Gratitude
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Sunday Snippet: The Annnd… We’re Off! Edition
And so we are. Today, Liz and I are headed down to the hills of Southern Indiana for a writing retreat–our annual winter event. This is our third January retreat. We stay in a beautiful and comfortable inn in the center of the cute little town of Nashville. The Artist’s Colony Inn is the perfect place for a winter retreat with large cozy rooms and a fab restaurant, plus breakfast is included with our room. Our first Nashville retreat was in 2022 and we happened upon the Artist’s Colony after our original hotel turned out to be … well, not really prepared for our visit. Anyway, we scooted into town,…
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Sunday Snippet: The I Shall Thole Edition
It’s here. The New Year. It snowed yesterday and I opened the front door to take a picture and to inhale the crisp, cold scent of it. Snow brings a hush to the world and peace to my heart. So many people my age leave the state for warmer climes and I totally don’t get it. I like the change of seasons here in the Midwest, I don’t mind the snow–I don’t even mind being stuck inside if the snow makes travel hazardous. I’m writing the third book in The Walkers of River’s Edge series. It’s Cameron and Harper’s story and it’s coming hard, I confess. I’m not sure why…
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Sunday Snippet: The Merry Christmas Edition
Mes Amis, it’s Christmas Eve. I’m all ready for the holiday except for Husband making his famous cranberry Christmas cake for tomorrow’s celebration at Son and DIL’s house. Tonight Sister PJ and BIL will be here with us for our traditional chicken-and-noodles Christmas Eve supper. We’ll go to candlelight service after supper and then come back here for presents and dessert. It’s been a pretty low-key holiday season so far, and you know, I’m fine with that. 2023 is almost over and I’m fine with that, too. It’s been a busy year; 2024 is probably going to be busy as well. I don’t do resolutions anymore. I don’t like that…
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Sunday Snippet: The Holiday Reprise Edition
Mes, Amies, it’s been a long week and I didn’t get to writing my snippet this week, so you get a repeat. It’s one of my personal favorites, so I hope you enjoy… Despite struggling financially, my mom always made the holidays a treat for me and my sibs. We always had a Christmas tree, the house was always filled with the scent of cookies baking and there was always, always music. Oh, the music of it all! Mom would go to the Firestone store or to the Marathon gas station every year and pick up their annual Christmas album to play on our old console stereo. Remember when a…
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Sunday Snippet: The December Memos Edition
A long time ago, I did a monthly thing called Memos–it was fun and I’m not sure why I stopped, but this week, I figured I’d revive it, so here goes… Dear Readers Who Stopped by My Book Signings This Month, Sure loved seeing you and I do so appreciate you coming out to buy books and visit with me! Thanks for buying my books as holiday gifts–what fun I had packaging them up for you! Happy to be Signing Books, Nan ****** Dear Weather, It’s about two weeks ’til Christmas–time for some snow. Not a lot, mind you, just enough that it feels more like the holidays. Wouldn’t Mind…
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Sunday Snippet: The Holy Cats, It’s December Edition
Yup…it’s December and that happened before I even realized Thanksgiving week was over. Seems as if I’m gobsmacked every single year to realize Christmas is just over three weeks away at the beginning of December. Is it just me? I didn’t used to be this way. Long ago, BAN (Before Author Nan), I was pretty well through my Christmas shopping, the house would be decorated, I’d have started my Christmas baking by now. This year, I’m just grateful to have finished my latest WIP by the deadline (which, okay, I confess, was on an extension). Now, I’m taking a writing breath, but still doing Christmas in River’s Edge promotion for…
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Sunday Snippet: The I Love Autumn Edition
Autumn is my favorite time of the year, even though I’m often restless and sad in the fall. It’s an ending in so many ways, and yet there is that feeling of joyful beginning that comes with Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season. We’re closing up the cottage this weekend, packing perishable items that can’t stay over the winter, storing linens, and winterizing. The saddest thing is leaving our lake friends. It’s odd, but in the summer, the lake often feels like our real life, and when we come home, it seems as if we are just marking time until we can go back there. I’m not sure…
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Thursday: The Happy Thanksgiving Edition
That’s all, actually. Happy Thanksgiving, mes amis. I am grateful for so many things in my life, but close to the top is that I get to share my thoughts, my joys, my sorrows, my life with all of you. Have a good day today–rest, be peaceful, spend time in fellowship with those you love, drink some good wine, and taste everything! With gratitude,
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Sunday Snippet: The Moments of Blessing Edition
Thanksgiving week is a time for gratitude. To look back on the year and count my blessings because oh, how I am blessed. This past year has been such a busy one. Between writing and book releases and editing gigs and promotion, I’ve barely had time to simply breathe. But even amidst all that scurrying and time spent at my computer, writing and working, I’ve had moments. Too many to list them all here and too many people in my life to mention them all here, although they are always in my heart, but here a few moments from this year. Moments with Husband: Dancing in a vineyard in Oregon…
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Sunday Snippet: The Going Dark Edition
Oh, mes amies, I’ve had such fun this past week with the launch of Christmas in River’s Edge, book 3 in the Weaver Sisters trilogy–more stories from River’s Edge. I love my little town so much and I’m just thrilled readers love it there, too! Reviews are coming in and so many folks want to come to River’s Edge for the holidays. Oh, how I wish we all could do the Candlelight Walk together and head to the showboat for the Flaherty’s annual Christmas Eve pitch-in lunch and holiday show! Alas… only in books. And speaking of books, I’m working furiously on book 2 in the newest River’s Edge series,…