****

Lights flashed in the side view mirror. Another car parked behind them, but snow blocked all
visibility through the back window. Boots crunching through snow announced the hulking figure
before he appeared at the door. A scarf and hat covered most of the stranger’s face, and only a
pair of emerald-green eyes peered in.
Scarlett inched down the window a crack. The possibility of this person being a deranged lunatic
couldn’t be overlooked.
“Scarlett?” The man stepped back and tugged down the scarf.
She knew that face and opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find a word. This day just kept
getting better. Those eyes should have been the first clue, but never in her wildest dreams did she
expect to see him again. The blur of memories racing through her mind dropped a throat-
constricting concoction of confusion, hurt, and vile hope on her chest. “Wes.”
“What are you doing here? Aren’t you a little far from home?” A line formed between his
eyebrows.
Clarice leaned forward to get a better glimpse of their potential knight in shining armor.
“More than a little.” Coherent thoughts took shape in the form of questions and accusations.
Every fiber in her being burned at the thought of asking him for help, but alternative options
were few and far between. Who knew how long before roadside assistance arrived? Fine, maybe
he’d get her out of this mess, but making small talk didn’t need to factor into the exchange.

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Book blurb: 

​​Amish girls don’t dance. Dancing is against the rules, and Nora Beiler always follows the rules…until a runaway logging truck shatters her world forever. Desperate to heal from the accident, she enrolls in Shuffle off to Fitness, an exercise class at the local senior center. She never dreamed it involved tap-dancing…or just how much she’d love to dance.

Exiled from Nashville, country music star Tucker McClure has no one to blame but himself. Weekly gigs at the local farmers’ market keep the demons at bay. The last thing he expects is to find himself in an old folks’ fitness class…dancing with a girl who makes him question everything he ever thought he wanted.

Will the past drive Nora and Tucker apart? Or can love bridge the gap between hearts and worlds?

Tell us three things we’d find if we looked under your heroine’s bed? How about the hero’s?

Honestly, absolutely nothing is under Nora’s bed but floorboards clean enough to eat from.  Nora is Amish and a very good housekeeper.  She is orderly, tidy, and neat.   Our hero, country music superstar Tucker McClure, on the other hand, is not so meticulous.  Right now he’s living with his grandfather, Hank, and the two don’t make housekeeping a priority.  Under his bed you’ll find guitar picks, crumpled up papers with scribbled song lyrics, and dust bunnies big as jackrabbits.

What is the theme of this book? If it’s part of a series, how does this book fit into the series? 

Heartsong Hills is book 2 in the Hearts of the Ridge Series, but it completely stands alone.  It’s a story of healing and self-acceptance in which the characters come to terms with difficult events in their pasts and trust in the power of love.  It’s about family, faith, community, and second chances.  And about following your joy.

Why do you write this genre? What inspired this story? Do you write any other genres?

Twenty-five years of work as a professional actor has taught me that every villain is the hero of their own story.  No one thinks of themselves as the bad guy.  They say what they say and do what they do for a reason—often out of a desire to protect or care for those they love.  To them, their actions are necessary and right. 

 If Hometown, Book 1 in my Hearts of the Ridge Series, has a villain, it’s the hero’s sister, Nora Beiler.  To Tessa, the heroine, Nora seems irrationally bitter, angry, and stubborn in her ways.  She’s perhaps the biggest impediment to Tessa’s much desired Happily Ever After.  When I decided to expand Hometown into a series, I knew I wanted Nora to be the heroine of book 2.  She has suffered tremendous tragedy in her life.  She’s wounded, physically and emotionally, and I became obsessed with understanding her.  Why does Nora act the way she does?  How can she heal?  Who will bring her out of her shell and convince her to risk loving again?  The answers to those puzzles certainly surprised Nora, and they surprised me too!  Her story is uplifting and funny—full of family, heart and plenty of swoonworthy moments.  I’m delighted to share it with readers.

Any tips to share with fellow authors/aspiring authors? What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard.

Write the book you want to read…because you’re going to end up reading it 75,000 times!

Happy October!

Fall is in full swing in my neck of the woods. The leaves are changing, the evenings are chilly, and the kids are busy with homework and sports. I love this time of year.

I’m thrilled to announce I signed a contract with Touch Point Press for my sweet, western romance trilogy. The Match Made in Montana series kicks off with Finders Keepers, Cowboy. A matchmaking 88 year-old cowboy sets up his grandson with their next-door neighbor via forced proximity. Sparks fly! Will they set the ranch, and the small town of Herd, on fire? I will share updates on the book’s status as they come 🙂

Speaking of updates: I don’t have a release date yet but I’ve been hard at work editing the fourth (and final? never say never!) Home to Harmony book. I’m hoping to have more to share with you soon. If you’ve read the other three books, you can probably guess the heroine. AND if you’ve read the series, you know that each novel is set in a different season. Only winter–and Hannah Beacon–remain.

I’ve teamed up with 40+ fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of sweet to mild contemporary romances to 2 lucky winners!

Oh, and did I mention the Grand Prize winner gets a BRAND NEW eReader? 😁 

You can win my novel HOLIDAYS, INC., plus books from authors like LEE TOBIN MCCLAIN and MOLLY JEBBER.

Enter the giveaway by clicking here 👉 https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/october22-win-a-bundle-of-sweet-to-mild-contemporary-romance/

Good luck and enjoy!