Seaside Beginnings Today!

Seaside ad

Well, Seaside Beginnings released today. This has been coming for a while and with its release today, I’m feeling really excited. If you haven’t picked up your copy, then grab it before the weekend when the price goes back up. It’s only $1.99 on Amazon for three more days!

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

 

Celebrating 22 years of Romance!

IMG_1370

Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary! It’s hard to believe it. I talk about romance a lot in my posts, of course, I’m a romance author, but also I live it daily.

As I’ve always said, one of the tips to a great marriage is to keep the romance alive. We strive to do that in our marriage, daily. Whether it’s the quick kiss as we pass by one another or the hugs over the stove as I cook dinner, we’ve always showed our love, never embarrassed to express it in public. Of course, our son tells us to behave, which we don’t usually listen.

I’ve heard many people say that as the years pass by, the romance goes away. With us, it just grows each and every day. As the years go by, we begin to read each other’s mind, which can be a little scary.

So, with that said, how long have you been with your significant other? What do you do to keep the romance alive?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Romancing the New Year…

Good Tuesday morning peeps! How’s your new year so far? Mine has been busy. Of course tax season starts this month, not to mention the end of the year reports, income statements, W-2’s and 1099’s are all due out. Oh, and did I mention my newest book is set to release February 17th.

Whew, yeah, it’s a little busy, but those that have been reading my blog for a while, you know this is when I’m in my element. My new book is coming along great and in line with the deadline. Let’s hope it stays that way. I just need a couple of more hours in the day, but don’t we all?

Have you added any romance into the new year yet? If you haven’t, then go to any of the book sites and you’ll find something in the romance genre you like. Just cuddle up with a blanket and get lost. Hopefully I’ll have a little time in the next couple of days to do that, but for now, I’m cuddled up in a blanket, by the fire, sipping coffee and writing. Then it’s off to the office for a day filled with cleaning, organizing and setting up appointments.

Hope you’re day is going well.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Just a little reminder, “Seaside Beginnings” is on preorder at Amazon and Smashwords. Go by and get your copy preordered so it will be delivered on the release date…

By the way, tomorrow I’ll be talking taxes and the author! So come back for a little tax advice…

Writing a complex character: for me it’s Luke

Luke front cover

All characters have their complexities, but with Luke Cauthen, well, let’s just say he runs the race, leading by a head or two, maybe three. His story has been pulling at me since the start of this series over a year ago. I wanted him to be the youngest of the Cauthen men. He needs to have some influence from his older brothers, but also he’ll need their support.

With Luke, let’s see, how do I explain this man? He’s what some call a womanizer, but once you get to know him, you’ll figure that one out for yourself. One of his character flaws, well maybe not a flaw, but something that gets him into trouble with the ladies is he’d running from love as fast as he can. When a girl gets too close, she’s gone like an old shoe, out the door. Or is he running to love, but has to get the obstacles out of the way? Food for thought?

Another characterization of him is loyal. With the above comments you’re probably saying, what? Luke is loyal to the ranch. He’s never wanted to do anything but work on the ranch. That also gets him into trouble as he’s a hot head and when things don’t go the way he thinks is best for the ranch, well he goes over the edge. Usually ending up in a quarrel with one of the other three head strong Cauthen brothers.

But Luke can be tamed, and in this book you’ll get to know the woman a lot better. She’ll have him hogtied and over his saddle before he can blink an eye.

So, if you haven’t read any of this series, then I suggest you get to it. All of them are sweet stories of love, romance and family. Each of them has a character flow, but there’s always someone that can heal the wounds that flaw creates.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Tuscany

tuscany front coverIf you haven’t figured it out yet by all my reminders, I’ve entered a new manuscript in Harlequins So You Think You Can Write contest. This book is a new concept for me as it’s based across the world and it’s not a western type theme. I’m enjoying this one so much.

I’ve always wanted to go to Tuscany and through my writing and research I’m there. It’s a magical time for me as I write this book and explore the country in my dreams. I’ve learned so much about their customs, foods and the olive oil industry I could probably start one here. Amazing what a writer learns when doing research. I want to share some with you now, but please if you get a chance run, don’t walk over to Wattpad at the link https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/48304085-tuscany and view then vote on each segment of the story. The more votes the better chance I have.

I’ve entered this contest before and happily made it to the second round, which made me do a happy dance. So if you like Italian books or Italian anything oh yeah and romance, come by and check it out….

Roberto put his arm around his wife lovingly, as she reached up to place her hand over his. It was evident that their love was part of this place too. Lana wondered longingly if she’d find a love like that here. Then shaking her head, things like that didn’t happen for her. She stood up and walked over to the edge of the veranda, looking out over the olive grove as the sun slowly set. The colors were vibrant as they went from lavender to light pink.
She watched it until the colors faded into the night sky. Romeo walked up beside her, placing his hands on the wrought iron railing. “It’s like Heaven is showing off every night.”
“I’ve never seen such beauty in nature as I have here. It’s like I’ve stepped into another world.” Closing her eyes as the emotions of the evening took over.
“It is another world Lana. This is Tuscany at it’s finest. There’s not another place on earth like it.” The pride in his voice was evident.
“I’m glad to be a part of it, although it’s a small part.” Wrapping her arms around herself as a feeling of something she couldn’t quite put her hand on, but she knew it was something bad, passed over her. “Is everything alright at the mill?”
He spun around quickly, “Why would you ask such a thing?”
Putting up her hands in defense, “Sorry I asked, but I just noticed you were a little upset when you saw that woman in the plant earlier.”
Romeo ran his fingers through his dark, long hair. “It was nothing to worry about, just a nosy employee.”
“It looked like more than that to me.”
“Look lady, I’ve been taking care of this place for a long time. If there’s a problem I’ll take care of it, not you. Are we clear on that?” She could feel his breath on her face as he roared in anger.
“Don’t get a wrinkle in your toes, I was just asking a question.”
He turned and walked down the path toward the pool. For some reason she rubbed him the wrong way, but why? All she’d done was ask a question and he’d blown a fuse.
Marianna walked up to stand beside her. “Overlook my grandson. He’s a little protective of this place.”
“I’ve noticed.” Lana said with a slight frown as she looked in the direction he went. “But shouldn’t we work together, not against one another.”
“Moo Caro, he thinks you’re here to change things and that makes him agitated.” She put her hand on Lana’s shoulder, “He’s a passionate man, but deep down Romeo is a softy.” The older woman smiled and looked up toward Heaven. The smile broadened as she thought about the two young people. Maybe something would come of it.
“I look forward to meeting that side of him.” Lana said as she closed her eyes. Would he trust her one day?

Hope you enjoyed just a tidbit of the stormy relationship between Lana and Romeo. Don’t forget to check out the new chapters on Wattpad. Also check out the Romancing September Across the World Blog Tour every day of September.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Coffee, love, laughter…

IMG_0907

Good Saturday morning all! How do you like one of my new rugs? I’m super excited about this one. Can you see why? If you’ve been reading my posts for the last three years then you know why. Hint, there’s three of them… Did you figure it out yet?

This morning as soon as I opened my eyes it was evident the rain was here. So much for some yard work this morning, but I can’t complain because we need the rain. Saturdays at our house are for cleaning and writing. For some reason this week and I’m still a little confused about this one, I actually finished most of my laundry early. That means more time for writing today 😉

If you haven’t checked out my Wattpad entry, then run, don’t walk over there. Votes and views are important for this one. I also enjoy the commments. As a firm believer in the close knit writer community, I want to hear from you. One friend has already helped out by pointing out something that needed tweaking. I’m ever grateful for that too! When someone that doesn’t see the story from your head makes an observation, then you can see it clearer.

Also, for you Five Oaks Ranch fans I have a nifty little surprise that I slipped in this week when you weren’t looking. Ridge is free on most sites for a while. With Chase riding on the heels of publication I had to get some things happening. The downloads have been pouring in, which means there’s an interest in catching up. As I’ve said before, i can’t wait for you to meet Chase, my favorite of the Cauthen brood.

So, what’s your plans for today? Writing? Cleaning? Just being alive? For me, all of the above! My advice for you on this rainy Georgia day, drink a pot of coffee, hug someone you love and laugh a lot…

As always, good writing and May God Bless you…

https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/48304085-tuscany

One more thing before you go! When Tuscany’s entry on Wattpad reaches 25 views I’ll be doing a sweet giveaway, then at 50 and 100! So pass the word around and give me some reader/writer love!

What’s true love?

What is true love? It’s a question I’m asked a lot because I’m a romance author. That doesn’t put me into the category of an expert on the subject of love. Although I do read a lot about love and romance, it’s part of the job as a writer.

So, what is it? Some say that true love is a myth, what do you think? For me I’m a firm believer in this thing called true love. It’s a real thing. But true love is met by many skeptics. Here are few definitions of true love that I’ve found:

1: From the Bible (My favorite definition by the way)

1 Corinthians 13:4-7New International Version (NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

2: Dictionary.com –

noun
a sweetheart; a truly loving or loved person.
3: Webster’s Dictionary-
True´love`
n. 1. One really beloved.
That’s only 3 of the many definitions you can find when you look it up. Does this define the words? Somewhere in between all of these definitions you’ll find the true meaning of love.
Here’s my feelings about it, so sit down and get ready. Remember before you read this that I’m an author of romance, so I warned you…
True love comes from deep inside your soul. It’s the purest, deepest kind of love that you can experience because as the words say, ‘true love’, it’s true, not just lust or infatuation. Your heart beats for someone else. It goes beyond those feelings you had in high school, beyond the fast beating heart, it’s the reason your heart beats. True love is more than words spoken, gifts given or even a look, it’s a feeling all of it’s own. Nothing compares to true love and I know this, because when you find your soulmate, true love, you’ll know it. Everything else that you’ve thought was love suddenly becomes untrue.
Remember I warned you, I’m a sap for true love. So, what’s your meaning of true love? Do you believe in it or are you a skeptic?
As always, good writing and May God Bless You…16302678259_653027e186_m

Oakley – The man…

Oakley's Coming Ad

Well it’s finally Friday! I’m ready for the weekend and some serious writing time. I’ve grabbed snippets of time this week, but only small amounts so I need to make up some word counts. Also I’m receiving the final edited version of Oakley from my editor today, so what does that mean, well it means Oakley will be out next week…

Let me introduce you to the man behind Oakley. This character was interesting to write about. He’s a strong, caring cowboy with a love for animals. Since he was a young boy he always dreamed of becoming a large animal vet and he made those dreams come true.

As soon as he finished vet school he started working at the Five Oaks Ranch, his family’s horse and cattle ranch in Georgia. There’s one thing about Oakley that makes him different from his other siblings, he’s old fashioned. He struggles with his old fashioned values at every turn, especially when Ridge hires a woman as a ranch hand. This infuriates him and makes him testy.

Of course Ellen, the woman Ridge hired is a rodeo rider and can handle anything they hand her on the ranch, but Oakley thinks women don’t need to do a man’s job. The only problem with that way of thinking is it will only lead to a lot of trouble between him and her. Their mutual love for animals pulls them together, but his ways put a massive wall between them.

This book  is the 2nd in the Five Oaks Ranch series. So start with Ridge and work your way to Oakley. But Chase is on the horizon. Now that brother will give the reader a run for their money with his winning smile and love for life. He strives to be the best at what he loves and struggles with the reality of what can happen when you give up everything to chase your dream. Can’t wait to introduce you to Chase.

Go over to my website to subscribe to my newsletter so that you can keep up with all the news from the series and all the books coming out… www.stephaniehurtauthor.com.

As always, good writing and May God Bless you…

Problem? No, just a writer…

Have you ever been caught staring at someone? Come on, you know you have. I’m a people watcher. It’s part of being a writer. I’ve been sitting in a crowded room before and noticed someone doing something out of sync with everyone else. Of course then my overactive imagination stitches a story regarding why they’re acting different.

I’ve actually written stories based on people watching. It’s really fun to sit back and watch a couple in love. You wonder what their story is and then you piece it together with your own spin. Maybe they met by chance or have been friends for years and turned the tables. What’s really fun is you don’t know their true story, but your imagination can expand on what the eye sees. If they’re holding hands and giving those cute lovey looks, you can expand on the romance side of the story. Maybe they’re newlyweds or just newly dating. It’s up to your imagination.

I love to watch people in love. Guess that’s why I love weddings. A wedding can fill many pages of your mind. Most of the time I know the person getting married, but I’ve attended weddings where I’m not too familiar with the couple. I can sit and imagine their love story, the engagement and the romance. It’s fascinating really.

So yes, I have a problem, but it’s for a good cause 😉

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…