Charm Me, for Valentine’s Day-Sunday Snippet
Before I share this week’s Sunday Snippet Charm Me, I’d like to share a few fun Valentine’s Day Facts:A few fun Valentine’s Day Facts.
15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.
73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day are men, while only 27 percent are women.
Did you know that approximately one billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. That’s the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas.
About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets. Ok, I admit that I’m one of those people. But your pet’s unconditional love everyday of the year is worth it. Don’t you think?
Cupid, another symbol of Valentines Day, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards holding a bow and arrows because he is believed to use magical arrows to inspire feelings of love.
In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes are favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, “You unlock my heart!”
Only the U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the U.K. celebrate Valentine’s Day.
As you know, I am a paranormal romance and cozy mystery writer For me crafting a romance is all about RESPECT, TRUST and LOVE, always with a touch of magic. I want to create a memorable love story with spice and adventure. Characters that will grab hold of your heart and hang on long after you’ve read the last word and closed the book with a satisfied sigh, sorry to see the story end.
Looking for a fun and flirty Valentines Day gift in ebook or audobook? CHARM ME is the perfect answer! To sweeten the pot, e-book on SALE for 99 Cents for a limited time.
CHARM ME is a Candy Hearts Romance. My publishing house, THE WILD ROSE PRESS did a call for stories surrounding the sayings on little candy hearts available around Valentine’s Day. I love those things, especially the SweetTart version. You remember those, right? Sounded like fun. I chose Charm Me obviously. LOL
At the time, I was taking a concealed carry permit class as well as taking my dog, Mystic, to agility classes. These two activities actually formed the story.
In Mystic’s class there was a yoga instructor with her dog. She had just purchased a yoga studio. An idea popped into to head the next night on the way to CCP class, what if a yoga instructor met a gun club owner and hit it off? Talk about an unlikely pair. Huh?
Since I write paranormal romance I stirred in a little magic creating the yoga instructor, Summer, as an elemental witch. And well, gun club owner, Devlin has secrets of his own. Set in Colorado Springs and Divide, Colorado, Charm Me was born. This fun and flirty Candy Hearts Romance makes the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Available in e-book and audio book.
What’s Charm Me about?
Summer Dawn Riley’s an extraordinary elemental witch whose troubled past haunts her. She’s created a calm life for herself teaching yoga and keeping people at a distance. Her life takes a one eighty degree turn when she enrolls in a women’s weapons class and meets ruggedly handsome Devlin Sawyer.
Devlin, a former Navy Seal, has sworn off women after two long-term failed relationships, but there is no denying his attraction to Summer. She intrigues him like no other woman ever has. Despite her attempts to ignore him, Summer is drawn to Devlin. His magic signature is strong, but he’s no warlock. Will Valentine’s Day magic find them a future together?
A peek between the pages of Charm Me:
The corner of her mouth turned up in a half smile. “Witches talents are varied, spell casters, potions experts, seers, you get the picture.”
Bits and pieces of the dream fluttered through is mind. “What about dream weaving?” He asked, voice calm as he stole another sideways glance and shot her an encouraging smile.
She narrowed her eyes. “Why do you ask?”
“Just curious.” He shrugged and turned his attention to the road. Clouds obscured the sun and large fluffy snowflakes fell on the windshield and melted.
“Its a ability I’ve only heard about,” she replied, eyes narrowed.
One brow raised, he asked, “You don’t happen to have a fairy tat on your lower back?”
“How do you know that?” she demanded.
“I believe we shared a dream early this morning.” I would have loved to spent more time in that dream.
“That’s impossible.”
He glanced over at her again and her entire face and neck were red. “Really? The dream was sensual, but the fleeting scenes–I didn’t understand at the time but tried to comfort you. They make sense now. The ash was the vampire. You lit her up?”
Summer opened and shut her mouth several times then stammered, “How is that possible. How can you be so… about her demise?”
“Nothing wrong with protecting your own in my book. Magic creatures live and die by a different set of rules than regular people.
Buy Links:
Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon AU, Amazon CA, Barnes&Noble, itunes, Audible, and Kobo
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog, My Say What Blog and tagged Charm Me, fantasy, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Valentines Day, Valentines Day Fun Facts, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Happy New Year, Welcome 2025!
From our house to yours, wishing and hoping that 2025 is a prosperous, healthy & Happy New Year year. One filled with love, laughter, and light!
Be sure and check out my Paranormal Mystery/Romances before moving on! Also check out whether or not New Year’s Resolutions are in my future.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog, My Say What Blog and tagged 2025, Happy New Year, Paranormal Romance Tena Stetler, Tena Stetler by Tena Stetler with 1 comment.
New Year’s Resolutions…Yes or No!
Happy Almost New Year!! New Year’s Resolutions? This week we’ll forgo the Sunday Snippets. Next week, as with all things new in the new year, I’ll have a snippet from my new WIP. I’ve never done this before, so hold on to your hats. LOL
Now there’s a dilemma. At the end of 2023, I made what I thought were attainable New Year’s resolutions for 2024 as I normally do, even though my husband was retiring. I knew things would change. I had no idea how much. However, our RV Adventure of a life time started in August 2024, and completely discombobulated my goals, plans, and life in general. NO COMPLAINTS. We had a blast. Heck, I didn’t even try 50,000 words in November when we returned for Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo. for the first time in 14 years. I tried to muddle through making my word counts, deadlines, promo and projects as planned, but was thwarted at every crossroad. Our RV Adventure was a cross-country trip in our 38-foot RV to the East coast from Colorado. Never been to the East coast. Branson, MO was way too hot at 104 degrees. Turned south to Mississippi where some friends have a wonderful spread, including a pond stocked with mosquito larva eating fish. Sat on the back porch and sipped iced tea. Visited friends in Georgia. then on to a ChowChow reunion in North Carolina. Great fun with great people. Visits with more friends and family, in Delaware. Had the best Pizza ever at Mystic Pizza, in Mystic, CN. Spend a few days in Salem, Bar Harbor, Cape Cod, New York, and Niagara Falls, NY. Wow what a rush. Lots more to tell. Pictures to share. Check check out my Say What Blog, after the first of the year. You’ll be glad you did!
Back to New Year’s resolutions. I guess I’ve been lucky in that I am a planner and the plans I set in stone happen as expected. 2024 for the first time, I learned that setting long term plans and goals can be fraught with problems. Life throws curve balls that you cannot imagine until it happens.
Ever the optimist, I did make reservations for 2025 camping trips, with the knowledge that changing them is a possibility. The alternative of no camping reservations is unthinkable.
I have discovered that I don’t work well with the unknown. I like to have it nailed down and know where I’m going and how I’m going to get there. Which is probably why I’ve usually created my new year’s resolutions with an eye to my plans for the entire new year. Yeah, going to back that off a bit.
So here it goes. My 2025 resolutions:
Write 5,000 to 7,000 words each week.
Finish the draft of my first contemporary romance set on the beach that I’ve been working on for a while.
Finish a rough draft of my romantic suspense – book three of the Mountain Town Mysteries Series.
Finish the sequel to Mystic Maples, I’ve had in the pipeline for a while.
Clean up my writing cave. It’s a disaster! In fact, it my qualify for national disaster relief. LOL
Take more time for myself and my companion animals. I did pretty good on that goal last year since we all traveled together for the better part of three months.
Read and enjoy more books than last year.
Think before I blurt out statements that are better left unsaid, making me a kinder, gentler person.
Clean out the closets and give away the clothes we don’t wear anymore. It’s time. LOL
Spend more time actually talking to people rather than letting my fingers do the talking. (More verbal communication and less electronic) LOL
Exercise more! This is a tough one for me that’s why I’m not setting a specific goal trying for 3 times a week.
As always, I plan to open the front door at midnight on New Year’s Eve as is the Irish tradition to chase out the old year and welcome the new year.
How about you? What resolutions will you make for 2025? Did you make your 2024 goals? Or if you don’t make resolutions, why not. Leave your answers in the comments, please. Welcome to 2025, what I wild ride it may be!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog, My Say What Blog and tagged New Year, New Year Resolutions, RV travel, Tena Stetler, Traditions by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
My Favorite Things About Christmas – Sunday Snippet Plus 99¢ Sale
With the Christmas/holiday season in full swing, Thought I’d mention a few of my favorite things. Besides the reason for the season. I love Halloween, it’s by far my favorite holiday and decorate for the All Hallows Eve almost as much as I do for Christmas, which comes in a close second. Did I mention, I LOVE to decorate! LOL At Thanksgiving the aroma of turkey, candied sweet potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie made the house smell so inviting. My mouth waters just thinking about it. But Christmas…well… Bright lights adorning neighborhoods, Christmas Carols playing in the malls, and Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays on everyone’s lips makes the holiday season special. Here’s what makes my family’s holiday special. Year after year I appreciate Jellyfish outdoor lighting. No more climbing on ladders, across the slippery roof, worry about inclement weather when working on outdoor lighting. All programing is done from my smart phone. Love it!
1. Decorations. First of all, we start decorating the Friday after Thanksgiving. First the outside decorations go up. Then the tree, it’s lights, especially the bubble lights they are mesmerizing to watch. Several years ago, I brought the cutest colorful lifesaver shaped garland that I wind up the stairway banister. The tiny Precious Moments nativity is one I found years ago, along with Sam’s town, the soft lights from their windows are my 
parrots night light during the holidays. 
2. Food. Christmas is turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, rolls, candied yams and pumpkin pie swirled in whipped cream. Yummmm! The leftovers are even better. Sometimes we freeze the turkey leftovers and weeks or even a month later, yummy turkey sandwiches are wonderful. I’ll be putting one of those sandwiches together for lunch today. Left overs from Thanksgiving. LOL
3. Music. While we decorate the tree, we play a wide variety of Christmas Carols from the traditional to Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. The carols are sung by rock and roll artists, county western or classical renditions. It has been a family traditional as long as I can remember. We reminisce where the beloved tree decorations passed down generation to generation originated and the funny stories each spark.
4. Movies. It’s officially the Christmas season when we watch Miracle on 31st Street and How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carey. He is such a hoot. Then its Scrooged with Bill Murray. Afterward most nights we enjoy watching the variety of Christmas movies collected. Yep, get my Christmas movie fix. Then of course there is always the Hallmark channel heart felt Christmas movie magic.
5. Christmas Light Looking. It isn’t Christmas without getting in the SUV and driving through town admiring everyone’s decorations. Some lighting displays are synchronized with popular holiday music wafting through the crisp night air as you drive by. It’s beautiful and we enjoy it every year with a mug of hot chocolate and Christmas cookies we pack with us for the drive.
6. Family and Friends. The best part of the holidays is connecting with family and friends, whether it’s a long over-due phone call to catch up or a board game with friends. Years ago, I started writing a Christmas letter with our family’s actives for the year, complete with pictures. Since then it’s become a tradition. Friends and family look forward to that letter and make sure updated address are in my hands by Thanksgiving. There have been scary times, happy times, sad and in-between times, but keeping in touch seems to help everyone weather the preverbal storms. It’s been a rough year for many.
One last favorite thing of mine is to curl up with hubby in front of a crackling fireplace with a good book and a mug of homemade hot chocolate. Speaking of good books, have a look at a heartwarming holiday tale with a mysterious twist MERINGUE SNOWFLAKE MAGIC. A witch in the wrong place at the wrong time winds up in witness protection. Relocated to a small town with strange but friendly townsfolk. Their huge Christmas/holiday festival is centered around an annual cookie contest and tree lighting ceremony. Will they learn her secrets that put the town in danger before she discovers theirs? Makes a great Christmas gift for the Paranormal book lovers on your list.
If holiday tales
are not your thing. I’ve got Raven’s Hollow Spring Magic on sale for 99 cents also! Guaranteed to chase away the winter doldrums!
Spring is in full bloom in Raven’s Hollow, a small, quirky town in the Colorado Rockies. A mysterious disappearance has the law enforcement baffled and the townspeople worried.
You can also pick Charm Me, for 99 pennies. Can a ski trip turn romantic in Divide, Colorado?
So there you have it, a few of my favorite things along with a gift idea. What are yours favorite things?
With that, I’ll wish you all Love and Laughter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Got any resolutions? Come on, you know you do. LOL What do you plan to change and what do you hope to see in 2025? I look forward to hearing from you! See you next year. I know it’s an old cliché, but couldn’t help myself!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Christmas, fantasy, Favorite things, Holiday, Meringue Snowflake Magic, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Raven's Hollow Spring Magic, Sunday Snippet, Tena Stetler, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
