Loving Chistmas Trees

It's that season and, those of you who read my books, know I love everything about Christmas. The meaning of the season as well as the light-hearted fun. I particularly like Christmas trees and wanted to share an upside down one with you. Isn't this amazing? I've never done an upside down tree, but this picture tempts me to try.

I won a Carol Award!

I'm so excited. Every year the American Christian Fiction Writers hold a contest for Book-of-the-Year in various categories. My 'Christmas Bells for Dry Creek' (in Mistletoe Courtship) just won in the historical novella group. Over 600 people (writers, editors, agents) were at a dinner Sunday night in their evening wear when the awards were announced. I've gotten congratulatory emails all day so I'm celebrating in fine fashion!

Hallelujah and Pass the e-books!

I'm excited because I just noticed Harlequin has issued my back-list as ebooks! Now, for those of you looking for those old titles, there is one place you can get the books (I know we don't all have e-book readers yet, at least I don't, but someday--).

Latest Dry Creek

My latest book from the heartland of Montana is 'Wife Wanted in Dry Creek.' Uncle Charley has put an announcement in the church bulletion, asking for prayer for a wife for his nephew. Of course, everyone knows it is Conrad even though no names are printed there.

Conrad is fit to be tied -- if he wanted a wife, he would get one himself. And then the woman of his dreams drives a car into his newly-opened garage and, just when he wonders if God has answered his uncle's prayer, he discovers the car has been reported stolen!

I'm thinking most of us have had moments like this on our lives -- just when it looks like everything is going to fall into place, things start to fall apart. Can you think of something like this in your life?

New Release Coming Soon

Have you ever been poor and too proud to accept the charity others want to give you? I've never been in that position, but it's obviously on my mind. I realized both of my Christmas stories this year begin on that note. In my "Silent Night in Dry Creek," my hero is being offered a job he thinks is a pity job from a small town he left years ago. He wants to refuse, but the sheriff talks him into staying anyway. What can it hurt, he figures, to guard Jasmine Hunter?

In my novella, "Christmas Bells for Dry Creek," ( in the book "Mistletoe Courtship"), Virginia Parker fears Colter will be firing her now that hs doesn't need her to play Christmas music for the customers in his saloon. She knew the job was charity, but she doesn't know what to do without out.

Unlike my characters, I hope you are warm and well-fed this holiday season.

Going Home Again

"A Match Made for Dry Creek." is one of my favorites in the Dry Creek series because the heroine comes home after living away for many years. Whether or not one can really go home again is the question of many great books. Have you ever tried it?

I've 'gone home again' myself these days (at least partially)-- planning to spend half of my months on my family's farm in Montana so I can be close to my parents (84 years old soon, both of them) and the other half of my time in my home in Pasadena, CA. I must say I am enjoying the wide open spaces of Montana. And the sky at sunset is beautiful.

Because I grew up in this Montana community, I know many of the people around here still (and it's great). In fact, "A Match Made for Dry Creek" talks about a tradition we had in the church where I went as a child (and the church I still attend when I'm here). Just seeing the church brings back so many memories.

How about you? Do you have a childhood home that you sometimes visit? Are the same places there? And the people?

Next Dry Creek coming fast!

For those of you following the Dry Creek series, you will know that it is Jasmine's story that comes up next. Well, some of you might think it is Jasmine's and Conrad's story, but I decided the two of them weren't meant to be so Jasmine goes first in "A Silent Night in Dry Creek." I must say this is one of my favorite Dry Creek books yet. I love the hero -- I can't wait for you to meet him (he works undercover for various sheriff departments and thinks he's coming to Dry Creek to do suveillance on Jasmine, who (you will remember) is an ex-con). I don't want to tell you too much about the story, but I will say that there's lots of excitement and tenderness, too, as Jasmine makes her peace about the identify of her father and learns to give love a chance. And, of course, it's a Christmas story -- I love a good Christmas story.