Happy Sunday! February is usually our hottest summer month where I live in Canberra, Australia. This year, we thankfully haven’t experienced extreme heat wave conditions like in previous years. Although the weather is mild for summer, it doesn’t mean we’re immune to bushfires (wildfires). This weekend the weather outdoors is beautiful, but we have our home is closed up (and the cooling turned off) because hot north-westerly winds have blown in smoke from a bushfire over the border in NSW near a small town called Wee Jasper.
Many of our a town names in Australia have indigenous origins, but in the case of Wee Jasper, its name has folklore origins. The story goes that in the 1890’s, when gold was found and mined along a nearby creek, a Scotsman found green gemstones and called them wee jasper. It’s fun discovering the name origins of different places.
Our annual Birthday Bash Giveaway is launching in 2 days time on Valentine’s Day! Every comment made on our blog posts from February 14 through March 16 is an entry in the Birthday Bash giveaway. Be sure to visit on Valentine’s Day to discover the fabulous prize bundles on offer!
Winners this Week
Lindi Peterson’s winner is Teresa Warner!
Heather Gray’s winner is Winnie Thomas!
Elizabeth Maddrey’s winner is Ruthie H!
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.
Congratulations!
Specials this Week
Heather Gray’s An Informal Date is 99c through February 14.
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Amy Anguish is our host this week, so come on over… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
StoryChats @ InspyRomance
Story Chats releases an all-new episode every Friday. This week on Episode 109, Elizabeth, Valerie, and Narelle talk about the CCR books they’ve recently read. You won’t want to miss it!
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Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Narelle Atkins talked about Characters who love the outdoors + #Giveaway
On Tuesday, Toni Shiloh shared Black Christian Contemporary Romance Reads
On Wednesday, Elizabeth Maddrey discussed why she’s Dreaming of Spring + #Giveaway
On Thursday, Shannon Taylor Vannatter talked about Book Clubs + #Giveaway
On Friday, Sarah Monzon discussed 3 Reasons Book Covers Get Makeovers
On Saturday, Valerie Bodden announced The Fourth Annual Inspy Valentine’s Awards
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Milla Holt
Tuesday: Birthday Bash Kickoff
Wednesday: Lindi Peterson
Thursday: Amy Anguish
Friday: Meghann Whistler
Saturday: K. Leah
New Releases
February 2023
Her Unlikely Hero (Easter in Gilead 1) by Valerie Comer
Winning His Trust by Toni Shiloh
Love Delivered collection by Amy R Anguish and other authors
Muskoka Hearts by Carolyn Miller
Never Find Another You (Trinity Lakes Romance 1) by Narelle Atkins
Melody’s Resolve (The Village of Hope 3) by Merrillee Whren
March 2023
Her Billionaire Benefactor (Easter in Gilead 2) by Elizabeth Maddrey
His Runaway Crush (Easter in Gilead 3) by Heather Gray
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.
The origins of place names are really interesting. Maybe how an author comes up with them could be a great blog topic. Hope the smoke clears soon for you all. Take care
Hope you keep safe and free of fires.
A big thank you to all of you and especially Elizabeth Maddrey for my prize this week, I’m really excited to read it, and looking forward to the rest of the Easter in Gilead series.
Hope you don’t have any fires, and that the one by Wee Jasper is out soon!! We’ve been known to have wildfires, too, though thankfully not close to me!
Prayers that the fires will not reach you. I’ve been through that before and it’s not fun.
Love the story behind Wee Jasper! I knew there had to be a Scot involved :)
sounds fun
our weather is up and down. Hot for a few days then cool for a few. its going to be higher later in the week.
I am happy to have some warmer days without the humidity. we don’t get it as much but when we do I don’t like it.
Please stay safe. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
Hi Dianne, yes, place names would make an interesting topic, especially for real life settings. The smoke had mostly cleared Sunday afternoon, thank goodness. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Ruthie, We’re safe from this particular fire, thank goodness. The weather is cooler today and they have it contained. I’ve read early versions of Valerie and Elizabeth’s Easter in Gilead books, and they are so good! Now, I need to finish writing my Gilead book ASAP! Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Trudy, It’s just started raining, a sweet sound when it’s not accompanied by a storm. They have the fire contained, and hopefully they’ll get rain at Wee Jasper too that will extinguish it. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Erin, Prayers are always appreciated. This particular grass fire has ripped through 2000 hectares of paddocks to our northwest in the foothills. It’s 30 something miles away, as the crow flies, although it’s twice the distance to drive there. Thankfully the fire is contained, and it’s raining here! Yes, the town name gives away the Scottish connection, lol. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi bn100, yes, the town name and the upcoming Birthday Bash are fun. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Jenny, it was cooler today here, too, but it will likely reach mid 30’s Celsius on the weekend. Humidity is so not fun on hot days. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Debra, Thankfully we are safe. And it’s raining! Thanks for commenting. 😊