the blood off your face. I’m okay. You’re the one who’s hurt.”
“Good.” He didn’t like it when others were hurt, especially women.
“Keep those eyes open, McGarretty.”
The cold seeped into his skin and made him shiver. “You sound like...my CO.”
“Ahhh, military, huh?”
“Yeah—or, I was.” Why was everything so confusing?
He shifted in the seat and grimaced. His muscles were cramping, locking up from the cold. What were they doing out here?
“You can tell me all about it as soon as we get you out of here.”
Ty nodded his understanding, bits and pieces coming back to him in chaotic flashes. Flying. The snowstorm. Radioing for help.
He’d crashed?
“Can you breathe okay? Anything broken?”
“No. I don’t think so.” He lifted his hand to his aching head.
She gently turned his face toward hers.
“Oh, that cut is still bleeding like crazy. Here, maybe this will help.”
She took off her scarf and wrapped it around his head several times, fitting his knit cap over it to hold it in place once she was done.
“That will have to do for now. The wind’s blowing so hard I’m afraid we might flip. Can you move your legs? Knees and toes and everything in between? Ribs okay?”
Her questions flew at him faster than he could process them with his scrambled brain but he got the gist. He shifted again, moving one foot into the small area where she stood hunched over him. So far so good.
But then he tried to move his left foot and couldn’t.
“What’s wrong?”
Something held him trapped. Ahhh, poor Nessie. “Help me up.”
His rescuer unbuckled the straps holding him in place and retreated in the cramped confines so that she could wrap her arms around him from behind. Ty tried to exit the seat but his left foot was pinned. A few gentle yanks didn’t budge it but every pull sent pain streaking up his leg.
“Stop,” she ordered. “Are you hurting yourself?”
His throbbing brain bounced off the inside of his skull and his arms shook with the effort it took to hold himself upright on one foot while trying to free the other in the unstable plane. “Get out of here. I’m coming.”
Her hands tightened against his stomach. “I’m not leaving you. Let me help.”
Stay in touch with Kay Lyons: www.facebook.com/KayLyonsAuthor
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Purchase HOLIDAY HEROES now!
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books
DON’T FORGET: This collection will only be available until January 15th.
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Last week’s Q&A was: Should we keep Day Light Savings Time all year long – Y or N? (Asking for a friend/character.) 😉
Many thanks for all the interesting answers. This time, the YES votes just barely edged out the NOs. Passion ran high, but one thing we all agreed upon is the back-and-forth HAS TO END.
My two randomly selected winners this week are:
Jerri Christman – NO
and
Karen-Lee Wenger – NO
(Jerri and Karen-Lee congrats. Please email me your pick of either a $5 Starbucks or a $5 Amazon gift card.)
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Q&A
This week’s Q&A: It’s the middle of November—and Christmas is closer than I think. I’m a complete slacker. So far, I’ve only bought 3 advent calendars. Gah!!! Where do you stand with your holiday shopping list?
- Haven’t started.
- Started but more to buy (or make).
- All done (or almost all done).
(Two winners will be chosen by random drawing to receive either a $5 Starbucks gift card or a $5 Amazon gift card. Please reply the usual ways: email or on my DebraSalonenAuthor Facebook page.)
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Thanks for being part of my journey. I love being able to share my travels, my books, and my family with you all. I truly appreciate your kindness and support—and all the lovely birthday wishes,
Deb
Next week: Two more awesome snippets from: Rogenna Brewer and Dee Davis, plus the last car show of the year.
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