Wine Wednesday: Kendall Jackson Chardonnay

I wish I could remember what I paired this wine with, but it's been a little while, and I don't. But it's one of those wines that makes my husband say, "I really like white wine so much more than red wine." 

I love red wine, but I know what he means. This is a very nice wine. It has hints of lemon blossom and honeydew on the nose. It's crisp (I'm guessing stainless steel, rather than oak) with a bright nectarine/cantaloupe flavor. Maybe a little papaya. 

Romance Writers Weekly ~ Goals for 2026 ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "What are you looking forward to in the new year, personal and/or professional? What are your author goals?"

So, let's talk about books. I finished up last year with a few POUR DECISIONS holiday releases. Two stories are free, and you can check out those links below. Currently, I'm working on a new POUR DECISIONS story--a wedding story. Because, that's right, the Martinelli sisters are getting married. You can find a few details--and a couple of new covers here: https://www.pgforte.com/pour-decisions

After that, I hope to wrap up a new edition to the Celtic Legends series--SELKIE for an anthology that releases in 2027. The blurb for that one is here: https://www.pgforte.com/celtic-legends

I'll also be working with Kate Davies and Kelly Jamieson on ANOTHER Pour Decisions Christmas story. And if everything goes according to plan, I might even manage to finish one of the many holiday stories I have in the works. Fingers crossed. 

And...that's about it. 

Now, hop on over to Leslie Hachtel's page to find out what she's got going in 2026! And don't forget to check out her book, Once Upon a Tablecloth.

Once Upon a Tablecloth

Nick Jordan acquires failing restaurants, then makes them prosperous. But when Lily Mercer called him for help, he didn't count on falling in love. Or that someone wants to kill her.

And with so many obstacles and threats, will they ever find their happily ever after?

https://amzn.to/3gDu85M

Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?

 

Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.

 

There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But the sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.

Click this  link to purchase the trilogy, Le Tre Sorelle. Or to download our two Christmas freebies!

https://books.bookfunnel.com/POURDECISIONS

Musical Monday: Daydream Believer (The Monkees)

 

Okay, this one's really old. And there's no real reason for it other than it happened to come on when I was listening to something else so...here ya go. Welcome to the sounds of my childhood. lol

Wine Wednesday: Francis Ford Coppola Rosso & Bianco Cabernet Sauvignon

 

I was excited to try this blend, thinking it was actually a mix of red and white wine. It's not. It's Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with Petite Syrah. I really can't complain too much, however, because it was also really good. There were a lot of Amaretto and Amari cherries on the nose, along with a little smoky oak. It's a very full bodied wine with a long finish and surprisingly soft tannins. I tasted notes of tobacco, anise, and spiced plum.

I paired this wine with pizza and a salad and it was perfect. 

Musical Monday: New Year's Day (Taylor Swift)

 

So every year I try to do something festive for my readers. This year, after it occurred to me that I'd written several Christmas stories in the past few years that featured dogs, I decided to collect them into one volume and give them away to my newsletter subscribers and readers' group members. And then I decided to open it up to my blog readers as well--but only until the end of the year. It goes away January first. Details below. 

And, in the meantime: Happy New Year!

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/v308prhlxj

This title contains the following three stories:

Christmasing With You

The sweater was just the beginning…

​Mike's been a very good boy this year and Santa Claire has the perfect present picked out for him—one that's both naughty and nice!

One more disaster could be the end…

Mike and Claire were hoping their first Christmas together would be unforgettable. But when their sexy, adult-film-themed weekend abruptly veers into low-budget, chiller-diller territory, they’re left to worry that this Christmas will turn out to be memorable in all the worst ways.

An isolated cabin, a winter storm, a hungry cougar—what could possibly go wrong? In a word: everything.

This Ugly Christmas Sweater short story features the characters Mike and Claire from Let Me Count the Ways (LA Love Lessons, book 3).

Spicy Nick

It’s beginning to look a lot like NIX-mas!

Nick Greco is getting worried. His wife has never been a big fan of the holiday season, but this year she seems more distant than ever before. In fact, the last time that he can remember seeing her this distracted was right before their wedding—when she tried to back out of marrying him. 

Can you get cold feet after the fact? Is Scout feeling overwhelmed by the holidays? Or underwhelmed by…gulp…him?

Whatever the cause, Nick has a plan. He’s going to spice up their marriage and put the heat back in the holidays. And when he’s done, Scout won’t be saying, “Bah Humbug!” She’ll be saying, “ho, ho…OH!”

(And Check out If Only in My Dreams for Scout's story!)

Not Just for Christmas

You've read the Martinelli sisters' stories (in WE'RE DREAMING OF A WINE CHRISTMAS--which is also available as a free download!). Now read Clay's version of what REALLY happened Christmas Day!

Musical Monday: Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (Eels)

 

So I was planning on releasing a couple of story collections this Christmas, but decided to pull them at the last minute. There were several reasons for this. First off, I couldn't upload them for pre-order, which meant they weren't going to bet any promo. Secondly...I didn't really have time to promote them much anyway. And third, with luck I'll have new stories releasing (in one or both series) next year, or the following year, so it just seemed to make more sense to release the anthos closer to those new releases. 

Finally, I've already released a couple of Christmas freebies this year, and I'd rather promote those. So, download and enjoy! And I hope you enjoy this song, too. It's one of my current favorites--it's silly and upbeat and seems to fit the crazy mood of the world. Also, I feel a sense of kinship with the performers. I also dyed parts of my hair bright yellow this year. Not my best look, but hey, it matched my glasses!

https://books.bookfunnel.com/POURDECISIONS

Spend Christmas in the Vineyard!

Join the Martinelli sisters this holiday season. 

Download these TWO Pour Decisions FREEBIES!

We're Dreaming of a Wine Christmas

Christmas Eve was unexpectedly festive. So much so that on Christmas morning, Rosa, Bianca, and Allegra all find themselves bursting with news and eager to share.

Luckily, they also find themselves with an abundance of sparkling wine—perfect for toasting!

Not Just for Christmas

You've heard what Allegra had to say about the holiday, now read Clay's version to learn what really happened Christmas Day.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/POURDECISIONS

Happy Yule!

https://tinyurl.com/2025SantaPaws This title contains the following three stories: (Available for FREE—but only until the end of the year!) Christmasing With You The sweater was just the beginning… ​Mike's been a very good boy this year and Santa Claire has the perfect present picked out for him—one that's both naughty and nice! One more disaster could be the end… Mike and Claire were hoping their first Christmas together would be unforgettable. But when their sexy, adult-film-themed weekend abruptly veers into low-budget, chiller-diller territory, they’re left to worry that this Christmas will turn out to be memorable in all the worst ways. An isolated cabin, a winter storm, a hungry cougar—what could possibly go wrong? In a word: everything. This Ugly Christmas Sweater short story features the characters Mike and Claire from Let Me Count the Ways (LA Love Lessons, book 3). Spicy Nick It’s beginning to look a lot like NIX-mas! Nick Greco is getting worried. His wife has never been a big fan of the holiday season, but this year she seems more distant than ever before. In fact, the last time that he can remember seeing her this distracted was right before their wedding—when she tried to back out of marrying him. Can you get cold feet after the fact? Is Scout feeling overwhelmed by the holidays? Or underwhelmed by…gulp…him? Whatever the cause, Nick has a plan. He’s going to spice up their marriage and put the heat back in the holidays. And when he’s done, Scout won’t be saying, “Bah Humbug!” She’ll be saying, “ho, ho…OH!” (And check out If Only in My Dreams for Scout’s story!) Not Just for Christmas You've read the sisters' stories (in WE'RE DREAMING OF A WINE CHRISTMAS--which is also available as a free download!). Now read Clay's version of what REALLY happened Christmas Day!