If I was asked to name one thing Canberra, Australia, is known for (ignoring Parliament House and politics), my immediate answer would be tulips. Our cool climate is perfect for cultivating tulips. Each spring we hold a tulip festival called Floriade at Commonwealth Park overlooking Lake Burley Griffin from mid-September through to mid-October. A bit […]
Cover, Cover, on the Book… and #giveaway
Cover, cover, on the book — which cover is the fairest look? Choosing a cover for a new story is always entertaining. I’m working with a pro photo manipulator for my cowboy romance covers, and with an illustrator (my daughter, Hanna Sandvig) for the Urban Farm Fresh Romance covers. These two approaches require very different […]
Author newsletters – welcome gifts and more!
I hope you’re having a lovely August so far! One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is my reader newsletter, and how I can make it offer better value for my subscribers. I’d love to hear from you about what you like best in author newsletters. Many authors offer readers a welcome gift ebook – […]
A Day in the Life of Axel…and a #Giveaway
I don’t know about you, but animals are a huge part of my life. My husband and I live on a mini-farm we’ve named Manners Manor. We have a dog, two cats, chickens, an aquarium full of fish, and a stocked pond. I thought it would be fun to step inside my dog Axel’s mind […]
Hello, My Name Is… by Deb Kastner
Today I’m so excited to introduce you to Rebecca Foster Hamilton, the heroine of my most recent Harlequin Love Inspired romance out on August 20th, Her Forgotten Cowboy. Rebecca was a real challenge for me to write because I’d chosen to tackle a popular trope but one in which I’d not done before— Amnesia. When I […]
Ladies of Freedom Lake (#giveaway)
Happy Tuesday, y’all! I’m excited about the day because I have a bunch of back-to-school activities to do with my kiddos. One kid gets to go to his school, find his locker (and drop off the insane amount of school supplies), and his classrooms. There’s always that relief when he knows where he has to […]
Let’s hear it for the boys! (+ giveaway)
The other day, I saw a number of bloggers talking about the book characters they would like to have as their BFF. Now, to me, BFF means Best Friend Forever, but I’ve also seen a number of people use it to mean Best Female Friend — and in fact, all the lists I saw were […]
Sunday Edition
My least favorite spring flower (that starts blooming in August) is Australian wattle. It’s a pretty yellow flower that’s native to Australia. But, wattle is not fun to be around for those of us who suffer from pollen allergies. At this time of year I need antihistamines to overcome my struggle with hayfever symptoms. Do […]
Prepared By God
I do a weekly interview of Christian authors on my website. I didn’t come up with the interview questions — I asked readers in several different forums what they’d ask their favorite author if they had the chance. Then, I compiled all of the questions and hand them to each of my guests and let […]
Food in Romantic Fiction
Ah, food. One of my favorite subjects. If you follow me on Pinterest, you’ll get a taste for just how much I love food in all its forms. Cooking, baking, eating, sharing, and even reading about it. It’s our fuel for life. We fuel our bodies, our spirits, and our relationships over food. Today, I’d […]