Book Blitz: CHRISTMAS ROMANCE SHORT STORIES

-->Debbie currently lives in northern California where the beautiful landscapes are often the settings in her books. The jagged coastline, the rolling hills with vineyards and the redwood forest make wonderful sceneries for her romance novellas.
When Debbie isn’t writing or traveling to a book signing, she’s visiting her family on the east coast, traveling to other places on her bucket list, enjoying her backyard, hiking with her husband and riding on the back of their motorcycle.
Although she currently writes romance and women’s fiction, Debbie’s book Ties That Bind is categorized as general literary fiction. Based on true events, Ties That Bind holds a special place in her heart.
As an avid animal lover and parent to two rescue dogs, Debbie donates a portion of her proceeds to animal rescue organizations. When you purchase one of her books, you’re also helping a furry pet with shelter, food and ultimately a new home!

Q & A with the Author:

1.       Describe yourself in 50 words or less.

I’m a very compassionate and kind person. Probably to a fault. I can’t say no hardly ever and then become stressed over too many things on my list to accomplish. I’m an avid animal lover and I donate a percentage of all book sales to animal rescue.

2.       What do you love most in the world?

My family – the humankind and my furbabies. 

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Saving Peters Tree Farm

-->After the death of her father, Charlotte Peters makes the big decision to move back to Archer Lodge, North Carolina to help her mom and the family’s failing Christmas tree farm. After a quick stop into the local hardware store, Charlotte is confronted with a part of her past she’d nearly forgotten about. Or had she? Can Charlotte stay focused on why she came to Archer Lodge and let the past be the past, or will her heart be broken once again?

Say It Ain’t Snow! 
Melissa Curry is desperately trying to save her family's ski resort. The drought has done everything it can to dry up their business. When she discovers the town council is planning a detour through the city that will likely chase the rest of the tourists away, Melissa jumps into action to save the day and the town.

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Snippet:

From Saving Peters Tree Farm

Charlotte called a team meeting to discuss final plans. Her team included her mom, Wiley, Ryan, and Neil. She wanted to make sure everyone had their part done and knew their role in the festival. Mrs. Peters had made snacks, and as everyone gathered around the huge oval dining table, the group discussed and munched away on Mrs. Peters’ delectable treats.

“Mom, how do you feel about helping with the roasting pit?”

“I definitely would love that, Charlotte,” her mom replied.

“You’d make sure supplies were available and help the little children skewer their marshmallows,” Charlotte said with a bit of a businesslike tone.

Charlotte’s mom nodded her head. “Understood,” she said as if she were in the military.

Charlotte smiled. “Wiley, you’re going to be in charge of the hayrides. You’ll make sure everyone is safely seated in the trailer before you start up that tractor. We don’t want any injuries,” Charlotte said.

Charlotte looked up from her paper and saw Wiley saluting her. Looking over her flock of helpers, she said laughing, “Okay. That’s twice I’ve been referred to as a military leader, in some form or fashion.”

“No, you’re doing a great job supervising this huge undertaking. We’re just trying to keep things happy around here,” Wiley interjected, looking around the group for moral support.

“He’s right, Charlotte. You’re doing a fantastic job. You know us. We’re troublemakers,” Neil said, playfully punching Ryan.

Wiley could sense they’d touched a nerve with Charlotte. The stress of pulling off such an event was overwhelming. “Yeah, Charlotte. We’re just giving you a hard time. We don’t mean anything by it,” he said, gently squeezing her arm.

Charlotte looked around at the group. All eyes were upon her. She cleared her throat and continued. “And just in case you’re wondering what I’ll be doing…I’ll be walking around handing out flyers and talking to people about what we’ll be doing here at Peters Tree Farm during the Christmas season. I want to make sure that everyone who walks through our little gate knows us as the fun Christmas tree farm with the best Christmas trees. Hopefully, we’ll have a win under our belt too. That would be an added bonus. We need to build repeat customers. I’ll also be pitching in wherever I’m needed,” Charlotte said, beaming.

“We have just a couple of days left, so please get the word out by telling all your friends and neighbors. And for all you Facebook and Twitter fanatics—hashtag petersfarm.” Charlotte giggled.

“Thank you all so much for your hard work. Mom and I both thank you,” Charlotte said, pulling her mom close for a hug.

Motioning for the group to join them, Charlotte called out, “Everyone in for a group huddle. On the count of three,” she yelled.

And then, the group high-fived each other.

A tear formed on Charlotte’s bottom eyelid. She was so happy with how things were shaping up. She knew her father would be proud.

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Book Blitz: THE CHRISTMAS BIKE

 

-->Tara Mayoros teaches guitar, paints, occasionally bakes, and loves working with plants. She's an avid collector of globes and maps, as they help with her incurable case of wanderlust. The Rocky Mountains are her home and they call to her whenever she is in need of inspiration. She explores them regularly with her husband and three children.

Connect with the Author here: 

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Christmas is already going to be tough for Marie and her family. When a series of events is set in motion long before a Christmas Eve tragedy, she is too occupied to notice God's grace. An emergency letter to Santa sets her on a quest for a Christmas miracle. With time running out, she prays for the first time in a long time. A miracle does happen, but it is not what she expected.

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Top Ten List:

             Here's a list of fun fact and some of my favorite things:

Fun facts:

*My husband and I have applied to to the Amazing Race 5 times, we got call-backs once. But didn't make the show. It would be our ultimate dream to travel and win!

*I love winter sports - skiing, snowshoeing, sledding.

*I love fantasy - Lord of the Rings, The Last Unicorn, Legend, Juliette Marillier is my favorite author of fantasy.

*Horse-riding is one of my favorite things! A horse is my spirit animal.

*Halloween is my favorite holiday and I usually go crazy with decorations and costumes.

Favorite things:

*Spending time with my sweet husband and awesome kids is my favorite! Our family has a Jeep and we go on many, many adventures together in it.

*Being in the mountains is my favorite place to be.

*I love having an art room and I paint and create a lot of things.

*One of my favorite things to do is to find a treasure and make it better. We've flipped many homes and are currently remodeling the one we are living in now.

*I like unusual jewelry, shoes, and music. And food - I love food from different countries!

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Book Tour: THE TREE KEEPER'S PROMISE

-->Tamara Passey was born and raised in Massachusetts around a large family, one that has served as inspiration for most of her writing. She was named Arizona Young Mother of the Year in 2013 and contributes marriage and family articles to FamilyShare.com. She loves most creative endeavors and when she isn't writing or re-writing, you can find her baking or cross-stitching or walking--though not all at the same time. She lives with her husband and three children in Arizona. Other titles by Tamara include The Christmas Tree Keeper: A Novel, and Mothering through the Whirlwind, a short memoir.

Connect with the Author here: 

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Four seasons. That’s how long Angela Donovan hoped to know Mark Shafer before they married. But less than a year later, she still fears that she’s repeating the mistake of a failed relationship. 

As Christmas approaches, she senses Mark’s plans for a proposal, and wonders if she can learn to trust again. Mark has learned all there is to know about the Shafer miracle trees—or so he thinks. 

Papa reveals secrets about the trees’ matchmaking power just as a highway expansion threatens to destroy the family legacy. Mark is determined to save the farm, and the promise of love stirring in the branches of the Shafer miracle trees. Heartwarming and engaging, 

The Tree Keeper’s Promise captures the warmth and wonder of the holiday season.

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Top Ten List:

•  Won some poetry contests in high school, probably gave me way too much encouragement.

•  Favorite odd job: worked security at an art museum.

•  I can spell gobbledygook.

•  I miss fall foliage, cool misty rain, and the need for a warm sweater. But I don’t miss shoveling snow.

•  I prefer ocean over mountain, sunset over sunrise. Yet when I head to the gym I get to watch the sunrise over a fair-sized mountain and it’s beautiful every time.

•  Love Jane Eyre.

•  Favorite word: optimism.

•  To get through revisions, I bake a lot of chocolate chip cookies.

•  New favorite food: salted-caramel gelato.

•  One crafty thing I like to do: make new wreaths for my door.

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

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Book Tour: SWIM SEASON

Sometimes winning is everything. Champion swimmer Aerin Keane is ready to give up her dreams of college swimming and a shot at the Olympics. As she starts senior year in her third high school, Aerin's determined to leave her family troubles behind and be like all the other girls at Two Rivers. She's got a new image and a new attitude. She doesn’t want to win anymore. She's swimming for fun, no longer the freak who wins every race, every title, only to find herself alone. But when her desire to be just one of the girls collides with her desire to be the best Two Rivers has ever seen, will Aerin sacrifice her new friendships to break a longstanding school record that comes with a $50,000 scholarship?

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During swim season you can find Marianne Sciucco, a dedicated Swim Mom for ten years, at one of many Skyline Conference swim meets cheering for her daughter and her team, the Mount Saint Mary College Knights.

Marianne is not a nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse. A lover of words and books, she dreamed of becoming an author when she grew up but became a nurse to avoid poverty. She later brought her two passions together and writes about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues.

Her debut novel "Blue Hydrangeas," an Alzheimer’s love story, is a Kindle bestseller, IndieReader Approved, a BookWorks featured book, and a Library Journal Self-e Selection. She also has two short stories available on Kindle, "Ino's Love" and "Collection.”

A native Bostonian, Marianne lives in New York’s Hudson Valley, and when not writing works as a campus nurse at a community college.

Connect with the Author here: 

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Excerpt #2

Minutes later, I stood on the pool deck with an odd blend of girls vying to earn a place on the team. I spotted the usual huddle of newbies benched together at the far end of the bleachers, glancing at each other nervously and at the seasoned swimmers with something like awe. On the opposite end were the members of last year's championship team, all wearing team T-shirts and chatting like old pals, ignoring everyone else. In the middle was a bunch who looked like they wanted to go back to bed, the ones whose parents pushed them into a sport and who chose swimming because we did it indoors and it looked easy. Most of them wouldn't make it.

I found a place to stand against the wall and blocked out the curious glances shot my way, using the time before practice began to check out my surroundings. Aunt Mags had said the natatorium, built just a few years ago, was state-of-the-art.

Banners hung from the rafters and on clean white walls, touting the team's success, and an enormous leaderboard listed all of their champions and their accomplishments.

A wall of windows on the farthest side and a ceiling loaded with skylights filled the room with light.

The six-lane pool had blue and white flags and lane lines, and the Trailblazers logo – a torch - was laid out in blue tiles on the bottom.

The floor tiles were a mosaic of white and three shades of blue.

The air was thick with the smell of chlorine.

I checked my expression, not wanting anyone to catch me gaping over the finest natatorium of any team I'd joined. The thought of swimming in it, of calling it "home" for the next few months caused a thrill of excitement in my belly. Around me, the other girls talked and laughed, none of them seeming to appreciate the beauty of the pool and the privilege to use it.

"Good morning girls." A man's voice cut through the chatter, and each girl sat up at attention. "Let's get started."

The voice belonged to an older man, with bushy white hair and bifocals, dressed in the school's colors: navy blue shorts and a white polo shirt. Coach Steven Dudash. I hadn't met him yet – he was out of the building when my father and I visited the high school – but Maggie and her husband, Pat, gave him high praise. He’d coached the Two Rivers boys and girls swim teams for more than twenty years, and they were both winning teams.

He pulled a chair behind him, positioned it in front of the bleachers, sat down, and organized the pile of paperwork on his clipboard. “Good morning,” he said again, studying us over the rim of his bifocals. “I'm happy to see last year’s team back for another year. And welcome to those of you here for the first time. I’m glad you decided to give us a try.”

He took a swig from an extra tall cup of coffee before continuing. “For those of you new to the team, meet Coach Denise.” He gestured toward the young woman who accompanied him. “She's my daughter. I coached her for six years when she swam for Two Rivers and got her name on the leaderboard."

I checked out the leaderboard and saw she held the record in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. Good creds.

“This is her second year as assistant coach," he said. "She did a terrific job last year so I invited her back.”

The young blonde smiled at him and the swimmers cheered.

"Yay Coach D!" a few seniors shouted.

“It’s great to be back,” she said. “Ready to win another championship?”

The shouts and applause were deafening.

"During the next two weeks,” Coach said when the noise died down, “you'll all be working hard, doing drills both in the pool and in the weight room, four hours a day, six days a week. During the season, you'll be practicing from after school until five or six every weekday, and four hours on Saturday. Sunday is a resting day. And, of course, you will compete in swim meets at least twice a week. So, if you don't think you can make it through the first two weeks, you might as well leave now." He paused, waiting for anyone to opt out before we even got started. No one moved.

"Okay," he continued. "Most of you know that Two Rivers won the Division Championship last year, and the two years before. I plan to win again. When we do, and I say when, not if, we will be the first team in the division to ever win four consecutive division titles.”

Last year’s team broke out in wild applause and cheers. Coach waited for the outburst to die down before he continued.

“I need performers,” he said, “swimmers who aren't afraid to push themselves, to try new things and discover where they best support the team. So, in practice you're all going to swim every stroke, you're all going to swim distance, and you're all going to swim sprints. Each person will do all she can to defend our title."

Silence filled the pool deck as the girls looked each other over, wondering where each would fit in.

"That's the good news." He paused for effect. No worries. He had everyone's riveted attention. "But I've got some bad news. For years, the school board has been supportive of our team, and we've reciprocated by working as serious athletes and turning in winning records. Most years, the team can support as many as thirty-eight swimmers. This year, due to a budget crisis in our school district, our funds have been cut, and I can only put twenty-eight girls on the team."

Raised eyebrows and shocked inhalations followed this bit of news. I counted bodies: thirty-six.

"Yeah, eight of you will be cut, either at the end of this week or the end of next. Anyone want to leave now?"

Again, no one moved.

Coach Dudash smiled. "I like your level of commitment. Let's see if you can keep it under pressure."

He spent the next half hour reviewing team policies and the season’s schedule. I'd heard such talks before from other coaches and tuned him out while I studied the other girls, trying to figure out what their positions might be.

Most of them focused on Coach’s every word, but last year's champs ignored him and whispered among themselves. One of them, a lanky girl with sun-bleached hair and a killer tan, looked over the group of wannabes and held up her fingers one to five, scoring them, I guess, on whether or not they had a chance. Her friends snickered, trying to act as if they were paying attention to Coach instead of fooling around.

At last, the lanky girl's frosty blue eyes rested on me, and I met her gaze straight on. We stared at each other for a few seconds before she looked away first, then held up three fingers. It seemed she was ambivalent. I could go either way.

I was ambivalent too. I joined this crowd as a walk-on, someone with no history with the team and questionable ability. In their eyes, I was no better than a wannabe who needed to prove herself to gain a spot on the team and the other girls' respect.

I showed up because it's what I did at the start of every school year. Swimming was my only sport, and I was good at it. Really good. Still, I almost skipped tryouts today. The truth was, I didn't have the energy to join a new team, in a new school, for the third time. If anyone found out I’d won championship titles in club and varsity last year they'd expect great things from me, and I didn't want the pressure. Swimming was no longer the focus of my life. It was my therapy, and I wouldn’t let anyone mess that up.

The glimmer of challenge in the way the lanky girl looked at me caused a stirring in my gut, and I shot it down. I didn't come here to get involved in any personal challenges. I came here to swim, and not make any waves. My plan was to get through the senior year and go away to college, away from my troubles, and on to a new life that I could control.

 

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