Earlier this year I got crazy and decided to join a Christmas Romance series.
Basically, all of the authors write a clean Christmas romance novella that features a mistletoe kiss. Then we release them one a day for as many days as we have authors, starting on November 1st.
Did I technically have time to write a Christmas novella? Not really. Did I do it anyway? Sure did. š And I have to say, it turned out great.
The Mistletoe Showdown is a smalltown, enemies to lovers romance that takes place during a big holiday craft fair.
I will never share a booth space with Jack Holt.
The guy stole my product ideas, heās taken my once loyal customers, and back in third grade he kidnapped my favorite pink bejeweled pen and held it for ransom.
Unfortunately, the delightful, but slightly cracked, elderly couple in charge of the annual Christmas Craft Fair in Evergreen Pines thought my business, Mistletoe Merriments, and Jackās business, Mistletoe Moments, were the same thing, so we only have one booth between us.
Jack, however, seems to think we can share a space.
Not. Happening.
Not even if Jack is all grown up, handsome enough to be annoyingly distracting, and is doing his best to beā¦kind.
Who is this guy, and what did he do with my rival?
Writing this series, which features plus sized women finding love and plenty of LOL moments, was super fun! The Crew met via an online weight loss program and decided to remain friends even after they all quit the program.
Each book tells the story of one of the girls and their journey to finding true love.
The final installment, The Guy Who Became My Grumpy Boss, is about Jessica, who is the last woman standing as the others are all either dating or married, and her desire to find her place in the world.
Iām the last woman standing. The rest of the Curvy Girl Crew have fallenā¦I meanā¦found love.
Which is great for them, but Iāve done the marriage thing, and Iām not ready to tether myself to a man again.
I mean, the only interesting guy in my life is my boss.
But heās super grumpyā¦and smoking hot. Which is why I call him Danger Zone and stay as far away as possible.
Until his co-chair for the company retreat goes and breaks her leg and Danger Zone asks me to step up and take her place.
Gosh, can I spend a long weekend in a rustic cabin with my grumpy boss and two dozen of our top executives?
The prompt was to write a tale about a haunted place that wasn’t a house.
These 24 stories and poems will take you outside of the house to new locations full of unsettling spirits and weirdness that will crawl under your skin. Youāll find abandoned theme parks, sinister assisted living facilities, dark woods, terrible toys, and even pollution that creeps in ways most unnatural. Find out why itās not safe to stray too far from home and rethink your travel plans, becauseĀ This Isnāt the Place.
Here are my top five favorite first lines in this anthology.
If you’re having a bad day, or even if you just need a laugh, check out my Babes in Spyland YouTube channel!
The first three episodes of season one are up, and read by…me.
That’s right, you get to listen to my *cough* melodious voice narrate this story!
Right now it’s only on YouTube, but I’m in the midst of setting up a Patreon account for anyone who wants to donate toward Babes and get ad-free audio! (Among many other things.)
The ebooks and paperbacks for each season will eventually be available to purchase online, but until then, go check it out. š
āUntil further notice, you will be known as Agent Smith.ā āAgent Smith?ā The three days of Super Secret Agency training had mentioned a new name, but sheād expected something more like Jane Bland or Double-Oh-Heaven. Super Secret Supervisor Mud held out a shiny silver badge with the letters SSA looming over a cartoon man with a finger to his lips. āThat is correct, Agent Smith.ā She took the badge. Maybe this was a joke. Or a newbie thing. The guys at the FBI had warned her that the mysterious SSA was quirky. āYour time at the bureau, especially in the profiling department, will have prepared you for some of what goes on here, but certainly not everything. Keep an open mind, and remember that your old name means nothing now, and until a new one surfaces, you will be called Agent Smith.ā SheāAgent Smithātried to keep her eyebrows from scrunching together. Right now, the term āquirkyā seemed like a gross understatement. āYes, maāam.ā The supervisor flinched at the use of āmaāamā, and her long face screwed up in a look of displeasure. āSupervisor or Mud will do.ā Agent Smith barely kept herself from saying, āYes maāamā againāold habits die hardāand nodded. Everything about Supervisor Mud said tall, including long arms, long legs, and long brown hair. It didnāt help that Agent Smith had to stand up straight to get to the five-foot four-inch mark. Thatās why she usually wore heels. That, and they made her legs look fantastic. On the other hand, Supervisor Mud wore practical black flats paired with a dark blue pant suit and a cream blouse. She pointed. āThe badge is your ID card. Without it you wonāt be able to get into the building or any of the systems.ā Mud then offered Agent Smith a phone. āThis is preprogrammed with your biometrics. All of your assignments, missions, orders, and emergencies will come through it.ā Theyād had Agent Smith give so many bodily fluid samples that she wondered if she could pee on the device to unlock it. Agent Smith went to take the phone, but Supervisor Mud pulled it away like an annoying teenage boy playing a joke, only there was no mirth in the supervisorās blue eyes. āDo not lose it.ā āNo, maāam.ā Agent Smith made a face. āI mean, Supervisor Mud.ā Mud gave her a flat look before she turned and started walking. Yay for the first day on a new job. It was like a full-moon Friday the thirteenth on ten cups of coffee. Agent Smith followed Supervisor Mud down a bleak, bland hall. So far, every corridor theyād come through looked exactly the sameābeige walls, white ceilings, and dull, worn carpet. Although, up ahead she saw that the carpet changed color from pale brown to baby blue with a light, swirling pattern. āOffice area,ā Mud said, waving her hand as they passed over the color switch. Two menāone dark skinned and one with blond hairāin fashionable but durable suits approached. Agent Smith didnāt miss one of them giving her exposed calves an appreciative glance. āGentlemen,ā Supervisor Mud said as they passed. āMud,ā they said in unison. Agent Smith smiled as they went by, knowing her red lipstick was in perfect order. She expected Mud to make introductions, but they kept moving. āIām afraid Iām on a tight schedule today and donāt have time to take you through the entire orientation process. Your partner should be in her office. Iāll drop you off and give the two of you your first assignment.ā They passed several doors that bore tarnished, brass name plates engraved with the words Black Turtle, Water Sprite, and Bed Head. Bed Head? What was this, the department of bad names? Her befuddlement left her distracted, so when Supervisor Mud suddenly stopped, Agent Smith almost plowed right into her boss. She called on all her core strength to stay exactly where she was and not topple forward. Gesturing at the nearest door, Mudās thin lips turned up into what could only loosely be called a smile. āThis is your office.ā āOh,ā Agent Smith said with a smile of her own, taking a nonchalant step back. āGreat.ā A yellow Post-it note covered the name plate and fluttered as Mud knocked. Scrawled in thick, black lines, the words āYou are hereā sat over a black arrow pointing at the floor. The remainder of the post-it note was covered with a grinning, cyclops smiley face and artistic flowers. They waited. Supervisor Mud checked her phone, which Agent Smith noticed was an old flip style. Another set of agents walked behind them but said nothing. After ten seconds of silence, Mud scowled and knocked again, this time with more gusto. The sound of jogging feet came through the wood. The door swung inward part way, revealing a tall, muscular woman with medium brown skin and long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore deep blue jeans, a white button-down shirt, and a navy blazer along with black Mary Jane shoes. āOh, hey, Mud,ā the woman said with a bright smile. āAgent Amphibian Queen,ā the Supervisor said stiffly. āIs Milkshakes here? I tried calling, but no one answered.ā Amphibian Queen turned her eyes on Agent Smith. āIs this our newbie?ā āAgent Smith,ā Mud said, staring at Amphibian Queen. āIs Milkshakes in?ā āSheās, uhā¦ā Amphibian Queen didnāt get to finish. The theme song from Implausible Assignment started to play. āBlast.ā Mud glanced at the caller ID. āI have to take this.ā She looked at Amphibian Queen. āFind Milkshakes, deliver Agent Smith, and give her this.ā A nondescript white envelope appeared in Mudās hand. Amphibian Queen took it. Mud gave Agent Smith a nod, stepped away, and flipped her phone open. āUpdate?ā Agent Smith watched Mud hurry back down the hall before returning her attention to the door. āSmith?ā Amphibian Queen raised her eyebrows. Agent Smith shrugged. āI guess.ā āYouād think the most brilliant minds in the country could come up with something more original.ā
One last time…click here to listen to the rest of the first episode.