Romance Writers Weekly ~ Valentine's Day ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop we're asked to: “It's almost Valentine's day. What does that mean to you and why?”

Ooh, that's another good question. I'll be honest, my husband and I have been together for a looonnng time. So, many years we exchange cards and maybe a token gift, and that's about it. Sometimes we'll stay home and make a special meal (we like cooking together) or order in. Some years, we'll dress up and go out for dinner. One of my favorite Valentine's Day dinners was at a little place called Kelly's in Paso Robles which is, sadly, no longer there. Of course, we're not there either so... I don't recall all the dishes but we had a yummy goat's cheese salad with dried cranberries to start, and lavender creme brulee for dessert.

I do enjoy setting stories around Valentine's Day.  ALL the characters in Sound of a Voice That is Still have Valentine's Days that...well, let's just say they fit the couples (at least it fit where they each were at that point in the series) so there was quite a range of experiences!

In Truth or Dare, my thruple enjoy two vastly different Valentine's Days together.

Many years ago, I wrote a piece of flash fiction that became the inspiration for today's featured story, Put a Ring Around the Rosie. 

Now, hop on over to Jenna DaSie's page to learn what she thinks of Valentine's Day. 

Put a Ring Around the Rosie 

February 14th is just another day...until it's not.

They say timing is everything, and that certainly has always been the case where Alex and I are concerned. We met nearly two years ago when he was hired to work at Cup of Joe, the coffee shop where I was already an old timer. It was lust at first sight, at least on my part, but I had a boyfriend then, and so did he. By the time we were both single and I’d worked out that he was bi, things between us had become complicated in so many other ways that it seemed much simpler and safer to just stay friends.

We were work spouses for a while, and then we weren’t. And when we reconnected with each other last month it was after a prolonged period of hurt feelings and miscommunication during which we barely spoke to each other at all. 

Now, even though our friendship’s caught fire, so to speak, I feel like we’re both still recovering from that last, disconnected phase. Heaping a bunch of unrealistic expectations, or a need for chocolate hearts, plush toys, or rose colored anything on top of that seems like a little too much added pressure. 

​https://books2read.com/RingRosie

Musical Monday: All of Me (John Legend)

 

Wedding dance music--yes or no? I can't decide on this one. The lyrics are perfect for Legs, but can you really dance to it? I mean, I guess you can, but it strikes me more as interpretive dance music than ballroom. Thoughts?

Wine Wednesday: Grape Creek 2022 Invention

 

So we're back to the cutesy names that say nothing. Invention is a mostly Petit Verdot--a varietal about which I know very little. It's a dry, full bodied, inky dark wine with cedar and cocoa powder on the nose (along with some eucalyptus, I think?) and an intense dark chocolate/dried cherry flavor. 

According to the website there are pronounced floral notes. I smell beetroot...but not in a bad way. There's a deep earthiness to it. The tannins in this wine are softer than a Zinfandel, but I think it would fill the same niche. Based on my interpretation of the description on the label, the Texas terroir elevates this grape in a way that put the label writer in mind of Michelangelo's work with marble. 

That might be overstating things. This is a good wine--very enjoyable. Which is good considering I have another bottle of it! I'd pair it with anything Tex-Mex.  

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.