Romance Writers Weekly ~ Halloween Costumes ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "What was your favourite Halloween costume when you were a kid? Do you still dress up now?"

Um...all my favorite costumes from my childhood would probably be considered cultural appropriation now, so let's not go there. I do occasionally still dress up for Halloween--usually if there's a party involved. One of my most favorite recent costumes was when I dressed up as a Dead Unicorn Trope. 

In case you're not familiar with this literary device, allow me to explain. 

You've doubtlessly heard the expression, to beat a dead horse--meaning to continue to do something even after it's pointless. An example of that in writing would be to use the cliche of having the butler be the murderer--the butler did it!--if you were writing a cozy mystery set during a Victorian era house party. The idea being that it's pointless. That particular trope is so overused that it would be immediately obvious and anti-climactic. 

EXCEPT! Plot twist! It's not overused at all. In fact, it was never actually a cliche at all. There are very few books in which the butler is revealed to be the murderer and--fun fact!--almost all of those were parodies written after the phrase was coined.  

So...what's a type of horse that never actually existed? A unicorn, obvs! So a dead horse trope that is based on a cliche that was never really a cliche in the first place becomes: a dead unicorn trope.

For more info about dead unicorns, check out this article here: https://tropedia.fandom.com/wiki/Dead_Unicorn_Trope

But to continue: I'd already had my hair dyed in my usual pastel unicorn shades, so for my costume I simply added a matching unicorn horn headband, and then paired that with a colorful, Day-of-the-Dead skeleton costume. And voila! 

Now, hop on over to Jill Haymaker's page to learn what she has to say about costumes. And don't forget to check out her book, Colorado Golden Sunrise.

Colorado Golden Sunrise

Get in the holiday spirit with this heartwarming romance set in a small town in the Colorado mountains. When Kelly Charm leaves her home in Nebraska for a new life in Peakview, Colorado for herself and her teenage son, the last thing she expects is to find love. But when her son suffers an asthma attack, handsome EMT Jake Midnight is there to help. Can these two find love and family over the holidays?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07828MFF1 

https://books2read.com/VisionMidnight

https://books2read.com/HungryHeartOberon

Musical Monday: Fancy Like (Walker Hayes - featuring Kesha)

 There's no real reason for posting this song right now. I mean, I am supposed to be working on a short story involving my characters from Que Será, Syrah, and I guess this would fit their dynamic. Sort of. At least from Clay's perspective. But that's still a stretch. I mean...boxed wine? Hard pass.

But anyway, it's a fun song and I really like this particular version featuring Kesha. 

Wine Wednesday: Grape Creek 2021 Ser-en-dip-i-ty

 

Serendipity is one of Grape Creek's member exclusive wines. The '21 has a lovely aroma--rose petals and raspberries. It's a soft, medium bodied wine with lots of juicy raspberry flavors and hints of pepper and smoke. 

I have no idea what I'd pair this with, to be honest. It's not bold enough to stand up to  steak or most pasta dishes. And it's a little too sophisticated for beef stew. Maybe Beef Stroganoff, or a Marsala? Something with mushrooms, perhaps?  Or a Tex-Mex/Indian fusion dish? It has enough acidity to cut through the queso, and it's soft enough to balance out the heat from the curry.

It makes me think of cool fall nights, sitting by the bonfire, watching for falling stars. And maybe that's all the accompaniment it needs. 

Alternately, there's a great wine scene in Visions Before Midnight, which is set at this time of year. So, perhaps, I'd pair this wine with a good book. lol!

Romance Writers Weekly ~Real Life Love Stories ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "What real-life experiences have inspired your romance writing?"

Wow. That's a tough one. I mean, there have been a lot of details and small events that I've lifted from real life and slipped into a book, but nothing really big. I mean, the biggest was probably a rash of bear encounters I had while camping in Yosemite, many years ago. One of those played out not too differently than how it's portrayed in A Sight to Dream Of (Oberon, Book Two). 

And the bear was, in fact, as big as a picnic table, just like my characters insist. 

Which reminds me, back in the day I had a skateboard themed T shirt that bore the logo "picnic tables are fun". That may have inspired certain scenes, as well. Unfortunately, I lost it somewhere along the way and was never able to find a replacement. 

It would be seriously vintage now, but if anyone knows where I might get my hands on another one, please hit me up! 

Now, hop on over to Brenda Margriet's page to find out what's inspired her. And don't forget to check out her book, No Life But This.

NO LIFE BUT THIS

​​​Abigail Garsson feels trapped in her safe, boring, conventional life. Desperate to escape, she signs up for an adventure vacation on the Portuguese island of São Miguel.

Santos Carregado enjoys introducing tourists to his tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic. At first he barely notices the unassuming Abigail. He soon finds her meek exterior hides a vibrant woman who teases his senses and ignites his passion.

Abigail is stunned to discover the handsome, confident Santos is attracted to her, but his fiery kisses and searing caresses convince her to accept a sensuous invitation.

Will the realities of life shatter Abigail's holiday daydream? Or can the shifting sands of a short-term fling become the rock on which a life-long relationship is built?

https://books2read.com/NoLifebutThis

A Sight To Dream Of

Oberon Book 2.0

Sam Sterling is a man with problems.  Including a partner who is trying to kill him, and a nosy reporter, who's just turned up dead! It's going to take a miracle to save him.  Or, better yet, an angel.

​ Marsha Quinn is used to being called a witch.  After all, her abilities as a psychic make a lot of people uncomfortable.  But no one has ever called her an angel before! 

Falling in love was not a possibility she'd ever envisioned, until Sam the skeptic arrives in Oberon, and teaches her to see past the scars she carries, and the lies he's told her, to the love that lies within their hearts and minds.

https://books2read.com/SightDream

Musical Monday: All the Things She Said (TATU)

So here's a song from my Hungry Heart playlist--which I find myself listening to a lot at this time of year. It's a short playlist, because it's a pretty short book. But it's available FOR FREE today, along with Going Back to Find You. So hurry up and click the links below!

PLAYLIST

FREE Through October 20th!

https://books2read.com/GoingBack

https://books2read.com/HungryHeartOberon

 

Romance Writers Weekly ~Favorite Cold Weather Drink ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked to, "Share your favourite cold weather drink. Bonus points if you can provide a recipe!"

Oh, I love this question! Normally I'd say PSLs or Mulled Wine, but we discussed the first last week, and the second is more of a Yule-time treat. So, I'm going to go with spiced cider--which can be enjoyed either hot or cold. And, trust me, when it's mid-October and the temps are still in the low 90s, cold cider is an excellent choice for Autumn!

Below are two freebies I'm running from October 16th through the 20th (so, a couple of days, yet) to get you in the Halloween mood. There's a scene in Going Back to Find You that features a whole list of Halloween-themed drinks. Maybe you'll find a new Fall Favorite there!

Also, I know it may be cheating, but here's the link to a really good recipe: https://joyfulbalanceonline.com/homemade-spiced-apple-cider-hot-or-cold/#recipe

Now, hop on over to Jenna Da Sie's page to find out what cold weather drink is her favorite.

Halloween Freebies!

https://books2read.com/b/GoingBack

https://books2read.com/HungryHeartOberon

Musical Monday: Die with a Smile (Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars)

 My husband is obsessed with this song. OBSESSED with it. He's got it on repeat somewhere on his computer and it's been running in the background for WEEKS. Thank God he has headphones (I can still hear it sometimes; like a whisper. Like an earworm) otherwise I'd be convinced he was trying to drive me out of my mind. 

Might happen anyway. We'll see.

Personally, in terms of apocalyptic songs, I prefer When the World Ends (the Oakenfold remix) from the Matrix 2 soundtrack. But that's me. 

Anyway, I'm sure this is a good song. I'm just over it. And I can't even with these costumes. 

Wine Wednesday Paso-D'Oro 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

So, it's been about a year and a half since I wrote about this wine. I kind of raved about it then, so I was curious to see what I thought of it now. Mind you, it's a different vintage, the other was from 2021, this one is from 2023. 

So I still really like this wine.  The nose is still lush. Oak and leather and syrupy fruit. I'm not getting fig yet though. This vintage smells of blackberries, currants and violets with hints of spice. The taste is a little smoky, like burnt orange or Crème brûlée. But it's also not as robust a flavor as I remember. Or again, it could be this particular vintage. 

As it turns out, the weather in 2023 was cooler and rainier than average, which might have played a part. I've recently learned that it's not recommended to harvest grapes too soon after it rains because the ripe grapes actually soak up the rain water and it dilutes the wine. Of course, it's also bad to hold off harvesting the grapes too long after they ripen, so sometimes you just have to pick your poison. 

Still a nice wine, but it doesn't instantly transport me back to Paso like the '21 did. It's much softer than most Cabernets so I'm not sure what I'd pair it with. It's definitely not a steak wine or a pasta wine. Maybe a pork roast or duck a l'orange. Ooh, wait. My mom used to make a delicious Cornish game hen stuffed with wild rice with a flaming cherry sauce. It was the '70s, so what would you expect? I think this wine would go perfectly with that. 

Musical Monday: Harvest Moon (Neil Young)

 So, tonight is the Harvest Moon--hence the timing of this song. So, if there are clear skies where you are, go out and do some stargazing, or something. 

I like this song. I like most Neil Young songs. But I LOVE the video. It's just so cute. 

Wine Wednesday: William Chris 2021 Petit Verdot

 

I think I mentioned that I got to try a couple of extra wines at my recent tasting at William Chris, and this was one of the extras. 

I liked this wine quite a lot. But I don't know what the people who wrote the description of it on the WC website were thinking. They claim hints of bubble gum on the nose, which (thankfully) I did not taste AT ALL. 

It had an absolutely lovely scent, IMO; something sweetly floral with hints of caramel. It put me in mind of campfires and summer nights--all honeysuckle and toasted marshmallow, with hints of smoke. The taste was very summery as well--lots of blueberry and blackberry flavors, along with a little salinity. 

This is another medium body/medium tannin wine. Not sure what I'd pair it with. Maybe a charcuterie board, or a lighter pasta dish (something with olives and lemon, perhaps). But I think it would also make a nice wine to simply drink on its own. Particularly outside by a lake or a river.

Which reminds me. I put together a playlist for nights like that. 

Romance Writers Weekly ~ PSL, Yes or No? ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "Okay, let's settle this! Pumpkin Spice - yea or nay?"

Oh, that's an easy one. YEA! Although I admit I take mine half sweet/no whip because NOBODY needs as much sugar as the fully loaded kind comes with. 

Just to be clear, I actually prefer Gingerbread lattes, and Honey Lavender iced lattes probably most of all. 

And I know, I know! Liking Fall and all things PSL is considered very basic. But what can you do? A couple of years ago I actually wrote a piece of flash fiction about PSLs and PSL Season. You can find that here:

 https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/2022/09/romance-writers-weekly-fall-flash.html

Now, hop on over to Leslie Hachtel's page to find out which side of the debate she's on. And don't forget to check out her book, Come Back to Me.

Come Back to Me

What would you do if you could go back in time to find your soulmate? For Skye Blaine, the answer is clear: she would do whatever it takes to be with the one she loves. Follow her as she travels through time in search of her heart's desire, finding that the path to true love is never easy, but always worth it. Will she find her happy ending? This page-turning story of love, sacrifice, and courage is sure to captivate and inspire. Don't miss out on this unforgettable journey through time!

https://amzn.to/3thW8BR

Westport Winery Garden Resort in Westport, WA

Saturday, October 4 1to 3 pm!

Authors Kate Davies and PG Forte will be at the Fall Festival from 1 pm to 3 pm. Meet two of the authors of the POUR DECISIONS trilogy with a special Zoom-in with third author Kelly Jamieson!

Yeah, it’s just like in the books. IYKYK.

Grab signed copies of all three books, plus some fun swag! We can't wait to meet you. Mark your calendars now!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoPemACWf/

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.

https://Books2Read.com/Pour-Decisions

Musical Monday: Wake Me Up When September Ends (Green Day)

 So, I didn't know the story behind this song until...well, until I went looking for a good video to post, TBH. I always thought it was about 9/11. Turns out,  Billie Joe Armstrong wrote it about losing his father to cancer.  

Wine Wednesday: William Chris 2022 Enchanté

 

So here's a fun fact for you. About a year ago (September 24, 2024, to be exact) I posted about William Chris's 2021 Enchanté. Here's the link, if you want to see what I had to say about the wine back then:

 https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/2024/09/wine-wednesday-william-chris-enchante.html

Even though Enchanté is William Chris' flagship wine, I have to admit that it's not my favorite of their wines. Don't get me wrong. I do like it. But if I may be allowed to quote from The Parent Trap, when it comes to Cabs and Merlots, I too am partial to the softer California grape. 

I've been learning a lot about Texas wine since I moved here, and there are a lot of varietals that are grown here that I was unfamiliar with before but that I like very much. 

When it comes to wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, however, I think California is hard to beat. But, YMMV, so you might want to give it a try and see what you think.

Here's another fun fact for you. The grapes for this wine are sourced from a vineyard located in the Enchanted Rock area outside Fredericksburg. The winemakers were trying to come up with a name that would pay homage both to the location and to the fact that they were using the grapes to make a Bordeaux-style (ie French) wine. Hence Enchanté. 

I found this wine to be a little more fruit forward and acidic than many Cabs, with milder tannins and more of an emphasis on red fruit (berries and cherries) rather than black. 

I'd pair this wine with Texas barbecue, or maybe some Tex-Mex cuisine. 

Romance Writers Weekly ~ Which Would You Rather Read? ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "Would you rather read (or write) about a rekindled flame or a brand-new passion? Is your choice influenced by the age of the characters?"

I've said it before: I really love a good second-chance romance. New relationships are often fun but there's just something about old flames reigniting that I find irresistible. In terms of writing, they both have their challenges, but that's what makes them fun!

I've never thought about whether the age of the characters would make a difference. And I'm not sure now but I think I might feel like the older the characters are, the more I want to see them fall in love with someone new. 

Yeah, that surprised me, too. 

For one thing, it seems more unexpected, which makes it more fun. For another...after a certain age, you might be more likely to feel like you might as well make new mistakes, rather than repeating an old one?

Unless you're a vampire. Vampires play by different rules. 

Now, hop on over to Jenna Da Sie's page to find out which she prefers.

And if you're going to be in the Westport Washington area on October 4, come and make some Pour Decisions!

Westport Winery Garden Resort in Westport, WA

Saturday, October 4 1to 3 pm!

Authors Kate Davies and PG Forte will be at the Fall Festival from 1 pm to 3 pm. Meet two of the authors of the POUR DECISIONS trilogy with a special Zoom-in with third author Kelly Jamieson!

Yeah, it’s just like in the books. IYKYK.

Grab signed copies of all three books, plus some fun swag! We can't wait to meet you. Mark your calendars now!

A New, Multi-Author Series Out Now!

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.

https://Books2Read.com/Pour-Decisions

Musical Monday: Maggie May (Rod Stewart)

 

I'm not sure what I think of this version. I generally prefer to watch live performances than static images, but I'm not sure Stewart nails the "I feel I'm being used," or "I really should be back at school," aspects of the lyrics. But what can you do? We all get older--if we're lucky. Although, these days, I find myself wondering if "lucky" is the right word to use. 

These are the days that really bring home the reason WHY the phrase, "May you live in interesting times," is considered a curse. I spent most of my life clueless about that, and I could have happily continued in that vein.  But, C'est la vie, I guess.