2019 Archives - Tena Stetler

Dec 11th Welcome to #L&SR’s #Wednesday’s Blog Challenge December 11, 2019, My Earliest Memory.

Welcome to #L&SR’s #Wednesday’s Blog Challenge December 11, 2019, My Earliest Memory. Today because it is the Christmas Season, I’m taking the liberty of tweaking the topic just a bit to– My Earliest and Fondest Christmas Memory!

My Earliest and Fondest Christmas memory: The one and only year my mom decided to drive from Colorado to Iowa to spend Christmas with her family. I was only four or five-years-old and the only fear I had as we drove through a blinding blizzard and nearly got stuck in a huge snow drift was there was no way Santa would find me. Eventually we did make it safe and sound to Iowa. My uncle had to carry me and our luggage out of the car to the house because the snow had drifted up to my waist. This was the first and only year my mom and I spent Christmas away from home. It was so much fun with all my cousins, uncle’s and aunt’s all snowed in at my grandparent’s house. Looking back, I don’t imagine the adults thought it was all that much fun. It was a small house and boy was it crowded. When Christmas morning came, Santa had found all of us and the squeals of joy could be heard for miles.

Being the only child in a single parent home, I still remember sitting down for Christmas dinner with turkey and all the trimming that year awed at the number of people seated at the big table, let alone the number of kids wriggling around the not much smaller kid table. Best Christmas ever.

Do you have a fond Christmas Memory? I’d love to hear about it. Tell me about your memory in the comments.

Alas, I need to get back to my writing cave where deadlines loom, so let’s see what other authors list as their Earliest Memory. L&SR

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

Squeal!! So excited! I’ve a new release, Charm Me Again. Please check it out. Pssst…. It makes a great Christmas gift. Just say’n.

Click on the cover to read more or purchase!

Teaser from 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.

As his attraction blooms for Josie, a yoga instructor in his sister’s studio, he realizes there may be more to Josie than he can imagine. When an ancient rogue Fae Warrior set on revenge kidnaps her in an attempt to claim her as his own, a devastating curse comes to light.

Daylan’s world spirals out of control as he searches for Josie. Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever?

Another Squeal-worthy event this week. Can you believe it? So this just happened. Yippee!! I’m so thrilled to announce that MYSTIC MAPLES has been chosen as a finalist in the Paranormal Romance category on N.N.Light’s Book Heaven awards! WOW!

Click on cover to read more or purchase!

A little about MYSTIC MAPLES –

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?

Next week on the L&SR Weekly blog challenge is 10 Gifts for People Who Love Paranormal Romance/Mystery. See you then!

Wishing you all love, laughter and Happy Holidays!

Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged #L&SR's #Wednesday's Blog Challenge December 11, 2019, Charm Me Again, Christmas, Holiday, Tena Stetler. Mystic Maples by Tena Stetler with 14 comments.

Dec 28th The Good, Bad and Ugly – Reflections of 2018

This time of year, I always look back to see what my successes were and what I could have done better. 2018 was my least favorite year of all time. Beaten only by the year my mother passed away twenty years ago. Now there were some shining moments too; which I clung to tight just to get me through this year.

Let’s start with the good:

I met all my goals for 2018. Yeah! <Fist pump>

Book four, AN ANGEL’S UNINTENTIONAL ENTANGLEMENT, and five, A MAGIC REDEMPTION, in A DEMON’S WITCH SERIES were published in August and December. Exciting times but promo was crazy.

My third book, A Witch’s Journey became Amazon’s #2 best seller in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Yep I was stoked. What happened to the United States ranking, I’ve no idea.

I was featured twice August and December in HEA column of USA Today the latest being an exclusive excerpt from A MAGIC REDEMPTION in December. As a writer, that is a dream come true.

Hubby and I enjoyed a few fantastic camping trips over the summer and early fall. During the next to last camping trip we learned the company my husband worked for had been sold and he would have to find another job. Yeah it kinda ruined the trip to our favorite spot Rocky Mountain National Park. But there’s always next year. However, same day he was offered a job with another company but dealing with the six month non-compete sucks. Which leads me to…

The bad:

My father-in-law passed away in January 2018 after a long battle with cancer. Settling the estate long distance was difficult to begin with, not to mention the interference from relatives.

Due to Alzheimer’s, my mother-in-law is in a nice memory care facility but it’s located 2500 miles from our home. Because of her deteriorating condition, she can’t be moved.

A favorite aunt passed away mid-December.

Though my books usually get stellar reviews, there were a couple reviews that were not and those bother me even though I read them only once. Yes I know publishing is a tough industry and writing is subjective… but still…

The Ugly:

Right now the world around us is scary and very dark. Kindness is in short supply, negativity is everywhere, and it’s always someone else’s fault. I can remember when you owned your mistakes and stepped up to correct them. I’m hopeful 2019 will bring about changes that will put our country and world on a better path.

So I’m going to put aside the bad and ugly and start 2019 with a renewed enthusiasm for accomplishing my New Year’s goals.

Hopefully receive a couple new book contracts.
Meet my writing goal of 5,000 words written each week.
Set aside more quality time with friends, family, and my dog, parrot and turtle.
Relax and enjoy many camping trips.
Exercise regularly. This is always a tough one for me. I tend to let deadlines and obligations control my schedule.
Take control of my schedule and stick to it, barring emergencies.

How about sharing some of your New Year’s goals? Did you make your 2018 goals? Wishing you and yours Love, Laughter and Happy New Year! See you next year. I love saying that. LOL