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What I'm writing in YEAR OF THE DOG

I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
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Guest bloggers Vasthi Reyes Acosta, Gail Sattler, Lynette Sowell, and Carrie Turansky

Captain's Log, Stardate 09.06.2007

Today I four guest bloggers: Vasthi Reyes Acosta, Gail Sattler, Lynette Sowell, and Carrie Turansky talking about their romance anthology, A Big Apple Christmas!

Contemporary Romance: Enjoy a contemporary romance collection of four heartwarming novellas that capture the sights and sounds of Christmas in New York City. Christmas plans are set askew when a schedule-bound professional organizer meets a free-spirited poet. Holiday bustle is the means two tourists try to use to get lost in the crowds. Christmas in Rockerfeller Center puts a widow's dreams on center stage. The gift of the Magi comes full circle for two lonely Latinos. Romance is in the air from Fifth Avenue to Chinatown, but can faith bring the love home?







And now, here’s Vasthi, Gail, Lynette and Carrie!

First, a big thanks to Camy for letting stop by today. She’s doing a great job promoting Christian fiction, and clearing off her bookshelf at the same time. And Camy, congratulations on your first release this month! I know I can’t wait to read it. ~ Lynette Sowell


Vasthi Reyes Acosta, Gail Sattler, Lynette Sowell, and Carrie Turansky teamed up to coauthor the novella anthology, A Big Apple Christmas, a contemporary romance collection that captures the sights and sounds of Christmas in the Big Apple:

Moonlight and Mistletoe (Carrie Turansky) -- Christmas plans are set askew when schedule-bound professional organizer Sarah Montgomery meets free-spirited poet Justin Latimer. As they work together on a project for her neighbor, romantic sparks fly - but will new revelations douse them?

Shopping for Love (Gail Sattler) -- Holiday bustle is the means two tourists try to use to get lost in the crowds. But when Bryan Evans literally knocks Emily Jones off her feet, her heart's secrets are spun even more off balance.

Where the Love Light Gleams (Lynette Sowell) -- Christmas in Rockefeller Center puts a widow's spruce tree on center stage. Professor Theophilus Stellakis volunteers to host Gwynn Michaud, and they both find new dreams in the glow of the holiday lights.

Gifts of the Magi (Vasthi Reyes Acosta) -- The gift of the Magi comes full circle for two lonely Latinos when Cecilia Montes takes time out of her busy schedule to help an old friend with youth group activities. But can she trust her heart to Elias Perez?

Lots of times, readers want to know where authors get their ideas, especially for a novella collection. So, how’d you come up with the idea for this collection and for your novellas?

Vasthi Reyes Acosta - Growing up in New York City, as a small Puerto Rican girl, I loved the fact that Christmas didn't end for me on Christmas day. We still had El Dia de los Reyes (Epiphany or Three Kings Day) to look forward to. We received gifts on that day as well. The night before January 6th, tradition dictates that water and grass be left out for the wise men and their camels. In return the wise men left us a small gift. I always felt special knowing that while my classmates enjoyed their Christmas gifts I still had more gifts coming after the new year. So naturally I wanted to write about our celebration of El Dia de los Reyes..

Gail Sattler - The hustle and bustle of New York City at Christmas time is special and unique, and fun! And most of all, crowded. Then I thought of what it would be like to be surrounded by such a crowd, with nothing but a list of fun places to go and fun things to do, and Shopping For Love was born.

Lynette Sowell - I think New York is a special place at Christmas time, and I'd always wanted to write a Christmas novella. One November, I saw a news clip about how they choose the Christmas tree for Rockefeller Center. Enter my widowed heroine and her scheming children who surprise her with a trip to see her tree in Rockefeller Center.

Carrie Turansky - I love stories that bring characters together who are very different from each other, so the idea of matching a professional organizer and a free-spirited poet intrigued me. NYC is a wonderful place to visit at Christmas time, and I thought setting our story there would be enjoyable for our readers.

We invite you to cruise by our site www.abigapplechristmas.com, where we share recipes, more about our stories, excerpts, and blog tour dates. Starting October 6, we’ll post a question each week from one of the stories in the anthology. Those answering correctly will have their names entered into our weekly drawing. And for those in the NYC area, we have a pretty cool grand prize!

Thanks, Camy!

Camy here: Thanks a bunch for stopping by, guys!
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