I’m Cecelia Dowdy and this is my first post for Inspy Romance blog. I’m so glad to be here! I’ve been an avid reader and writer of Christian romance for several years. I’m married and my husband is totally blind and he works as a programmer for the IRS. We have one twelve-year-old son. Although I am new to this blog, I’m not new to blogging. I’ve been writing on my personal blog, My Christian Fiction blog, for many years.
I also have an addiction to desserts. Baking has always fascinated me. Since I’ve gotten older and I have to watch what I eat, I don’t bake as much as I used to. But, for the holidays, I enjoy a baking marathon! Do you ever bake for holidays and special occasions?
I’ve taken my baking passion and turned it into a romance series: The Bakery Romance Series. Each novel/novella focuses on a main character who owns a bakery. I love writing these stories and I’ve also formed my own company, Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. I’ve had several readers to comment that reading my books makes them hungry. Currently there are seven books in the series. Some are included in box sets and one is scheduled to be released next year.
To celebrate my first blog post, I’m giving away a copy of Sweet Dreams, book three in The Bakery Romance Series.
My books are loosely connected, so, you do not have to read them in order. Here’s short summary for Sweet Dreams:
Misty Stewart found Christ shortly after the birth of her baby, causing her to make drastic changes in her life. Short-tempered and street-smart, she realizes being around her un-saved, dysfunctional family is draining her, so she feels the Lord wants her to distance herself from her relatives. She hopes this distance from her family will allow her to deepen her faith, making it possible for her to raise her two-year-old daughter, Jennifer, in a better environment. Struggling to raise her daughter alone, she bonds with her new neighbor, Sterling Richards. She’s drawn to kind-hearted Sterling, but wonders about the deep sadness that he harbors. Sterling has familial problems that run deep, and romance is the last thing on his mind.
Sterling Richards, a professional baker, is grieving over the recent death of his father/business partner. Since his father left him as the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy, his relationship with his identical twin brothers is strained. Why would his father fail to include his twin sons as part of the inheritance? He now struggles to mend the relationship with his brothers, struggling to run his father’s bakery alone.
Can Sterling and Misty find the courage to love one another?
I’m giving away one copy of Sweet Dreams. The giveaway will remain open until October 14, 2017.
Cecelia Dowdy has been an avid reader since she learned to string letters together to form words. While pursuing a business degree in college one of her professors tried to convince her to get an English degree since he felt she was a great writer. Years later, after receiving her BS in Finance, she took her former teacher's advice, and started pursuing her literary career. She loves to read, write, and bake delicious desserts during her spare time. She also loves visiting new places and listening to old tunes with her husband. Currently she resides with her spouse and pre-teen son in Maryland.
welcome Cecelia. I am the same way, now that I have gotten older, I need to watch what I eat so baking has been cut way back. But during the holidays I do a large amount of baking also. And I have found Paleo has helped a lot. Especially since I can no longer do plain flour and sugar. Your book sounds like a great one. I look forward to reading it. It is on my list.
Thanks Lori. I’ve never tried Paleo, but will need to keep it in mind. So glad you visited the blog today and read my post! Have a great weekend!
Welcome to the blog, Cecelia! I don’t bake much anymore because I can’t have gluten anymore. I’m not a fan of GF baked goods that I make. lol I generally don’t bake, my family wishes I would though, I think they miss the Christmas cookies, but they have to settle for store bought now.
How do we enter the giveaway? No place to do i5.
Welcome, Cecelia, from another Inspy Romance newbie! I’m not a big baker, but I sure appreciate those with the gift!
Hi, Kimberly! So sorry to hear that you can no longer have gluten. I had some GF cookies once and felt that something was missing. Oh well, there are some good SB cookies out there for your family to enjoy! One of my favorite SB cookies is Walker’s Shortbread! Delicious! They also have a GF version, but, I’ve never tried it!
Hi, Brenda! Thanks for the welcome!
Hi, Walter Daniels
When you comment, you’re automatically entered into the giveaway. Have a wonderful day, and thanks for visiting the blog!
I enjoyed reading your blog.
Your series sounds like it would be a good one to read.
Welcome Cecelia.
I’m sure you will be a wonderful addition to this group of fantastic authors. Your book sounds great and I’m sure I’d hate you after(not!) because I’d be wanting to try and eat all the things you write about. UGH! All kidding aside, I do wish you well, and God’s wonderful blessings on you.
Wow Cecelia! Loved the blurb from the book. It really looks good. I have to admit I like sweets and especially chocolate. We don’t keep mant sweets in the house. My hubby took over the kitchen when I was still working and he was retired. He got us fairly healthy and HE lost weight! I’ve put some on! We do eat healthy but I guess I ran around more when I was working. Back to excercises! Yah right. I’d rather read! Blessings!
Looking forward to reading more posts from you! I don’t bake much but love love love baked treats!! My favorite is cookies, I would rather eat cookies than cake any day. My husband loves pie, so I try to bake him a pie a couple of times a year. As a type II diabetic, I really have to watch my carb intake, but I do have one muffin recipe that I have adjusted to lower the sugar and fat and increase the fiber, and they are quite tasty even after all that!!
I do enjoy reading and baking. As I’m older I have to give away a good bit of the baking so I don’t eat it all. I do get hungry when reading about baking! I enjoy it though.
Welcome to Inspy Romance, Cecelia! Like many here, I used to bake more than I do now, and it’s mostly the weight thing. But I’ll have the grandgirls this weekend, so will NEED to bake cookies, right? And it’s Thanksgiving here in Canada, so that means pumpkin pie. ;)
Welcome! I do love to bake, especially when it gets cold – a good way to warm up the house :-)
Just read your blog and my son is blind also. He has RP & less than 2% peripheral vision in one eye. The other he can only see shadows if the light is right. I love to bake, in fact as soon as I finish this post going to bake a lemon pound cake. I promised my grandson one this week & was missing one ingredient. He’ll be 14 in December. Its his favorite cake. Thank you for sharing about your family.
Welcome Cecilia! I also love to bake, but like you have done less of it as I got older and busier. Plus my waistline certainly can do without the extra sweets.
I do Valerie in the fall and as the holidays draw closer. I’ve been itching to make some pumpkin bread but haven’t gotten around to it yet this fall.
Welcome to Inspy Romance! Enjoy reading your bakery stories since I worked in a bakery as a teen! Love baking for the holidays and special occasions! My 15 year old deaf Sheltie loves the PUMPKIN Bacon Biscuits I Make for her monthly! Liking forward to baking cut out sugar cookies for the holidays with my 4 year old granddaughter!
Thanks, Janet! I’m glad you read my blog post!
Thanks, MFL!
Thanks for your blog. You are a new author to me, and I would love to win a copy of your book. Blessings on you as you write. ?
Welcome, Cecelia! So glad to see you here!
Thanks Paula! You like chocolate? So do I! Actually I do have another book in The Bakery Romance Series entitled Shades of Chocolate. The main character owns a bakery that specializes in chocolate desserts! :-)
Hi, Ellen! Glad to hear about your muffin recipe! Sounds like your muffins would pair well with a good cup of coffee!
Hi, Diana! I rarely give away my baked goods. Between the three of us, we eat them all! If they taste good, I simply cannot resist! I do get hungry when I see a tasty recipe online, though! I want to try the recipe, but, most of the time, I do not! If I did, I’d be making a sweet treat everyday and I don’t need all that flour and sugar! LOL!
Hi, Valerie!
Cookies? Pumpkin pie! I might stop by and join you and your grandkids this weekend! :-)
Hi, Margaret! Yes, baking is a wonderful way to warm up the house! Plus, that amazing smell lingers….makes it seem like the house is overflowing with delicious goodness!! :-)
Hi, Pat! Thanks for telling me about your son. Lemon pound cake is my favorite. Which ingredient were you missing? Actually, I’ve had some folks to tell me that mine is the best lemon pound cake they’ve ever tasted (no, I’m not kidding). Here’s the link for the recipe – it’d be interesting to see how this recipe compares with yours! http://ceceliadowdy.com/for-fun/
Hi, Patty! Pumpkin bread! I like it! I’ve never made it, though. I’ve only sampled when others have baked it. I’ve also bought it from the grocery store! You should make some today! :-)
Hi, Renate! It’s always fun to bake with the little ones, isn’t it? So nice of you to make pumpkin bacon biscuits for your Sheltie! I can honestly say that I’ve never made dog treats before, but, I’ve seen several dog biscuit recipes online!
Thanks!
Thanks, Autumn! I’m so glad to be here!
I’d rather read than bake! lol When hub became diabetic, I quit baking!
Your book sounds good. There are some people you just need to stay away from. Thanks for this opportunity. You did well as a first timer.
Welcome, and so happy to see you here, Cecelia!! I love to bake also, so maybe that’s why I love your books! Great post!
Welcome Cecelia. I loved reading your blog and the blurb on the book. It sounds like a very good read. Thanks for the chance of a win.
I love baking too. Like you, if I bake it, I have to eat it and I’m at an age where the pounds are hard to get off once I put them on. Oh well, the holidays are coming and I’m going to splurge.\
God Bless.
Hi, Donna! Thanks for the welcome! Yes, go ahead and SPLURGE!
Thanks, Nancy!
I love to bake, but don’t do as much as I used to. Thank you for the chance. Blessings
Welcome Cecilia!
I like to bake when I’m inspired, but I’m a much greater fan of eating, specially sweets!
Hi Cecelia!! Lovely to see you on Inspy Romance :-) I too do a lot more baking around the holidays. It’s one passion that I love to practice and my family doesn’t mind at all, lol! But like you too, I’ve cut down a lot on how much I do since both my husband and I don’t need all the extra sugar and calories. So I save it for special occasions like birthdays or Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thanks for the great post, I’m looking forward to seeing more of you here. Blessings!
Welcome Cecelia! I’ve read one other series set in a bakery and really enjoyed it. I enjoy baking, espeially at Christmas and have a few favorites that I always like to make.