The Most Beautiful of All Possible Worlds Don’t tell me life is short. With the benefit of my considerable experience, or should I say in spite of it, I’m still willing to buy that life is beautiful if you dress it up right, that people are basically good, or that love can save you. I still want to believe. Tell me that life is meaningful, and you’ve got my ear. Tell me that life is a journey, and I’ll nod in agreement. But try convincing me that said journey is short, and you’ve lost me; that’s one cliché I can’t abide. If you think life is short, just wait. One of these days it might not end for you; it’ll just keep going and going and you’ll see that life is not a breathless sprint to the grave, gone in a heartbeat, but an odyssey that stretches on and on into eternity. Once it starts, it never ends, not even if you want it to. I should know. I have gone by other names: Euric, Pietro, Kiri, Amura, York, and Whiskers. Currently I answer to the name of Eugene, though the attendants here at Desert Greens call me Mr. Miles….

Greetings from Texas! I’m Karen Witemeyer, and I love word games, which is why I’m looking forward to some title acrostic fun in this post. But first . . . a little background on my story. CLOAKED IN BEAUTY is a sweet western romance filled with fairy-tale flair. Think Little Red Riding Hood meets Sleeping Beauty in an 1800’s Texas setting. For more story details, see the title acrostic below. C – Courageous Pinkerton hero L – Leads a reclusive, missing heroine O – On a clandestine A – Adventure, K – Kindling romance as they E – Evade D – Danger and race to claim her I – Inheritance for N – Noble purposes B – Before her E – Evil, A – Avaricious U – Uncle T – Takes her life and forces her family to Y – Yield to his despicable machinations. CLOAKED IN BEAUTY by Karen Witemeyer Texas Ever After #3 A Christian Western Historical Romance Fairy Tale Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty Trust no one in the shadows of the piney woods . . . Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother in the…

Book Title: ONLY FOR THE WEEK Character Name: Janelle Cross How would you describe your family or your childhood? Oooh ummm my family is…let’s call them interesting. Complicated, I guess. My childhood was…fine. What was your greatest talent? As a kid? I was really good at hula hooping and I was really good at football. I used to play with my dad all the time. Significant other? Haha his name is Rome. He’s wonderful Biggest challenge in relationships? Having time for them…although that hasn’t been an issue so far in this one Where do you live? Baltimore stand up! Do you have any enemies? Hmmm I don’t think so. Enemy is a strong word. How do you feel about the place where you are now? Is there something you are particularly attached to, or particularly repelled by, in this place? You know what, I feel fantastic about where I am now. I’m really proud of myself not just in my career but in my personal life and that’s an amazing feeling. Do you have children, pets, both, or neither? Neither. But I’d like both…one day. What do you do for a living? I’m an OBGYN. I have my own birthing…

It’s that most frustrating time of the year! Guests, gifts, meals…the number of things to keep track of can be staggering. If you’re anything like me, what you really want to do is curl up with a good book! Allow me to offer a few suggestions which take time and attention limitations into consideration. If you’re in the mood for a bit of terror with your winter chill, THE GREY WOLF, by Louise Penny, provides a comforting reunion with the characters (Armand and Reine-Marie Gamache, among other residents of Three Pines,) millions have come to love. Of course, along with that sense of familiarity comes a bone-chilling tale. As often happens with Ms. Penny’s books, the story is left both partially resolved and nail-bitingly unresolved. Will next October’s THE BLACK WOLF answer all our questions? Only the gifted author knows for sure, and she’s making us wait. Holidays bring families together, and the new book by Kate Storey, THE MEMORY LIBRARY, reminds us how meaningful those familial bonds can be. Ella has righteously kept her mother, Sally, at a distance for years, angry at her callous behavior when Ella was young. When Sally falls and needs help, Ella must leave…

1–What is the title of your latest release? WHEN WE HAD FOREVER 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Mina Drake is a young widow who embarks on a heart-wrenching journey to uncover her late husband’s secrets, but in the process, she ignites an unexpected connection with the enigmatic twin brother he left behind. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? WHEN WE HAD FOREVER is set in the Pacific Northwest—a place that, for me, is inextricably tied to feelings of freedom and the headiness of new love. Before I got married, my husband and I spent 7 months living in our van up in Washington State, British Columbia, and Alaska, and it was a magical time in my life. I was in my first truly healthy relationship, and it felt like a new part of me was waking up every day. For me, that’s what WHEN WE HAD FOREVER is about—living well, and fully, and boldly—so it felt natural to me to set the book in the place in which I’d opened my eyes to that. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Funny enough, probably not, at least at…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ROSENFELD 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A GROWN-UP LOVE STORY FOR GROWN-UPS: A filmmaker falls madly in love with a successful, older CEO, because she believes he can handle the aggression she’s been carrying since childhood. And she’s right, he can. In the most sexy way imaginable. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I keep my characters close to me — so where I live is where I placed them. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely! Mostly, I’d like to hang out with her when she’s out and about with Teddy. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Witty, broken and talented. 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? To trust the process. And to avoid overthinking feedback. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit as I go. An author has two roles — writer and editor — and each demands a different mindset. So, every time I sit down to work, I try to figure out what’s right for me to do at that moment: create something…

Description: On a visit to a print shop, Bella and Lord Brooke discover there’s a humorous caricature of Bella’s disastrous dance with Mr. Peckham posted for all of London society to see. Lord Brooke buys every copy before escorting Bella home. After they dropped Catherine off at her home, Bella thanked him for what he had done. “It was very kind of you to try to protect my reputation in such a manner by purchasing those ridiculous prints, but I think this might be a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Too many people have already seen it,” she told him. “I know. But it was a very small thing to do and it relieved some of my anger at the situation. I agree with your Miss Adams, you know. It was not the act of a gentleman for Peckham to expose you to ridicule as he did. But I think that he’s been punished more than enough,” he said, glancing at the stack of papers on the seat next to him. “I agree. And at least the artist did not draw me in an unflattering manner, as he did poor Mr. Peckham.” She reached…

1–What is the title of your latest release? Life / Insurance 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? This spare novella is about a collage artist piecing together a life, a composer unable to talk, and an interrogation into art and existence in New York City. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I always like my stories to take place in some sort of vaguely recognizable setting but nothing too identifiable. This novella takes place mostly in a hospital room, and one of the characters is confined to bed. But I had no desire to make the hospital room appear realistic. I am always aiming for a generic sort of space so that the attention is on the language and mental shifts of the character, not on the dramatic action in a specific setting. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I like to think of my protagonist as a mind, not really a person. So the answer is no! I would rather hang out with someone fun. 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Questing, questioning, collating 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned that…

Book Title: MAGIC OF MOONLIGHT, book #2 in the Bostwicks of Trillium Bay series Character Name: Trudy Hart, M.D. How would you describe your family? Idyllic and industrious! I was born in 1861, and grew up in Springfield, Illinois where my father is a country doctor. Both he and my mother are free thinkers who prize education and compassion above all else. My siblings and I have always been encouraged to pursue our own interests, to form our own opinions, and to not let society dictate our choices. Perhaps that’s what gave me the courage to study medicine at the University of Michigan. I was the only woman in my class, but I excelled—in spite of professors and classmates who seemed determined to see me fail. Since earning my medical degree, I’ve been working with my father at his clinic—but we’re taking some time away and spending the summer in Trillium Bay at the invitation of my aunt, Breezy VonMeisterburger. I’m looking forward to the holiday but she’s… a lot. What is your greatest talent? I’m an excellent physician, if I do say so myself. I take the time to really listen to my patients, unlike some of my male…

Settle in for a heartwarming treat this week as we welcome beloved author Melody Carlson to discuss her touching new novel, THE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM. From the scenic beauty of Oregon’s forests to the special bond between sisters, Melody shares how nature’s resilience after devastating wildfires inspired this moving story of hope and second chances. With her trademark sincerity, she opens up about the personal experiences that shape her storytelling, her cherished holiday traditions, and even gives us a sneak peek at her next book. Pour yourself something warm and join us for this cozy chat about family, faith, and the enduring magic of Christmas! Jen: Christmas is the perfect time for old memories, new beginnings, and second chances. How did this theme inspire the storyline of Madison McDowell’s journey to save her family’s Christmas tree farm? Melody: For a couple of years, I drove up and down what had once been one of the most beautiful scenic highways in Oregon (and we have a few!) on my way to my mother’s house (she passed in 2022). A huge wildfire had destroyed miles of trees and homes and farms along the scenic McKenzie River in 2020 and the remains looked…