I’m excited to share with you that MEG, book 20 in the Angel Creek Christmas Brides Series, released today! I hope you’re one of the many who had it preordered so that you already have the book on your e-reader. It’s also available in print and is free in Kindle Unlimited.
I admit I'm pleased at how this book turned out. Beta reader reports have been very favorable. I hope you will read and enjoy Meg and Curtis' story.
Having children as secondary
characters is something I enjoy. How an adult reacts to a child tells a lot
about the person. You’ll see what I mean in MEG when Curtis McClain has to
adjust to two surprise orphans Meg brings with her to Angel Creek in Montana
Territory.
Curtis grew up in a cold-mannered
family and doesn’t know how to show affection. Meg has to teach him what being
a family means. She’s just the feisty female for the job.
When Meg Todd learns her bullying brother-in-law has horrifying plans for her future, she asks an attorney family friend for help escaping. Meg wants her own husband and home and is willing to move over halfway across the country to achieve her goal. Along the way she agrees to take two children for their dying mother. Is she too impulsive? Will Curtis and the children become the happy family of Meg’s dreams?
Curtis McClain has to be careful with
his small savings or it won’t fund his dream of his own newspaper. He wants a
wife—and he needs someone to help him with the newspaper. If he can combine the
two, then he’ll be all right. In a few years, they can start a family. But,
will a woman want to move to the middle of nowhere on those terms? Will she
grow to care for him in spite of his reserved nature?
He is slightly annoyed when his wife
shows up with two orphaned children. When he learns the amount of her
inheritance, he decides she won’t be content to stay with him. What does she
need with an almost penniless newspaper owner when she has two children and the
money to live wherever she chooses? The boy and girl are well-behaved but he
still isn’t certain he could accept them as his own. That is, until a
terrifying event occurs that forces him to make a decision and take quick
action.
When he stepped forward, he was wearing
a frown. “I’m expecting Meg McClain.”
He was tall with dark brown hair and
startling bright blue eyes. Not Greek god handsome, he was ruggedly attractive.
His posture gave her the impression he was ill at ease.
“Hello, Curtis. I’m Meg and these are
now our children. Penny is four and Tom is six. How they came to be ours is a
long story. Perhaps it can wait until we’re somewhere warm.”
Poor little Tom’s face clouded with
worry. “I sure hope you’re not gonna be mad at us or our new Mama, sir.”
“New
Mama?” Curtis’ eyebrows raised.
Before she could add anything, Tom
added, “We’ll be real good and I’ll do all kinds of chores and help you. I
reckon I look small but I’m strong.” He raised his little arm as if he expected
Curtis to test it.
Curtis’ gaze turned to Tom and his frown
softened. “You’re a hard worker, are you? I can probably find things that need
your help.”
“You won’t be sorry, sir.”
Meg cuddled Penny’s head on her shoulder
while she repeated her request. “I wonder if we can get inside? I’m sure we’ll
be able to tolerate the weather, but we’re not yet used to the cold.”
He handed Tom the valise and then picked
up the two suitcases that belonged to the children. “I’ll arrange to get the
trunks later. Looks as if there are several.”
Carrying Penny, she followed, glancing
at Tom to make sure he could keep pace. “I brought as much as I could. I didn’t
know how much in the way of household supplies a bachelor would have. Plus,
many are family things I wanted to save.”
“The answer to the first is not much. I
only brought a few personal items and the rest was newspaper equipment. It’s
heavy and cost a lot to ship.”
“I imagine getting it here safely was
complicated as well. Is it far to your house?”
He actually chuckled. “Across town, or
what there is of Angel Creek. I recently bought the house from folks who were
moving to the southwest.”
FRESH APPLE CAKE
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups peeled, cored, and chopped raw apples
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup pecans, chopped
Add 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries to batter for color (and flavor) for a holiday cake.
This
cake is also very good served warm with hot spiced apple cider for an afternoon
tea or winter evening treat.
Small loaves make great token
gifts for friends (especially if accompanied by cookies and perhaps a few
pieces of candy).
My mom used caramel icing on her Bundt
apple cake. She made wonderful caramel. I didn’t get that DNA because I have
trouble not scorching the sugar.
Please remember that CHRISTMAS COMES
TO DICKENS is only available for a short time now. My novella in the
contemporary anthology is HOLIDAY HEARTS. I love this anthology and hope you
will too. Only 99 cents for ten original stories set in a perfect town. The
universal buy link is at https://books2read.com/DickensChristmas
Also still on sale are the Yours
Truly: The Lovelorn historical romances. Mine is DESPERATE IN DELAWARE. They’re
99 cents each through the end of December. It’s at https://mybook.to/Mina
Do you have social-distancing (new 2020 phrase) plans to celebrate the season? Our youngest daughter took me to look at Christmas lights yesterday evening. So many gorgeous displays! One area of a nearby city has a contest and traffic-stopping yard displays. We try to go each year.
Don’t miss the aligning of planets on
December 21 on the Winter Solstice. We plan to view them. I expect to get an
idea of what drew the wise men to Bethlehem when Christ was born.
Whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Moslem, or any other religion, I hope you receive peace in your heart. No matter how you’re coping now, my hope is the coming year brings you joy, peace, good health, and prosperity.
This has been a stressful year, but also one filled with blessings.
I’m grateful for many things—my faith, my family, my pets (who are part of the
family), and for you!
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