One of the fun aspects for me when writing a new story is finding out about new-to-me subjects. I’m curious by nature, so it’s something of a treasure hunt to go looking for the details to include in my stories. The meanings behind the “props” my characters use. For example, what kind of wand would Roxie have? She itches to use it in Charmed Against All Odds:
“My tea is cold.” Paulette screwed up her face as she set her cup on the low table in front of her.
“So, go put it in the micro for a few seconds.” Zak squeezed her shoulder with one large hand. “Lazy.”
“Am not. I don’t want to miss a thing.” Wrinkling her nose, Paulette turned away from her husband to pin her hopeful gaze on Roxie. “Would you mind?”
“Of course not.” Suppressing the bounding of glee inside, Roxie flourished her wand, aimed it at the flowered mug. She flicked the tip of the wand at the cup. Steam rose from the warmed liquid. “Try that.”
Paulette lifted the mug and took a sip, aiming a grateful grin at her cousin. “Perfect.”
Grant had one beefy arm around Tara as they sat on the loveseat facing the fireplace. His storm gray eyes held a hint of skepticism, the scientist in him still doubting his wife’s abilities as well as her sisters. Despite having proof. Objective, irrefutable evidence and yet he continually showed that he doubted his own observation. Roxie pursed her lips as she studied the man. Ere long he’d have to acknowledge the abilities of the witch he’d married.
“What do you know about the quest spell, Roxie?” Beth sat on Mitch’s lap in one of the chairs flanking the fireplace.
Mitch, too, tended to be reticent about the three sisters and their magical talents. Even though he would soon be a member of the family of witches with their individual gifts. Still, he’d only been part of the group for a couple of months. Over time, she hoped he’d come around fully to believe in them. Like Max and Zak.
“Enough to know that Leo and I may need all of you to help.” She slid her gaze to take in the rest of the group.
Max and Zak had married the Golden sisters’ cousins, Meredith and Paulette, respectively. The owners of the Twin Oaks plantation and B&B, the sisters had been instrumental in freeing the two ghosts who once haunted the place. Luckily, the ghosts were friendly and not scary. A whole different kind of magic might have been necessary in such a case. Roxie’s wand fingers itched at the thought. It had been too long since she’d had a solid reason to seriously wield her wand. Warming her cousin’s tea did not satisfy the itch. She put her wand away with a reluctant sigh.
I had to go digging for what kind of wood her wand would most likely be made of. There are many to choose from with their own unique properties and affinities, I found out. The list at Dragon Oak includes alder, apple, ash, basswood, beech, birch, cedar, cherry, elder, elm, hawthorn, hazel, hickory, honey locust, holly, ivy, lilac, maple, oak, Osage orange, poplar, sassafras, vine, black walnut, and willow. After reading through the descriptions, I chose ash for Roxie’s wand. Why?
Several of the properties tie into Roxie’s family heritage and her personal abilities as a witch. With her Irish ancestry, the fact that ash is a sacred tree of Celtic Astrology struck a chord. The more importantly ash “aids in communication, intelligence, wisdom, and promotes curiosity” which are all important to Roxie. And it’s also the “wood of the writer, poet, and scholar” which Roxie is as well.
I looked a bit further into ash wood wands over at British Originals to see what they had to say. Turns out “ash wands cling to its one true master” and so shouldn’t be handed down to another witch. Also Roxie’s stubborn nature makes her an ideal candidate for an ash wand since “witches…best suited to ash wands are not lightly swayed from their beliefs or purposes.”
I do find it fascinating that so much thought has gone into understanding the inherent properties of individual woods and how people can use them to suit a given purpose. I do not fully understand it myself, but is an interesting aspect of the woods available. To think of how they possibly impact us without our being aware of the subtle influences they generate.
P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Charmed Against All Odds is also part of the Common Elements Romance Project. More than 75 romances—historical, sci fi, fantasy, contemporary, paranormal, suspense—which include the same 5 elements. Those elements are a guy named Max, a lost set of keys, a tall stack of books, a haunted house, and a lightning storm. Visit the website for a listing of all the books by subgenre and for monthly giveaways.
Loving her brings out the magic in him…
Wedding bells are ringing, but not for Roxie Golden. If she can survive another round of wedding plans, then her life can return to normal. She’s perfectly happy running the bookstore and weaving helpful magical spells. Then one stormy day, her ex-fiancé strolls back into her life with a gift neither of them wants.
Leo King wants to flee the small town for the big city. Forget about the shame he brought upon himself when he abused his magical powers. First, to satisfy his warlock father’s final wish, he must deliver the mysterious box to Roxie’s bookstore.
But when Roxie opens the box, revealing an enchanted bracelet and a quest spell, their plans and their lives are changed forever. Trapped in a reluctant partnership with the woman he once loved, he risks everything—including his heart—for a second chance.
Do you like to hike? I love going to a park and hiking
through the woods, up hills and down, listening for birds and looking for
wildlife. Just being outside lifts my heart and stirs my imagination. In Charmed Against All Odds, as in others
of my stories, my characters go hiking or for a walk outside. In my latest
book, Leo recalls an important day when he and Roxie went hiking at the Walls
of Jericho Trail in Scottsboro, Alabama. Years ago, I went with my
husband and two kids to do the same thing.
It’s a beautiful place but it’s not an easy hike. The
trail leads down to a river and waterfalls, and when I say down, I mean it. It’s
pretty steep and winding around trees and rocks and roots in the path. At the
bottom is a tree bridge with a handrail to cross the river. There is a posted warning
that you shouldn’t hike down to the bottom during or after it rains because the
river rises too high to cross. Which means you could be trapped in the valley
until the waters recede.
Tree bridge at the Walls of Jericho Trail
There are two waterfalls, although by the time we made
it to the first one, I was struggling so much that I didn’t climb over the
rocks to be able to see it. And if I thought I was struggling then, I hadn’t
even realized how I’d struggle hiking back to the car!
Trees and rock wall at the Walls of Jericho Trail
Remember how I said it was a steep descent? Well, to
return we had to go up that same steep incline. I was literally taking a few
steps and then having to pause because my heart was racing so hard climbing up.
I think I remember that it was a one mile vertical drop and the incline was
nearly vertical. Which explains the winding path because you couldn’t walk
straight down without sliding and tumbling. Or at least my over-active
imagination could envision such an ugly descent…
Creek at the bottom of the Walls of Jericho Trail
Obviously, I made it back to the car and survived the
hike. But I haven’t ever gone back because if it was tough in 2008 when I was 11
years younger, it wouldn’t be any easier today!
The trail is lovely with lots of green trees and undergrowth.
So Leo remembers how they’d underestimated how hard a
trail it is and how they’d had to struggle back up the trail and to his old
car. And what that meant to them. To me, I felt like I’d survived an ordeal
rather than have an enjoyable time. But I did it nonetheless. I can’t say I
conquered the trail, not by any stretch of my imagination. But despite my lack
of physicality and strength, I still managed to finish the hike without anyone
having to call 911. Which trust me was an accomplishment!
Do you like to hike? Do you enjoy a challenge? Do you
want to test your mettle at the Walls of Jericho? Or are you like me and rather
take an easier trail to enjoy nature?
P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up
for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news
like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my
readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Charmed
Against All Odds is also part of the Common
Elements Romance Project. More than 75 romances—historical, sci fi,
fantasy, contemporary, paranormal, suspense—which include the same 5 elements.
Those elements are a guy named Max, a lost set of keys, a tall stack of books,
a haunted house, and a lightning storm. Visit the website for a listing of all
the books by subgenre and for monthly giveaways.
Loving
her brings out the magic in him…
Wedding bells are ringing, but not for Roxie Golden.
If she can survive another round of wedding plans, then her life can return to
normal. She’s perfectly happy running the bookstore and weaving helpful magical
spells. Then one stormy day, her ex-fiancé strolls back into her life with a
gift neither of them wants.
Leo King wants to flee the small town for the big
city. Forget about the shame he brought upon himself when he abused his magical
powers. First, to satisfy his warlock father’s final wish, he must deliver the
mysterious box to Roxie’s bookstore.
But when Roxie opens the box, revealing an enchanted
bracelet and a quest spell, their plans and their lives are changed forever.
Trapped in a reluctant partnership with the woman he once loved, he risks
everything—including his heart—for a second chance.
I’m delighted to introduce my next guest author, the
amazing, talented romance author Regina Jeffers. She’s had quite an interesting
career to date with much more to come. Let’s look at her bio and then move on
to the interview, shall we?
Regina
Jeffers, an award-winning author of historical cozy mysteries, Austenesque
sequels and retellings, as well as Regency era romances, has worn many hats
over her lifetime: daughter, student, military brat, wife, mother, grandmother,
teacher, tax preparer, journalist, choreographer, Broadway dancer, theatre
director, history buff, grant writer, media literacy consultant, and author.
Living outside of Charlotte, NC, Jeffers writes novels that take the ordinary
and adds a bit of mayhem, while mastering tension in her own life with a bit of
gardening and the exuberance of her “grand joys.”
Betty:
How many books have you written and published?
Regina:
I have written 48 books.
Betty:
What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Regina:
I write Jane Austen-inspired variations, Regency era romance, romantic
suspense/cozy mysteries, and the occasional contemporary.
Betty:
What themes or motifs did you use in your recent release and why were they
important to your story?
Regina:
I used Public Betrayal and Family Lies That Come Back to Bite to drive the
story forward. The Heartless Earl is
set in the Regency Era when divorce was a VERY public affair. The Church
of England only permitted a “legal separation,” which was termed a
“divorce,” a fact that blows the mind of the modern reader. To claim
a divorce (the right to marry another), the man first had to seek the “legal
separation” on the ground of adultery on the part of his wife. He also had to
sue the wife’s lover for “criminal conversation” (alienation of
affection) in a different court. The “lover” would be found guilty
of “illegal intercourse,” and the court would award the husband
damages. The next step would be to petition Parliament to end his marriage.
Testimony would be taken regarding the circumstances. This testimony would be
published in the newspapers, which meant a quiet end to a marriage was not
possible. At length, the bill/petition would be agreed upon, and the couple
were free to marry others.
STERLING BAXTER, the Earl of Merritt, has married the
woman his father has chosen for him, but the marriage has been everything but
comfortable. Sterling’s wife, Lady Claire, came to the marriage bed with a
wanton’s experience. She dutifully provides Merritt his heir, but within a
fortnight, she deserts father and son for a baron, Lord Lyall Sutherland. In
the eyes of the ton, Lady Claire has cuckolded Merritt.
EBBA MAYER, longs for love and adventure.
Unfortunately, she’s likely to find neither. As a squire’s daughter, Ebba holds
no sway in Society; but she’s a true diamond of the first water. Yet, when she
meets Merritt’s grandmother, the Dowager Countess of Merritt creates a “story”
for the girl, claiming if Ebba is presented to the ton as a war widow with a
small dowry, the girl will find a suitable match.
LORD LYALL SUTHERLAND remains a thorn in Merritt’s
side, but when the baron makes Mrs. Mayer a pawn in his crazy game of control,
Merritt offers the woman his protection. However, the earl has never faced a
man who holds little strength of title, but who wields great power; and he
finds himself always a step behind the enigmatic baron. When someone frames
Merritt for Lady Claire’s sudden disappearance, Merritt must quickly learn the
baron’s secrets or face a death sentence.
Betty:
Do you have a specific place that you write? Revise?
Regina:
I still hand write my books in spiral notebooks. I customarily sit in the same
chair in my sitting room while doing this, joking saying my inspiration is
hidden in the well-worn cushion. Then I type the manuscript. Think about it.
That is actually my second draft, not my first.
Betty:
Do you have any writing rituals while you write? Did you have a special drink,
or music, or time of day that you gravitated toward?
Regina:
I write best later in the evening, somewhere between 5 and 11 P.M. By that time
of the day, there is no longer annoying spam callers or other interruptions to
break my concentration. Sometimes, I play classical or baroque music, but it is
not necessary. That being said, I can write anywhere, waiting in the car pool
line at my grandchildren’s school, doctor’s offices, etc.
Betty:
What helped you move from unpublished to published? A mentor or organization or
something else?
Regina:
My road to claiming a publisher was a fluke. When I was still teaching school,
I was complaining about a particular book to my students. One student said: “If
you know how to do it, do it yourself.” Therefore, I took up the challenge. I
rewrote Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” from Mr. Darcy’s point of view. I
self-published it in a time when self-publishing was still called “vanity
press.” I had one of my other students draw the cover so she could add
“published artist” to her resume for college, and then forgot about it. By word
of mouth, the book rose to #8 on Amazon’s sales’ list, and a traditional
publisher in California contacted me and offered to publish that book and asked
for more.
Betty:
What do you think is your greatest strength in your writing?
Regina:
I think, first and foremost, being a voracious reader provides me the advantage
of knowing what works and what does not work in writing. Having lots of
experience in both amateur and professional theatre, my strength lies in using
dialogue to advance the story—not depending on narration.
Betty:
What comes first when you’re brainstorming a new story: setting, situation,
characters?
Regina:
The situation is always first for me.
Betty:
Do you have a structured time to write or is more fluid/flexible? Do you have
to write between family obligations or do you set aside a block of time?
Regina:
I have family obligations, but not as many as when I first started writing. I
am a retired school teacher, having spent 40 years in the public school system.
I prefer to write in the evening. I work out my story issues with a good round
of weeding my flower gardens.
Betty:
What is one recent struggle you’ve experienced in your writing?
Regina:
Last year, I had several health issues, the most pressing, at the moment, is
being diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic. I am 72 years of age and suddenly I had
to start pricking my fingers 3-4 times a day, which really is painful when one
spends the majority of her day on the computer. I have solved that problem by
claiming a Free Style Libre device that can take a blood glucose reading as
many times a day as I choose, and, unless something is significant, no finger
sticks are necessary. The only drawback is the device is not covered by
Medicare, so it is a bit expensive for out-of-pocket funds.
Betty:
Do you participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)? Why or why not?
Regina:
I actually have participated in NaNoWriMo in the past, but it is not something
I do regularly. Generally, I am fairly regimented with my writing and do not
require reminders nor a “cheering section” to spur me on. I am too much of a
type-A personality not to recognize my weaknesses and my strengths. [As proof I
am a type-A, notice I listed “weaknesses” first, or, perhaps that is because I
am also a Virgo.]
Betty:
What are you reading right now?
Regina:
As I said previously, I am a READER. I read everything from cereal boxes to
bestsellers. I am very fond of cozy mysteries, family sagas, etc.
Betty:
What is your favorite genre to read?
Regina:
I, generally, read historicals. I write Regencies, but I also read Westerns,
Edwardian, Victorian, Revolutionary War, Civil War, etc. I really enjoy the
history of a book. I recently read a book (title and author shall remain
unnamed) about the Pony Express. I found myself more interested in the history
of the routes taken and the numerous rest stops than I was with the story.
History geek all the way!
Betty:
What are your keeper books? How often might you reread them?
Regina:
I am a Jane Austen fan, reread Pride and
Prejudice and Persuasion every
year, and her others regularly. I also have books from when I was still
teaching that I reread. There is a young adult series from Ellen Emerson White
on the Vietnam War that I keep on my shelf. My students, especially the males,
loved the series, and I saw more than one kid become hooked on reading through
them. White used the name Zack Emerson for The Echo Company series. They
recently came out in eBooks after being so long out of print. I contacted a
number of young men who loved the series and told them of the release so they
could finally own a copy of the complete set.
Betty:
When you’re writing, do you read in the same genre as your work in progress or
something else?
Regina:
As I am rarely not writing, I am sometimes reading and writing in the same
genre, but I like to mix up my reading to keep my stories fresh.
Betty:
Do you have a “day job” or do you write full time?
Regina:
I am a retired school teacher, but for several years I was both teacher and
writer. Now, I spend several days a week volunteering at our local Department
of Social Services, helping with projects for kids in foster care, Medicaid
claims, food stamps, the Christmas Bureau, etc.
Betty:
What do you wish readers knew about the publishing industry?
Regina:
The publishing business is not for the faint of heart, nor for those who think
they are going to become a best-selling author right away. It happens, but
those incidences are few and far between. One must have a thick skin and not
permit reviews to bring grief and sadness. You cannot write a book that will
please everyone. It is more important that you are happy with how the book
turned out.
Betty:
What advice do you have for new writers?
Regina:
You must LOVE what you do. You must WRITE every day, even if you end up
throwing the scene in the trash. You must have the type of personality that you
would write even if no one ever saw your story. Write for yourself.
Betty:
Any hints of what your next writing project might be?
Regina:
So far in 2019, I have released two Austen-inspired pieces: In Want of a Wife and Mr. Darcy’s Bet. Book 3 of my Twins’
trilogy, Lady Chandler’s Sister,
arrived in March. A novella, originally published last year as a part of an
anthology, Letters from Home, came out in June. Courting Lord Whitmire arrived in July. It was part of the Regency
Summer Escape Anthology. On November 7, another holiday themed anthology
arrives. It is entitled A Regency Christmas Proposal. My novella, Last Woman Standing, is one of six
stories included.
On October 31, Black Opal Books released The Heartless Earl. This is a Regency
romantic suspense and part of the Commons Elements Romance Project. More than
70 authors will release books in a variety of genres, each with the same 5
common elements included in the plot.
2020 will see my re-releasing several of my original
titles. I recently got back my rights to the books from Ulysses Press, so those
will be inserting into my release schedule for next year.
Currently, I am writing I Shot the Sheriff, which will have its release in Winter 2020.
This book is part of the Tragic Characters in Classic Literature Series. Each
of the authors involved in the project will write a Regency based on a story
from classic literature. My story comes from the tales of Robin Hood. The point
(no matter whether the original tale was set in a different era) is to give the
hero’s nemesis a happy ending. Therefore, in my tale, the Sheriff of Nottingham
will receive a different type of “just deserts.”
Betty:
What kind of writing would you like to experiment with? Or what’s a different
genre you’ve considered writing but haven’t yet?
Regina:
I have been asked of late by a large publisher to write a few contemporaries,
and there is the possibility of my writing a historical biography of a
real-life WWII hero and the romance that lasted more than a half century.
Nothing is set in stone at this time, but I am looking forward to doing both. I
have also being toying with the idea of a family saga for the past two years.
It is time I took on the challenge.
What a varied and prolific career, Regina! Thanks so
much for stopping by to share your experience and give other authors some solid
advice.
I hope you enjoyed hearing from Regina today. Do you have
any questions you’d like to ask her? Or comments on any of her stories you’ve
read?
One last reminder, my recent release Charmed Against All Odds is one of the
stories at the Common Elements
Romance Project
website.
You can find out more about the many subgenres of romance and the many authors
and titles you have to choose from there, too.
P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up
for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news
like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my
readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Book
birthday! It’s finally here! Charmed Against All Odds is now
available! Which means I’ve hit the 20 published books milestone. That’s
nonfiction and fiction titles, too. Hubby and I are going out somewhere nice
tonight to celebrate, because I never thought I’d have so many published and
even more to come. I’ve got plans…!
Now, on to
the enchanted charm bracelet featured in Charmed. Each charm represents a
characteristic I feel is important in order to have a solid relationship with
the one you love. I’ve shared the reasons for why I chose an open book,
a Friend
charm, a handshake,
a Comedy and
Tragedy Theater masks, and an arrow charm. The sixth and
final charm is a feather or quill.
Charm #6: Feather or Quill
The quill is
an old-fashioned tool for writing with ink to communicate with someone. Letters
were the most used form of communicating with people at a distance. If you’ve
been following my career or my blog, then you may realize that I adore the 18th
century as a time period to write about. My A More Perfect Union series is set
in Charleston, South Carolina during the American Revolution in 1782. At that
time the quill was the best tool for writing.
Communication
is extremely important in any relationship, from professional to personal. Clear
personal communication depends on several of the other characteristics I’ve
talked about in my previous posts about the charms: honesty, trust, friendship,
and being open to learning about the other person’s opinions and experiences. I
suppose to some extent those characteristics also apply to professional
communication as well. Let’s look at each a bit more closely.
Honesty feeds
the content of your conversation or letter, whatever mode of communication you’re
using. If your message is not telling the truth as you see it, then doubt and
allegations of lying may follow (as opposed to a misinterpretation or honest
mistake). To have a solid relationship, therefore, when you speak or write to
your significant other, it’s important to be honest.
You also must
trust the other person, and they trust you, in order for your message to be
accepted. If you can’t trust the other person for whatever reason, likely your
communication will be more guarded, perhaps hedging your words more to protect
yourself. This can weaken the bond between you and your significant other.
I include
friendship here because if you’re in a loving relationship friendship is most
likely at the foundation of the link between you. And it seems to naturally
evolve from the first two characteristics of trust and honesty.
Finally,
being open-minded is important to have a good communication because if you’re
not then you’re probably not hearing, listening, or receiving the real message
being sent. Errors in intent or meaning may then occur because the close-minded
person has already decided how they will react to the perceived message.
Probably negatively since they’ve stopped accepting what’s being conveyed.
Actively listening or reading with an eye to understanding the other’s point of
view will smooth any misunderstandings that may arise through a garbled message.
We all mistakes sometimes in how we phrase something or our interpretation of
what’s happened and then make assumptions.
Case in
point. I came home from a quick trip to Texas on a stormy Sunday evening. My
son’s car wasn’t parked where he normally parks, on the left side of the
driveway. Instead he’d parked in my spot on the right side. I knew he and my
hubby were aware I was almost home and I was glad to see I could park closer to
the sidewalk and run inside from the rain. I thought he’d moved his car out of
courtesy. In fact, he’d thought I wasn’t going to be home so had parked in my
spot so that my hubby could run an errand (he parks in the garage on the left
side of the driveway). So I had totally misunderstood the situation but was
still happy to have a shorter distance to get inside. (Don’t think badly about
the fact I park outside and hubby parks inside. He’s the one that has to get up
and go to work each morning while I walk into my office, so I suggested he park
in the garage so he doesn’t have to face the weather and such.)
One other
point I’d like to make about communication. You must communicate with your
significant other. Not talking, sending an email, a letter, a paper airplane
with your message will almost definitely lead to a breakdown in your
relationship. We’re very imaginative beings so when something confuses or
annoys or upsets us we can find any number of “reasons” which may or may not be
the real underlying cause. It’s far easier to have a conversation and clear up
the mystery or misunderstanding than to let it simmer until it explodes into a
fight. Even if that conversation is difficult to have—and trust me my hubby and
I have had several in the 38 years we’ve known each other, including 32 years
married—working out the differences can bring you closer together. You’ll see the
other perspective and hopefully understand the other point of view, and vice
versa. Then you find a compromise.
I do hope you’ll
read Charmed Against All Odds and
then let me know what you think of Leo and Roxie’s story.
I’m heading
out for a nice dinner with my loving, supportive, sometimes frustratingly
stubborn husband. And as always, thanks for reading!
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter,
which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new
releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with
recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Charmed Against All Odds is also part of the Common Elements
Romance Project.
More than 75 romances—historical, sci fi, fantasy, contemporary, paranormal,
suspense—which include the same 5 elements. Those elements are a guy named Max,
a lost set of keys, a tall stack of books, a haunted house, and a lightning
storm. Visit the website for a listing of all the books by subgenre and for
monthly giveaways.
Loving her brings out the magic in him…
Wedding bells
are ringing, but not for Roxie Golden. If she can survive another round of
wedding plans, then her life can return to normal. She’s perfectly happy
running the bookstore and weaving helpful magical spells. Then one stormy day,
her ex-fiancé strolls back into her life with a gift neither of them wants.
Leo King
wants to flee the small town for the big city. Forget about the shame he
brought upon himself when he abused his magical powers. First, to satisfy his
warlock father’s final wish, he must deliver the mysterious box to Roxie’s
bookstore.
But when
Roxie opens the box, revealing an enchanted bracelet and a quest spell, their
plans and their lives are changed forever. Trapped in a reluctant partnership
with the woman he once loved, he risks everything—including his heart—for a
second chance.
My next book
is Charmed
Against All Odds, and it releases in 1 week! I’m really very excited
about this story, which is Roxie and Leo’s story. Writing their story was a
challenge since they must complete a quest spell in order to learn their true
destiny. The challenge for me was that I had to figure out what the clues would
be and what they would mean to my characters. Which meant lots of prewriting
before I started writing the actual story.
It’s also one
of many books included in the Common Elements
Romance Project.
More than 75 romances—historical, sci fi, fantasy, contemporary, paranormal,
suspense—which include the same 5 elements. Those elements are a guy named Max,
a lost set of keys, a tall stack of books, a haunted house, and a lightning
storm. Visit the website for a listing of all the books by subgenre and for
monthly giveaways.
Now, on to
the enchanted charm bracelet…
I’ve been
talking about the charm bracelet featured in Charmed. Each charm represents
a characteristic I feel is important in order to have a solid relationship with
the one you love. I’ve shared the reasons for why I chose the first charm, an open book,
the second one, a Friend charm, the third, a handshake,
and the fourth, a Comedy and Tragedy Theater masks
charm. The next charm they must find is an arrow.
Charm #5: Arrow
Why, you may
be wondering. Well, I think it’s very important to be honest with everyone,
including yourself. Definitely when you’re in a loving, long-time relationship
you want to be truthful with your significant other. And yes, it can be
difficult to be totally honest! But I do believe it’s important to speak the
truth.
I’m not
talking about being cruel with your honesty. Not at all. If someone asks your
opinion, and you don’t like whatever it is they’re asking your opinion about,
then please consider your response before you blurt out something hurtful. I’ve
always tried to phrase my criticism gently or with some kind of suggestion for
improvement (to my way of thinking). I expect my hubby and my loved ones in
general to be honest in return.
Now, I will
say that a very dear friend of mine once asked me while we were out shopping if
I liked the hat she was trying on. I gave her my honest answer: it looked good
on her but I wouldn’t buy it. She put it back and later told me she hadn’t
bought it because I said I wouldn’t buy it. What she failed to realize is that
I don’t wear hats. Not unless it’s in the single digits and I have to put
something on my head or freeze. But decorative ones? No, thanks. But then I
felt bad that she’d denied herself the hat she liked because of my inadequate
response. I should have just said it looked cute on her and left it at that. I
don’t recall now, decades later, if she asked me if I’d buy it, and then I
replied I wouldn’t, so she put it back. That may be the case. Either way, I
learned something that day as well about how to respond to such questions going
forward.
One lesson I
learned as a young woman is one that has stayed with me, and which has guided
my choices on whether to delve deeper or not. You know, do I ask whether
something I’m wearing looks nice? Or what hubby thinks of some other aspect of
my person? Or even something about my stories, if I’m still working on
something. Anything intensely personal which may sting if criticized. The
lesson, or realization, is that if I think it will hurt to hear a negative
answer, then I don’t ask the question. I keep my mouth shut. That way neither
of us are put into an awkward situation when we want to share honestly with
each other.
When my dear
father started living with us (he did so for 17 years), he asked me to not tell
my hubby something my dad had said about my husband. Since it concerned my
hubby, I wanted to make clear to my dad that his unkind words were not
appreciated. My response was, we tell each other everything. We are a team,
partners in our married life. We are honest with each other to the best of our
abilities. The message was hopefully clear to him. I do not keep secrets from
my husband. Besides that, I could see how condoning or encouraging my dad to
tell me such things would put me in the middle between the two men in my life.
Not a place I ever wanted to be, even though there were many times I did find
myself right smack dab in the middle. But that’s another story…
While I am
open and honest with my husband, I will not reveal a secret to him which doesn’t
concern him. I value my friends and family and their privacy, so if they ask me
to keep something in confidence then of course I will. That’s not the same thing as hearing someone disparage
my husband and then ask me to keep it to myself. The decision as to whether to
tell my husband rests with me at that point.
It’s my firm
belief that if two people in a relationship don’t feel comfortable sharing
their day-to-day stuff, their decisions, their futures, their lives, then they
probably shouldn’t stay together. Honesty seems to me to be the foundation of
trust. If you’re not sure whether your partner is telling you the truth, can
you trust them? Without trust, how can you relax and be yourself with the other
person? The rest of the characteristics I’m talking about all rely on each
other.
So, that’s
why I included the arrow charm, with the imagery of being honest and true with
your significant other, your spouse, even your friend. It’s also vital that you
are honest with yourself. Understand the impact and the effect of the decisions
you make, both for yourself and those you love. Note that decisions can be as
small as what you’re going to drink with dinner or huge like where you’re
searching for your next job. The first choice may have no impact on others,
while the second one could have life-changing ripple effects.
Five charms
down, one more to go! And it’s a really, really important one, too.
So what are
your thoughts on these characteristics? Do you disagree? Have others you’d like
to add to the list?
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter,
which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new
releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with
recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Charmed Against All Odds releases November 11 and is available for pre-order now!
Loving her brings out the magic in him…
Wedding bells
are ringing, but not for Roxie Golden. If she can survive another round of
wedding plans, then her life can return to normal. She’s perfectly happy
running the bookstore and weaving helpful magical spells. Then one stormy day,
her ex-fiancé strolls back into her life with a gift neither of them wants.
Leo King
wants to flee the small town for the big city. Forget about the shame he
brought upon himself when he abused his magical powers. First, to satisfy his
warlock father’s final wish, he must deliver the mysterious box to Roxie’s
bookstore.
But when
Roxie opens the box, revealing an enchanted bracelet and a quest spell, their
plans and their lives are changed forever. Trapped in a reluctant partnership
with the woman he once loved, he risks everything—including his heart—for a
second chance.
My next book is Charmed Against All Odds, and it releases in 2 weeks! I’ve been talking about the charm bracelet featured in the story and the reasons for why I chose the charms. I’ve shared the reasons for why I chose the first charm, an open book, the second one, a Friend charm, and the third, a handshake charm that Roxie and Leo set out to find. The next charm they must find is that of the comedy and tragedy theater masks. This choice may seem odd, but to me it speaks of good times and bad times. And thus works to represent forgiveness, in my mind anyway!
Charm #4: Comedy and Tragedy Masks
If you’re
curious about why the comedy and tragedy masks are the symbol of the theater,
you can learn more here.
It’s easy to
be in a relationship with someone when everything is perking along smoothly,
the good times. But when something goes wrong, amiss, awry and your feelings
are hurt, your loved one does something you feel is wrong, or a personal
tragedy occurs, it’s much tougher. If you love the other person, you’ll need to
forgive them for hurting your feelings or disappointing/upsetting you in
whatever way. Without forgiveness, the good times won’t return because you’ll
be harboring your hurt and anger against the other person.
Now, let me
be very clear. When I say hurt, I do not mean physical or psychological harm,
but emotional pain. Physical or emotional abuse is a very different situation!
I do not condone or suggest you stay in a relationship that is harmful to you
in any way. Some things can’t be forgiven.
However, if
you’re in a loving relationship, at some point you’ll end up disappointed or
angered by something your love does. In order to keep the relationship, then
you’ll need to resolve the difference and forgive the transgression or misstep.
My husband had
a quick temper when he was younger, which has thankfully mellowed with age. But
when our children were young, he smacked our son too hard for my liking. A
spanking is one thing, but that one time was something more and I let him know
that was not going to happen again or I’d take the children and leave. Not that
I wanted to leave him! But he couldn’t continue to vent his frustration or
anger on them. To his credit, he apologized and he never repeated the offense.
I forgave him, knowing he’d make it right going forward because he gave me his
word. He’s kept that promise, too.
I’ve been
married to my loving, intelligent, stubborn husband for 32 years. Yes, there
are times when we disagree, sometimes loudly. But we’re a team. We complement each
other’s weaknesses with our strengths. I’m more creative aesthetically but he’s
creative functionally (he’s an engineer after all!), for example.
We’ve had our
arguments over the decades, but we still prefer each other’s company over that
of anyone else. Even when his stubborn shows… I can forgive him for being
obstinate since I know that works in my favor, too. We made a promise to never
part, never give up on our marriage, but work out any rough patches. Which we’ve
done and I’m happy to add that we love each other more today than the day we
married. We’ve been through a lot together, some very rough times indeed. Now
we can enjoy the good times with a smile on our faces.
Four charms
down, two more to go!
Don’t forget
that Charmed Against All Odds is
available for preorder before it releases on November 11. And as a bonusgift
for everyone who preorders Charmed
Against All Odds, I’ll give a free ebook copy of Book 1, Undying Love! Simply share a picture or
screenshot of your order with me
on my Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/AuthorBettyBolte) and I’ll send you a link where you can download your gift as
a thank you for ordering Roxie and Leo’s story! (If you’ve already read Undying Love, we’ll pick a different
story in the Secrets of Roseville series as a thank you gift!)
One last
thing! My next signing is this Saturday, November 2, 11:00-3:00, in
Albertville, Alabama. Visit the Shades of Pemberley
Event Page for
details. You will be able to buy a copy of The Haunting of Fury Falls Inn (Fury
Falls Inn Book 1) AND I will have paperback copies of Charmed Against All Odds (Secrets
of Roseville Book 5) before you can buy them in the store,
too! I hope to see you there to support the Shades of Pemberley independent
bookstore as a thank you for hosting my book birthday celebration!
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter,
which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new
releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with
recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Charmed Against All Odds releases November 11 and is available for pre-order now!
Loving her brings out the magic in him…
Wedding bells
are ringing, but not for Roxie Golden. If she can survive another round of
wedding plans, then her life can return to normal. She’s perfectly happy
running the bookstore and weaving helpful magical spells. Then one stormy day,
her ex-fiancé strolls back into her life with a gift neither of them wants.
Leo King
wants to flee the small town for the big city. Forget about the shame he
brought upon himself when he abused his magical powers. First, to satisfy his
warlock father’s final wish, he must deliver the mysterious box to Roxie’s
bookstore.
But when
Roxie opens the box, revealing an enchanted bracelet and a quest spell, their
plans and their lives are changed forever. Trapped in a reluctant partnership
with the woman he once loved, he risks everything—including his heart—for a
second chance.
I’ve just
returned from a week spent in Virginia at Massanutten Resort with my loving
hubby. While I was away I heard from several readers who had advance copies of Charmed
Against All Odds that they loved Roxie and Leo’s story. And several
others who also loved The Haunting of Fury Falls Inn. All
I can say is, thank you so much! Makes me smile! I need to get back to writing
this week, right? I have several other books to revise and even more to write.
In recent
weeks I’ve shared the reasons for why I chose the first charm, an open book,
and the second one, a Friend charm, that the quest
spell in Charmed Against All Odds
sends Roxie and Leo out to find. The third charm is a handshake. Why?
It took me a
little while to pick a symbol for the third element of a successful
relationship. (In my opinion of course. I’m sure others may have different
characteristics they associate with having a solid relationship, but I can only
choose those elements that have worked for me in my 30+ year marriage.) Several
charming (get it?) possibilities are
out there but only one seemed just right.
The third
characteristic is one that you must have in order for the first two to work,
and for the remaining three also. It’s essential for any relationship, personal
to business and probably beyond. What is it? Trust.
Charm #3: Handshake
When you meet
someone for the first time, you have a polite level of trust but you most
likely won’t trust them with too much that’s personal and private. You’ll talk
about the weather or the local team’s odds of winning the pennant or even the
new restaurant coming to town. Safe topics. Until you get to know them. Until
they prove whether they can keep your personal and private thoughts, desires,
dreams, etc., private. Or if they’ll keep their word to you, whatever promise
they make. If you were to hear of someone else talking about those private
dreams or hopes, or if a specific or implicit promise is broken, then your
trust would fracture if not shatter. Rebuilding trust takes time—if it’s even
possible—after someone has lied or cheated or betrayed your trust in any number
of ways.
In Charmed Against All Odds, Leo must
rebuild the trust he once shared with Roxie after he not only abused his magick
powers, making his actions suspect, but also since he broke her heart by his
subsequent decision to leave town permanently. Ending their betrothal and
walking away.
Trust is a
requirement of a close relationship because without it you cannot be
comfortable sharing with anyone who you really are in private. We all put on a
persona, a mask if you will, when we go out in public. We are polite and
friendly, most of the time, but we don’t reveal much that is painful or
worrying. When someone asks, “how are you?” we tend to say, “fine, thanks” and
move on. We don’t say the absolute truth—unless we’re talking to someone we
know and trust.
When we
accept another person’s promise, it is an agreement. A contract of sorts. We
expect the other person to do everything in their power to do what they say
they will. Now we all know some of those promises are what Mary Poppins calls “pie
crust promises” – easily made, easily broken, and therefore of little lasting
import. But some promises have lasting impacts and breaking that type of
promise can leave emotional scars.
So the
handshake charm speaks to me as an agreement, a sense of trusting the other
person to some degree. The extent of that degree would most definitely depend
on how long you’ve known the other person and your previous interactions. Also
of how you’ve been treated in the past in a similar situation. But if you hope to
have a long-lasting personal relationship with anyone, then you must build it
on a foundation of trust plus a few other key ingredients…which we’ll explore
in the coming weeks.
Three charms
down, three more to go!
Don’t forget
that Charmed Against All Odds is
available for preorder before it releases on November 11. And as a bonusgift
for everyone who preorders Charmed
Against All Odds, I’ll give a free ebook copy of Book 1, Undying Love! Simply share a picture or
screenshot of your order with me
on my Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/AuthorBettyBolte) and I’ll send you a link where you can download your gift as
a thank you for ordering Roxie and Leo’s story! (If you’ve already read Undying Love, we’ll pick a different
story in the Secrets of Roseville series as a thank you gift!)
One last
thing! My next signing is in a couple of weeks, on Saturday, November 2, 11:00-3:00,
in Albertville, Alabama. Visit the Shades of Pemberley
Event Page for details.
You will be able to buy a copy of The Haunting of Fury Falls Inn (Fury
Falls Inn Book 1) AND I will have paperback copies of Charmed Against All Odds (Secrets
of Roseville Book 5) before you can buy them in the store,
too! I hope to see you there to support the Shades of Pemberley independent
bookstore as a thank you for hosting my book birthday celebration!
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter,
which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new
releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with
recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Charmed Against All Odds releases November 11 and is available for pre-order now!
Loving her brings out the magic in him…
Wedding bells
are ringing, but not for Roxie Golden. If she can survive another round of
wedding plans, then her life can return to normal. She’s perfectly happy
running the bookstore and weaving helpful magical spells. Then one stormy day,
her ex-fiancé strolls back into her life with a gift neither of them wants.
Leo King
wants to flee the small town for the big city. Forget about the shame he
brought upon himself when he abused his magical powers. First, to satisfy his
warlock father’s final wish, he must deliver the mysterious box to Roxie’s
bookstore.
But when
Roxie opens the box, revealing an enchanted bracelet and a quest spell, their
plans and their lives are changed forever. Trapped in a reluctant partnership
with the woman he once loved, he risks everything—including his heart—for a
second chance.
Betty Bolte's Musings 