Food for Thought Archives

May 27th #L&SR’s #Wednesday’s Blog Challenge-Books set in my city or state.

Welcome to #L&SR’s #Wednesday’s Blog Challenge 5-27-20, Books set in my city or state. Wow this one is easy. Colorado is a popular setting for books. Please have a seat, grab an iced tea or lemonade out of the cooler. Be sure and try a chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie. Lets get started with books set in my city or state.

Wow, after last week’s topic, this one is a slam dunk. LOL I’ll start with my own books that are set in Colorado.

Charm Me Again-

For several months a Scottish Highland Ghost has haunted Daylan, in his personal life, his professional life and at his forge. Yet, being a talented warlock, he is no closer to discovering what the ghost wants or why he chose Daylan. A trip to his estranged sister’s home in Colorado may have unforeseen consequences especially when family history leads him to a shocking discovery and an attraction that brings a devastating curse comes to light.

A scene in this book takes place at Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado. A scene in the book came from my personal experience of hiking up the Hanging Lake trail in the pouring rain. You’ve never lived until you climb over large rain slickened rocks on an uphill trail gaining 1,000 feet in elevation over the mile climb. But oh my the view of a lake on the side of a mountain is breath-taking!

Charm Me–

A fun and flirty Candy Hearts Romance set in Divide, Colorado. Summer Dawn Rylie’s an extraordinary elemental witch with a troubled past. Devlin, a former Navy SEAL has secrets of his own. His magic signature is strong, but he’s no warlock.

An Angel’s Unintentional Entanglement –

The story came about one summer when hubby and I were driving over Independence Pass. It’s one of our favorite drives in Colorado. A beautiful drive if you don’t mind the shear drop-offs. Abandoned cabins (dating back to 1880-1890) dot the landscape near the top of Independence Pass at over 12,000 feet in elevation. As I rounded the back of one of those cabins a complete scene unfolded among the spectacular views. I rushed to the truck and jotted down an outline and An Angel’s Unintentional Entanglement was born.

Fallen warrior angel, Caden Silverwind, lives alone in Colorado’s rugged Rockies, healing from physical wounds as well as the mental anguish suffered during battles with dark demons. Bureau of Indian Affairs Agent, Mystic Rayne’s personal dilemma and assignment nearly gets her killed.

Their quest to uncover her attacker takes them from the pristine mountains in Colorado to the wilds of Wyoming. Along the way, they find answers which may place them in more danger

Then we have Coming Home to Crimson by another Colorado Author, Michelle Major who has a whole series set in Crimson, Colorado. Though it’s set in a fictional town it’s still in Colorado.

Can’t complete this list without one from Nora Roberts, Night Smoke is set in Denver, Colorado. Arson investigator Ryan Piasecki was a man who got the job done no matter what the obstacle…or how beautiful she was. Ambitious executive Natalie Fletcher’s new business was going up in smoke, literally, and she needed Ryan’s help to catch the arsonist.

Last but not least, “Murder at the Brown Palace” By Dick Krek

The Brown Palace is an icon in Denver, and this book explores the true story of one of the most notorious murders in Denver history. The murder, which took place in Denver’s most beloved and grand hotel, eventually lead to two of the most fascinating trials in Colorado history. The story centers around Denver socialite Isabel Springer, who had been courting two different gentlemen who were unaware of the other’s intentions.

So there you have it, a few of the many books set in my city or state. I’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts on what books are set in your city or state. Please list them in the comments below.

Alas, I must return to my writing cave where deadlines loom with edits on my upcoming release HIDDEN GYPSY MAGIC and on a new WIP sixth book in A Demon’s Witch Series(very exciting and coming along very well) so let’s see what other authors list as books set in their city or state. L&SR

Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.

Now lets talk for a moment about a fun weekend read spinning around magic, time travel, a family mystery, and gypsies. Mystic Maples. When Mercy discovers the truth, Silvanus’ well-ordered life unravels and they’re catapulted into the past to right a wrong.

Earth/Fire witch Mercy Rose’s insatiable curiosity always gets her in trouble. After a break-in at her Colorado flower shop, and a court battle that comes to a screeching halt in her favor, she arrives at Deerbourne Inn for a much-needed getaway. Looking for peace and quiet, she finds just the opposite in a startling handsome but mysterious man and his dog.

Silvanus Forrest’s gypsy/fae heritage is a double-edged sword. The land he inherited from his parents is rumored to be enchanted. But when Mercy discovers the truth, his well-ordered life unravels, and they’re catapulted into the past to right a wrong. Along the way their lives intertwine, and they discover the true meaning of family and love. Will they change the past in time to save their future?

Thanks for popping in. I really appreciate it. Next week, June 3, can you believe it already? Anyway the topic is Things I wish I were better at. Oh boy is that going to be a long list. How about you?

Posted in Food for Thought and tagged #L&SR's #Wednesday's Blog Challenge 5-27-20, An Angel's Unintentional Entanglement, Books set in my city or state, Charm Me, Charm Me Again, Colorado, Mystery, Paranormal Romance, Tena Stetler by Tena Stetler with 16 comments.

Dec 31st WISHING YOU A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year! After Christmas is done and all the decorations are put away, it’s time for reflection. What was accomplished in 2016? What will 2017 bring?

I learned a lot more about the promotion side of the publishing business and the importance of social media. My Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon Author page and Goodreads Author accounts are brimming with activity. If you get a moment, check them out.

Author’s Secrets roared to life in 2016, it’s my second blog and welcomes a wide variety of authors, their new releases, character interviews and conversations about the craft of writing. Stop by discover some interesting tidbits and find your next great read.

Once again I challenged myself in National Novel Writing Month which happens in November (NaNoWriMo) I succeeded in completing 56,700 words in thirty days. I love the camaraderie with hundreds of other writers all over the world and it usually results in a good start on my next novel. This year was no exception. Woohoo!

In 2016, I finally got a handle on the process of creating fun, informative, and well formatted newsletters. It’s not as easy as it looks. My author newsletter goes out quarterly, with updates, contests and recipes. Feel free to sign up.

What’s up for 2017? I’m glad you asked. My fifth book, A Warlock’s Secrets will release early in the year. Hopefully, the third and fourth books in the series will follow in 2017. I hope we have no more softball size hail storms. That was an adventure I’d rather not repeat. A trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios is planned for our milestone wedding anniversary. Yep, Star Wars and Harry Potter fan here.

Believe it or not I’ve already made a few camping reservations for the spring and summer. In Colorado, if you don’t get reservations early (six months from arrival date) you’re out of luck in a lot of the state and national parks. Book Magic

I continue to strive to reach my goal of 5000 – 7,000 words a week, which I did manage to meet (barely) in 2016. Spend quality time with my family and friends, take long walks with my dog and more play-time with my parrot. I am determined to find a way to reduce stress and take control of my life. (Yeah, right. Sounds good though.) And lastly, work at being more patient, that has never been my strong suit.

How was your 2016? Did it meet your expectations? What about 2017? Any resolutions, changes you want to make, plans or vacations you want to take or do? Please leave comments as to what you are looking forward to in 2017!

Wishing you a safe, heath, prosperous and Happy New Year!

Next we tackle Valentine’s Day, camping plans and Spring. See you then.

Posted in Food for Thought, Holidays, My Say What Blog by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.

Aug 18th Dog Walking – Loose Dogs

Okay all you dog lovers, I need some advice. Over the past several years, I take my dog for a walk early morning. We really enjoy the crisp morning air and the quiet, peaceful surroundings of the neighbor before everyone is up and active, and the empty neighborhood park. Increasingly, there are more people walking their dog during our time out, which is fine. I like talking to them as we pass by. But there seem to be an increase of loose dogs, in the neighborhood and at the park, even though there are signs stating all dogs are to be leashed. There are also leash laws in effect in the city. I think that’s best for the enjoyment of all person’s and dogs at the park that people keep their dogs leashed. After all it’s for everyone’s enjoyment. It’s not a very big park, but is a wonderful place to walk several circuits around it on a nice even sidewalk.

Mystic Neighbor hood park 2 My dog happens to like to play on the playground equipment, run up the stairs and barrel through the tunnel. Of course, we always make sure there are no small children playing on the equipment or in the tunnel. Safety first. Though my dog loves children, I realize not all children like dogs.

We’ve met several elderly individuals, carrying sticks to protect themselves from loose dogs. Doesn’t take much for a large or medium dog to knock down an older person. When did we become so inconsiderate of others?

My question is this, am I wrong to ask people who have their dogs off leash to put them on lead while others with dogs on leash are enjoying the park? I know dogs love to run, but there are plenty of off leash dog parks in our city for the purpose. In fact there is a dog park not more than three miles from our park.

My dog doesn’t like dogs running up on her and she will let them know it. So far my run ins have been without harm to anyone involved. However, to my great surprise, some of the dog owners are less than cooperative when asked to put their dog on lead. Going so far as to state,“if their dog got hurt, or killed, it was their own fault, and not to worry about it.” Yes, those were their exact words. To say I was shocked, is an understatement. Don’t worry about it!!?! What do they think such an incident would do to my dog’s psyche and mine? What kind of dog owner says such a thing?

Unfortunately, I’ve seen several incidents recently of loose dog vs. leashed dog turning ugly. From what I’ve read, it’s not unusual for a dog to be defensive when a strange dog runs up to them, ignoring canine good manners, regardless of the intentions of the dog.

It’s getting to the point that I spend our early morning walks nervously watching continuously for loose dogs, rather than enjoying the walk with my dog. So do I forfeit my walks for safety sake, or do I risk asking the people to put their dogs on leash? Leaving my dog at home seems very unfair.

I’d appreciate your thoughts! Okay, I’m putting my soap box away, at least until next week. Have a wonderful week!

Posted in Food for Thought, For Fun, My Say What Blog and tagged Dog, off leash, on leash, park, walk by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.

Mar 8th Spring and Family Collide

Shamrock4 small March is here! Yea! The wearing of the green, always brings me into a Spring mood. This year Easter is right on it’s heels, which makes decorating my house for Easter a short-lived experience. I love all those pastel eggs, bunnies, butterflies and happy things. No I don’t forget the reason for the season either.

It’s time to encourage the brown grass to bring up new green shoots. Daffodils, tulips, crocus all have their little green sprouts above ground checking for acceptable weather. Inevitably, they get snowed on at least once here in the Rocky Mountains, but they persevere anyway and put on a colorful show. I love Spring.

I’ve been planning our 2016 camping excursions since December, making those all important reservations at Steamboat Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Twin Lakes and many more. A trip to Lake Vallecito this year is exciting, especially to meet up with friends. However, last night I discovered that maybe, we’ll have to rearrange a few details this year.

A death in the family, and failure to keep in touch with cousins I was close with growing up gave me pause for thought. I received a letter and an obituary in the mail of a favorite uncle a few weeks after the fact. Why… because my cousin didn’t know how to contact me. She located my webpage, facebook page, but a death is something you don’t want to post on social media.

When I received the letter, I immediately looked her up online and located a phone number, made the call. After forty-five minutes of catching up, I was sad how much we’d missed after we grew up and life intervened. The reason for lack of communication is not always what you think. What a shame.

So… plans to return to my childhood stomping grounds may lessen the amount of time we spend in state and federal parks this year. Connecting with family and friends I haven’t seen in years, seems more important. To my credit, I always send a newsy Christmas Letter with pictures of where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing. That’s how my cousin knew my address. Life is unpredictable, what you assume will always be there when you are ready… can disappear in an instant.

I’m not one for genealogy, but connecting with family that helped make childhood memories so precious is something I wish I’d done sooner. But better late than never. I hope this acts as a reminder to pick up the phone, call someone you’ve put off too long connecting with, because… you never know. Sorry for the less than inspiring post this week.

Some good news. Copy edits are done on my next novel, A Witch’s Journey. A story about how meeting the right person can make all the difference in the world. No matter who or what your are. I await excitedly for a peek at the book’s cover, soon to come. I’ll share it of course.

Do you have people you wish you’d stayed in contact with? Look ‘em up, give ‘em a call. If only to say hi, how are you doing?

I love to hear from readers. Take a minute, write a comment. You’ll be glad you did, and so will I.

Next week I promise a happier topic as I discuss favorite camping haunts. Places to enjoy in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Also the challenge of gardening in a short growing season. Until then, make each day count!

Posted in Food for Thought, My Say What Blog and tagged A Witch's Journey, camping, Colorado Rockies, family, flowers, remember, Spring, writing by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.