Sunday Snippet: The Dog Days of Summer Edition

I think we are currently in the dog days—the hot, sultry days of late summer. I looked up why we called them the dog days, and the reason is kinda interesting. Per Google: “The dog days of summer refer to the hottest, most sultry weeks of the summer, usually running from early July to mid-August. People call them this because the ancient Romans blamed this hot weather on the star Sirius, known as the “Dog Star,” which rises and sets with the sun during this time.”

Whatever you call these mid-to-late days of August, it has certainly been sultry and hot here in the Midwest. The windows on our house are steamed up from the heat and humidity and the rain. Oh, the rain! This week has been incredibly rainy and flooding is everywhere. We’re praying for the folks whose homes are flooded and will be sending money to The Week of Compassion–our disaster fund of choice.

It poured at the lake while Min was there to visit early this week, so no swimming or boating. although we did get a few hours of wine on the deck the first night she was there.

But we played games and read and talked and had wine and Husband even got a break in the weather long enough to grill steaks. I loved having her with us even though we couldn’t do “lake stuff,” and I hope the couple days away from her very busy life and work was a balm for her spirit.

Grandboy has already gone back to school—he’s in high school now and golly, that’s a such a weird feeling for this Nanny. He’s suddenly a young man and discovering his passions and interests—acting, art, video games. I love that, I do, truly, but I miss the little chatterbox who asked questions constantly and curled up on my lap to read a story. Although, I have to say, he’s pretty interesting to talk at this age to because he’s smart and funny and has a dry wit that is remarkably mature for fourteen.

I’ve gotten a good start on book one in my new series for Tule Publishing. The Doyles of Windstar Ranch are going to be an interesting crew, and their stories are filling my imagination. Teagan Doyle—the oldest son—is talking loudest so he gets the first story. And I discovered this week that his love interest, Isabella Cruz, is the niece of a couple of secondary characters in The Rancher’s Christmas Wife, book 4 of my Juniper Falls Ranch series, which just happens to be available for pre-order… (Ha! Ninja promo!)

Since I don’t have much else in the way of news and my mind this morning is as foggy as the windows on my house, I’m going to offer you the blurb and another look at the gorgeous cover for this Christmas romance, which releases on November 19. ARCs will be available soon on Book Sprout, so watch for that news, okay?

The Rancher’s Christmas Wife

Glass artist Zoey Mitchell returns to Marietta with a plan.

Find her ex.
Get the closure she never found.
Finally move on.

Running into rugged rancher Levi Mitchell at the grocery store wasn’t part of the plan—especially when one playful exchange over a jar of capers reminds her exactly why walking away was never as easy as she’d pretended.

Levi has spent years rebuilding his life and raising his young, adopted daughter who means everything to him. Seeing Zoey again stirs feelings he buried long ago, but risking his heart is one thing. Risking his little girl’s is another, especially when her Christmas wish to Santa is a mom.

The chemistry between them burns hotter than ever, but old wounds don’t disappear just because Christmas lights twinkle throughout Marietta. Zoey wants a second chance to prove she’s no longer the woman who left. Levi isn’t sure he can trust her—not when losing her once nearly destroyed him.

As the holidays draw them together, they’ll have to decide if love deserves one more chance…or if some hearts are meant to stay broken.

Gratitude for This Week: Lake time with Min; I learned a new fun word game; My new glasses arrived and I really like them, even though I don’t wear them very much because contacts; Got a walk in between storms; A good start on the new book.

Stay well, speak out when you can–it’s how we’ll save our democracy, always choose kindness, and most of all, mes amis, stay grateful!