Welcome to the Kootenays, affectionately known as The Koots. As in, “Where do you live?” “In The Koots.” Kootenay is the anglicized name for the local First Nations people who live in British Columbia and Montana/Idaho. Fun fact: the American spelling of the Kootenay River, which winds through both countries, has an i on the end instead: Kootenai.
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Valerie Comer’s winner is Debbie P!
Heather Gray’s winner is Sherri G!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Specials this Week
Love and Roses by Sally Bayless is FREE through June 22.
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Jan Thompson is hosting a takeover this week! Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance.
This river section boasts a great swimming hole and is big enough for half a dozen kids to play in kayaks while others jump off the rope swing and others swim and play in the shallows. It’s a favorite for our extended family campout, and our grandgirls love it here!
Kootenays of BC, Canada
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Janet W Ferguson shared redemption and themes in fiction.
On Tuesday, Staci Stallings discussed be, do, have (the ultimate lesson).
On Wednesday, Kimberly Rose Johnson divulged the power of friendships.
On Thursday, Hallee Bridgeman shared writing what you know (character edition)… and #giveaway
On Friday, Andrea Boyd announced all she wants to do is dance… and #giveaway
On Saturday, Marion Ueckermann admonished us to give ourselves a holiday — travel by book!… and #giveaway
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Merrillee Whren
Tuesday: Lindi Peterson (Christmas in July)
Wednesday: Angela Ruth Strong
Thursday: Liwen Y Ho
Friday: Deb Kastner (Excerpt! The Black Sheep’s Salvation)
Saturday: Julie Arduini
Kootenays of BC, Canada
New Releases
June 2020
Lavished with Lavender (Urban Farm Fresh Romance 9) by Valerie Comer
The Cowboy’s Missing Memory (Hill Country Cowboys) by Shannon Taylor Vannatter
The Black Sheep’s Salvation (Rocky Mountain Family) by Deb Kastner
Meet the Moms (Matchmaking Moms of Oceanview Church 1) by Laurie Larsen
Second Chance Gift (Pinecrest 2) by Merrillee Whren
July 2020
Hope for Love (Hope Ranch 3) by Elizabeth Maddrey
The Truth About Fame (Faith & Fortune 2) by Toni Shiloh
Poppy’s Proposal (Bloom Sisters Book 2) by Tara Grace Ericson
Finding Love for the Loner (Matchmaking Moms of Oceanview Church 2) by Laurie Larsen
Sing with Me (Seaside Chapel 3) by Jan Thompson
Kootenays of BC, Canada
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Today, I’m not around to answer comments until evening. Sorry ’bout that! We’re off this weekend camping and kayaking with our kids and grandgirls, and I’m thankful for the technology to schedule posts in advance :) Promise I’ll catch up with comments when we get home.
Valerie Comer is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner who writes where food meets faith and fiction. She injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Her life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Beautiful photos! I love nature photography.
Thank you for sharing this part of your world! Absolutely beautiful! Hope you are having a wonderful time with your family! Happy Father’s day to your men!!
Oh, this area is going on my bucket list of places to go!! Beautiful pics!! Hope of y’all enjoy your time together!!
Gorgeous, sounds like you will be having a great time :)
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
From Scripture Lullabies
Oh, what wonderful grace we have in knowing the One who wrote the job description for fatherhood is the same One who equips every dad for the task! He also defines “faithfulness.” It is not a measure of paycheck or patience, it’s not scored on the obedience of a child or the advancement of a career — no, God defines faithfulness in eternal terms. A faithful father is one who finds his identity in the only perfect Father, the One who has equipped him for the job, just as promised in 2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” — fatherhood included. Not a day goes by that the challenges of this job don’t highlight our insufficiencies, but in those weaknesses, we see God work wonders in our hearts and families.
He is a faithful Father, and in His great grace,
He equips us to be also.
Thanks again for the beautiful pictures! As for kayaking, mine would have to be something like a VW beetle with a sun roof :).
Love the photos. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you… me too!
Thank you! My family’s dads all had a great day :)
It is a terrific place to live all the time, but we are especially grateful now when we’re supposed to stay close to home! It’s certainly no hardship!
We did, thank you!
Thank you, Natalya!!!
Sounds fun LOL
Thank you :)
beautiful landscapes
Thanks, Denise!
Oh my goodness, I love your pictures Valerie! I SO want to visit there. It looks like a lovely spot to spend lazy summer days in :-)
Thanks for sharing them with us!
Thanks, Trixi! We do live in a very beautiful spot for sure. :)
Hi Valerie.
That looks absolutely gorgeous! I’m guessing the weather is cool in the early summer from snow run-off? And with the rapids showing in the photo, I find myself wondering if there shallow spots in places?
When I was young, we used to jump in various waters here but always checked the bottom depths first so as not get get any unpleasant surprises – with shallow depths. That looks very refreshing!
Hi Penelope! Our weather can get pretty hot this time of year. Today was 32º Celsius or about 90º Fahrenheit. But the lakes and rivers never REALLY warm up. The photo where I said there was a swimming hole – the photo is just barely upstream from the swimming hole. The rapids in the photo are so shallow you can’t paddle in them!
The “beach” leads right into the depths, and there is a diving board and rope swing across the (narrow) river. My husband and other adults definitely checked out the depth there before encouraging the kids to jump off the board or swing! But it is very deep right there – I know the photo doesn’t look like there could be deep water anywhere nearby!