Romance Writers Weekly ~ WIPs! ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop we're asked to: “Give us a sample of your WIP.”

Ooh, another easy one! So there are two books I'm sort of working on at the moment. The first is a follow up to last year's Que Sera Syrah (see below). 

If  you've read the two Christmas freebies (links to those are below, as well) you already know that all three of the Martinelli sisters got engaged. The Our Big, Fat, Napa Weddings anthology will release some time in June.

I don't have a blurb yet for my story--Nice Day for a Wine Wedding--but you can get a sneak peek of the cover HERE.

Legs wants a super big blowout of a wedding while Clay isn't sure he wants a wedding at all--can't they just quietly elope?--and that's before their respective families start adding to the confusion! It's so much fun to be back in Oak Creek Canyon, and I LOVE writing wedding stories, so I hope you'll save the date! 

You can read an excerpt HERE 

My second story is a continuation of my Celtic Legends series--it features a selkie and a former fisherman turned reclusive lighthouse keeper. It is, somewhat improbably, a light BDSM (heavy on the bondage, because fishermen know ALLLL about knots) And, as it turns out, I do have a blurb, which you can find HERE

You can read an excerpt of that one HERE. 

Now, hop on over to Jill Haymaker's page to find out what she's reading. And don't forget to check out her book, Mountain Hearts.

MOUNTAIN HEARTS

Two hearts damaged by grief are drawn together as kindred souls. To move forward they’ll have to face their pasts and lay their ghosts to rest. Can broken hearts dare to love again?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B5H9GW7

Meet the Martinelli Sisters!

Rosa, Bianca and Allegra Martinelli--three sisters who have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right? Not so fast!

As it turns out, not everybody is happy for le tre sorelle. 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 these 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. 

https://books.bookfunnel.com/POURDECISIONS

Musical Monday: Walk for Peace 2026 (Hemp the Artist)

 

Okay, I needed something inspirational, so here it is. And yeah...I got nothing else to say today. Om, shanti, shanti, shanti. Also, happy Imbolg.

Wine Wednesday: Heath Sparkling Wine 2021 Blanc de Blanc

So this is one of my favorite sparkling wines, atm. It's crisp and bright. It's a pale greenish gold color with a pronounced citrus/green apple aroma on the nose. It's dry, which I like and which sets it apart from a lot of the other Heath sparkling wines. I believe it's mostly Chardonnay, but it's not oaky or buttery in the least. There are hints of mild spice--something like nutmeg, perhaps? Which, along with the previously mentioned green apple notes puts me in mind of apple pie. 

This is the quintessential New Year's Eve toasting wine. It actually puts me in mind of the '22 Chardonnay from Arrington Vineyards in Tennessee that I sampled a couple of years ago. Only sparkly.

I imagine the Martinelli sisters will be discussing sparkling wines when they start planning their weddings in a couple of months--and I'm sure they'll all want their own, signature bubbly. But this would definitely be a great choice for one of them!

Romance Writers Weekly ~ What are you reading? ~ #LoveChatWrite

Our prompt this week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop is: “What are you reading right now and what’s on your TBR?”

Oh, this one is EASY! Currently I'm reading my daughter's book--listed below. It's not fiction, but it's extremely timely, given the upheaval in the world. If you're feeling any kind of grief or loss, I recommend it. 

Other than that, I've been revisiting books I've read numerous times, because I often find myself with very little mental bandwidth. I post weekly (every Wednesday) on what I'm reading over on my Oberon blog page so, if you want more details I suggest you check it out. 

Now, hop on over to Leslie Hachtel's page to find out what she's reading. And don't forget to check out her book, Follow Me.

FOLLOW ME

Harper Forbes embarks on a journey of a lifetime as she follows her friend to Scotland, only to discover that she, too, has been mysteriously transported back in time to the 1500s. In this unfamiliar and perilous world, Harper must navigate through dangers and challenges she never could have imagined. But amidst the chaos and uncertainty, she finds not only her friend but also a love that transcends time itself. What will fate have in store for her? Join Harper on an unforgettable adventure filled with romance, danger, and the timeless power of true love.

https://shorturl.at/DnYjN

Tend & Befriend

A Heart Opening Exploration of the Liminal

Chelsea Forte

A compassionate guide for those navigating sacred territory. the liminal space, the subtle space, the place between what is no longer and what is not yet.

Through somatic practices, reflective prompts, and frameworks rooted in psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative traditions, Tend & befriend invites you to befriend your shadow, cultivate loving awareness and expand your capacity to stand between grief and joy and be stretched wide by them. Return home to yourself better supported to navigate these tender places with presence, resilience, and compassion while opening to what wants to emerge.

Whether you're navigating loss, life transitions, or simply the exquisite ache of being human, this zine offers permission to feel fully, grieve deeply, savor small joys, and begin again with compassion.

A tender companion for anyone standing in the liminal.

https://books2read.com/TendBefriend

Musical Monday: Perfect (Ed Sheeran)

 

Soooo...here's another song I'm thinking would work out well for Allegra and Clay to dance to at their wedding. It's the lyrics. It's fucking perfect. Which kind of drives me crazy. I don't dislike it, but it's not my favorite. It was played entirely too much at a very difficult point in my life so now it low key skeeves me out. 

I think Legs would love it, however. 

Romance Writers Weekly ~ Winter Romance ~ #LoveChatWrite

Our prompt this week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop is: “Have you ever written (or plan to write) a romance set in the winter? If so, does it differ from a summer one? How?”

Okay, so that's THREE questions. And my answers are: Several. Sometimes. And, oof. That's complicated. How long do you have?

I'm going to use my very first winter-set book, Sound of a Voice That is Still as an example--in part because I wrote it intentionally to pair with a "twin" book--Touch of a Vanished Hand--which takes place six months later, in the middle of summer. 

While I don't think it's necessary to focus on the weather and/or the seasons, I have to admit that all the books in the Oberon series are very much grounded in those things--and the elements. There's a coldness at the heart of Sound and the overall theme is cold, wet, bleak. The story is set mostly at the beach and the weather is uniformly stormy. As are the characters' interactions with each other. It ends on a happy for now note--because spring is breaking at the end, and hope is the emotion of spring. 

Touch is fiery and lush. It's set amid vineyards. There are hot air balloons, festivals and explosions...and I think THREE (?) couples get their HEAs. 

Now, hop on over to Brenda Margriet's page and read her take on winter romances. And don't forget to check out her book, Loving Between the Lines.

Loving Between the Lines

A one-night stand neither will forget.

She wanted a final fling before choosing science to make her a single mom. He needed an escape from the regret grinding him into dust. Her baby isn’t his…but maybe family is more than DNA.

After a childhood being dragged around the continent by her musician parents, Lynn Kolmyn has stretched her roots deep into her chosen hometown. When her absconding fiancé screws up her careful plans, she decides to become a mother at almost forty, realizing the only person she can rely on is herself.

Benjamin Whitestone was the hometown hockey hero until a spectacular mistake led to failure and condemnation. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to make it up to his parents, his teammates, or his fans. In a final bid to prove himself, he accepts a job coaching the junior team where he used to be a star, determined to rewrite history.

When Lynn and Benjamin collide—literally—they are both shocked to see the stranger from a single sensual night two years ago. Now the past tangles with the future…a future neither of them was expecting.

(Book Two in the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series. Can be read as a standalone)

https://books2read.com/LovingBetweenTheLines

Sound of a Voice That is Still

Oberon, Book 3

Some wounds take a long time to heal, others never do.  Four months after being wounded in the line of duty, Ryan Henderson is beginning to fear that his is of the latter variety.  He's a patient man, but a poor patient.  As winter drags interminably on, he's growing desperate for distraction--anything that might take his mind off his injury, before he goes insane.

​ Siobhan Quinn could give the injured officer a lesson or two in living with pain.  It's been ten years since her life was changed and her heart critically wounded as a result of the tragic accident that robbed her of her family.  She knows firsthand how grief can cripple a soul and drive a sane mind over the edge. 

 Sometimes it seems like Spring will never come again.  Sometimes, the only alternative to living in inner darkness, is death.  Your own, or someone else's.  In the depths of winter, Ryan and Siobhan will have to make a choice: to help each other heal, or die trying.

Now available in print and digital formats

https://books2read.com/SoundVoice

Musical Monday: Can't Help Falling in Love (Kina Grannis)

 

As I mentioned last week, I'm working on a wedding story! I love planning weddings for my characters and part of that is planning the song they'll dance to. Here's one of the songs I'm thinking of. 

What do you think?

Romance Writers Weekly ~ Healthy Winter Meal ~ #LoveChatWrite

Our prompt this week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop is: “January is often when we reset our wellness goals. Share the recipe for a quick and healthy winter weather meal.”

Okay, this is really hard. There are so many delicious winter dishes and, honestly, I think anything you make with fresh, organic ingredients is going to be pretty healthy. But butternut squash soup--or pumpkin soup, or sweet potato soup--is one of my absolute favorites. Especially when served with a kale salad and a slice of fresh rosemary sourdough bread. 

Here's a vegan version made with green apple and coconut milk:

 https://immigrantstable.com/smooth-butternut-squash-soup-with-apple-and-coconut-milk/

Don't forget the pumpkin seeds (although I prefer mine raw). And nothing against thyme, but I also like to garnish mine with either rosemary or sage. 

Oh, and I think this wine would go nicely.

 https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/2026/01/wine-wednesday-kendall-jackson.html

Now, hop on over to Jenna Da Sie's page to find out what healthy winter meal she recommends.

Winter Hearts

Tales of a Most Unusual Family

Philadelphia, 1870

As the world mourns the loss of brilliant inventor Dr. Charles Winter (known affectionately to his friends as the professor) most remain unaware of the great technical advances he had made in the areas of cloning, artificial intelligence and mechanical life-forms. Sadly, this ignorance of so much of his most far-reaching and astonishing work extends even to the professor's own family, which includes his four adult children, the product of his marriage to the late Millicent Pearson Winter. 

The younger Winters are quirky and independent, dedicated to social justice, rational science and intellectual achievement. Inculcated from earliest childhood with their mother's Quaker beliefs and their father's dedication to progress, the four siblings are tireless in their pursuit of whatever personal goals they happen to set for themselves. 

At the time of their father's death, the siblings had yet to discover the fact that their supposed half-sister, Ophelia, was not the result of their father's infidelity as they'd long supposed. 

This ignorance precipitated a crisis for Ophelia, as is documented in the series prequel, This Winter Heart. 

https://bookfunnel.com/WinterHeart