When you think of getting all cozy for a reading binge, what do you picture? Here it is for me: • Snow falling softly outside the windows • A fire in the fireplace • Flannel jammies and fuzzy socks • A cozy quilt • A mug of something hot (mocha? tea? hot chocolate?) • A […]
One Big Apple Christmas
I love Christmas, I do. But am I crazy that I like it in its normal timing? There are some great celebrations that come BEFORE Christmas! Like, I dunno … Halloween? Or how about Thanksgiving? For a summer lover like myself, it’s difficult enough to entice myself to change the outdoor decorations from my summer […]
Welcoming Change by Melanie D. Snitker + Freebie
Change is such a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can be a wonderful thing and lead to new adventures or new experiences. On the other, good changes can be difficult to adjust to. Even small ones: I’ve always read digital books using the Kindle application on my cell phone. My husband has had an […]
Dear Dakota…
Dear Dakota, I know you told me to leave well enough alone. I tried. I really did. Okay, I didn’t try. Sorry for lying. I believe everyone needs a second chance, even you. Even your son’s daddy, Travis Cavanagh. Not just for Toby’s sake, although it’s certainly ideal for every four-year-old to live with both […]
Contemporary Romance of Christmases Past
For the past several years I have spent all of December reading nothing but Christmas stories. Here it is already halfway through December and with the exception of the ones my critique partners wrote, I’ve read nothing! Between my husband’s health issues and a kitchen remodel there has been no time. I looked back over […]
A Christmas Gift for You and a Massive Scavenger Hunt Contest!
Happy month of Christmas stories! Of course, they’ve all been rolling out since about mid-September, but it’s still fun to dig into books that celebrate the Christmas season. When I was growing up, we often turned off the television and played records (these were the days before 9,000 channels on cable). There was always a […]
Writing When It’s Difficult + Free Book by Melanie D. Snitker
I think we can all agree that this year has been more than difficult for everyone. We’ve had to deal with the quarantine, adjust to educating our kids at home, and generally struggled to keep things normal when life is anything but. I’ve read about some authors who have been able to take advantage of […]
Already Married + Free Book by Melanie D. Snitker
Hello, everyone! I’m so excited to return to Inspy Romance, and I’m looking forward to blogging monthly again. I’ve missed being able to chat with you all! To those of you who don’t know me, my name is Melanie D. Snitker. My husband and I live in the beautiful Texas Hill Country with our two […]
Through Thick and Thin
Today’s my nineteenth wedding anniversary, and I can honestly say we’ve been through thick and thin, both literally and metaphorically. ;) It’s funny, because when I started creating the header graphic for this post, all I had in mind was the title. I originally intended to focus on book length—you know, thick books and thin […]
It’s Complicated… (interesting characters usually are) + cover reveal
If you’ve been on social media at any point in the last decade, you’ve probably noticed at least one of your “friends” with the relationship status It’s Complicated. The phrase has filtered its way into our culture in all sorts of ways—movie titles, song lyrics, book themes, mindsets. It’s complicated isn’t always a response we’d […]