I have two big book events happening tomorrow.
1. My Christmas short story My True Love Gave to Me is releasing. Yippee!
I had so much fun giving the classic Twelve Days of Christmas carol a romantic Texas twist. I thought you might enjoy a sneak peek at how our hero gives these gifts his own cowboy spin.
Her mother must have seen them coming, for she threw open the back door and waved them in. “Come in and warm yourself by the stove,” she urged. As Anna slipped past, her mother touched her arm and stalled her progress. “A gift arrived for you.” Her eyes danced, setting off a similar gyration in Anna’s belly. “Your father’s grumbling about it in the front room.”
If he was grumbling, it had to be from Simeon. Without pausing to remove her coat, Anna abandoned the kitchen and hurried to the front room. She found her father bent at the waist, staring at what looked to be a cactus in a pot on the slender table behind the sofa.
“Daddy?”
He straightened and turned abruptly. “I tell you, Anna. That boy has lost his mind. Who in the world sends a cactus as a courting gift? And there’s a bullet hanging from the center of the thing. What is that supposed to signify? Is it some kind of threat?”
“Of course it’s not a threat.” Though it was rather odd. What are you up to, Simeon? Anna approached the table and found an envelope, thankfully still unopened, with her name written across the front in an unrefined scrawl she recognized instantly.
“Tell me, Herald,” her father said, alerting Anna to her growing audience, “is that not the most ridiculous bouquet you’ve ever seen? If you can even call it a bouquet. Next to your roses, it looks like a bulbous weed.”
“It is rather . . . unconventional.”
Herald’s voice faded from Anna’s awareness as she opened Simeon’s note. There were only two lines, but they made her heart pound.
To Anna, on the first day of Christmas.
From Your True Love
On the first day of Christmas. Why did that phrase sound so familiar? Then it came to her. A children’s counting song. On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .
She turned back to the gift and looked at it with new eyes. Saw the reddish-purple bulb of prickly fruit. Looked closer at the bullet tied on with a string. It wasn’t ammunition for a pistol. The casing was longer. Like that for a rifle.
“Daddy?” she asked without turning.
He broke off his conversation. “Yes?”
She drew her finger along the line of the metal cylinder. “What do you call a bullet that goes into a rifle?”
He scratched at his jaw. “A cartridge. But what does that have to do with—” He broke off when she started laughing.
She spun around to face him, a smile beaming across her face as she held Simeon’s note to her breast. “Oh, Daddy. Don’t you see? It’s a gift of true love.”
He scowled. “Are you feeling all right, Anna?”
“I feel marvelous!” She waltzed up to him and handed over the note for him to inspect.
He read the note, grumbled, then passed it to Herald. She should be angry that he would share her personal correspondence without her permission, but she was too delighted with Simeon’s cleverness to take him to task.
“Why are you so happy?” her father demanded. “This has to be the least romantic gift of all time. It’s a half-dead cactus covered with barbs and a random bullet.”
“No, Daddy,” she said, her heart awash with love. “It’s a cartridge in a prickly pear tree.”
Today is the last day to pre-order. If you do, the story will show up on your Kindle bright and early tomorrow morning. Just like Christmas!
The story is only 99¢ to purchase, though it will be available in KU as well.
Anna King has pledged her heart to Simeon Shepherd, but her father refuses to grant her hand to the young farmer. Simeon determines to be patient and earn David King’s respect over time with hard work and evidence of his ability to provide. However, when a wealthy new suitor arrives in Bethlehem, Texas to woo Anna with her father’s support, patience is no longer an option. Simeon has twelve days before Christmas to best his rival and prove once and for all that he is Anna’s true love.
2. In Her Sights has been selected for a Kindle Daily Deal – also tomorrow.
For one day only, you can purchase Tessa and Jackson’s story for only $1.49. WooHoo!
If you haven’t read the Pink Pistol Sisterhood Series yet, now’s the time to start with Book 1 going on sale tomorrow. Find it here on Amazon.
What is something fun or special coming up on the calendar in your life this week?
For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She is an avid cross-stitcher, and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com.
Happy Book Birthday, Karen! This weekend is the Fiber Arts Festival, a luncheon for two 90th birthdays and a Lake Jazz Band concert. Going to be a busy couple of days!
Thanks, Tracy. 🙂 it sounds like this is a big week for you. Two 90th birthdays? That’s an amazing milestone. Add a festival and a concert, and it sounds like a wonderful, busy weekend.
Hello, Karen! Nothing is coming up this week for us but on the 23rd we are going to New Zealand! We’ve been dreaming of this trip for 7 years and it’s finally here! We can’t believe it!
Oh, Valri. What a wonderful opportunity! I’ve dreamed of visiting Australia and New Zealand. Such a beautiful place. Are you going to see the Hobbit Holes? 🙂 I’ll be praying for a safe trip and a wonderful time as this much longed for trip come to fruition. I’ll want to see pictures!
We are definitely seeing HobbitTown! My husband’s first request of our travel agent! Our tickets recently came and they are included! I’ve never seen any of the LOTR movies but my husband has seen all of them so he definitely HAS to go there! My request was going on the jet boats which are famous there! I’ll post pictures!
Well, the flight to New Zealand is long enough, you could probably watch most of the LOTR movies in the air. Ha!
I don’t know how exciting it is, but my mother and I are going to the local health fair on Friday where we can sign up for free gifts.
That sounds like a great outing, Karijean. Time with mom and the possibility for free goodies? Sounds like fun. Hope you both win something. 🙂
My daughter is celebrating her 17th birthday this weekend
Happy birthday to her! I hope she has a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family.
A little later this month, on the 24th, we’ll celebrate our 31st anniversary.
Congratulations, Denise!!! My hubby and I celebrated our 31st this past June. 1992 was a very good year for romance. 😉
Thank you! ’92 was a great year!
Happy Book Release!
I have a dental appointment and our new built-in oven is being delivered. That is all on my calendar until our 50th wedding anniversary on November 3rd next month. Now that I am looking forward to. Congrats on your new books, Karen. Simeon is quite the clever dude.
50 years??? That’s amazing, Judy! Congratulations!!!
Nothing special coming up this week. Looking forward to reading this book.
Yay! Thanks, Barbara! Hope you enjoy it.
I have the opportunity to practice with my daughter for a symphony concert coming up! It’s so fun to get together and practice! I preordered!
How wonderful, Ami! What instruments do you and your daughter play? My daughter and I both play flute but we very rarely play together.
What a fun excerpt! I’m looking forward to my preordered copy.
We’ve got some special days coming up this week. Lord willing, our daughter is coming from Oklahoma for a visit. She’s driving up Thursday evening, Friday we’re planning to go to Silver Dollar City for the Harvest Festival (my mama, too), & then Saturday, my hubby & I just plan to spend the day hanging out with our girl. ??
I’ve never been to Silver Dollar City, Lori, but I really want to go. It looks like the perfect amusement park for a western loving gal. 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful time with your daughter!
I have nothing fun or exciting coming up, as I just made an appointment for this week for a washer repairman to come to my house.
Ooo – You never know what fascinating thing might happen when the washer repairman comes. 😉
Our church is having pastor appreciation this Sunday and I am making chicken and dressing.
How lovely! Sounds like your pastor will be eating well. 🙂
I actually have two things. We are going to Michigan on Saturday for a Kennsington Cozy Con. There will be multiple authors that are signing books. When we come back into town in the evening we are going to my 40th class reunion. I am looking forward to seeing some people I have not seen since high school. Thank you so much for sharing. Happy pre-book birthday. God bless you.
Sounds like a marvelous – and VERY BUSY – weekend. Hope you enjoy every minute!
Not an exciting week, but a busy one. Fun tomorrow is a Red Cross volunteer picnic. I have a Veterans Memorial planning meeting tomorrow night. Wed. is a trip over the mountains for a doctor’s appointment. Thursday I have a class . One night I have a meeting for election day poll workers. Saturday I will be with Red Cross doing fire safety talks and installing smoke alarms. Good times with good people.
So many worthy pursuits, Patricia. I’m thankful for volunteers like you who care so much for the community.