Help! Can you help me decide on a book cover?

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

Hello again!

October is finally here! I’ve been counting the days, looking forward to sweater weather and beautiful autumn leaves here in the Upper Midwest. The blazing colors can take one’s breath away!

But as much as I want to be outside to enjoy every second of that glory, I’ve been madly working in my office working and questioning why I ever imagined having three books out this fall (and one more in January) was a good idea.  As the refrain of a current Western song goes, “What was I thinking!”

New release!  DEADLY NOEL, the second book in my DEA Special Agents series, will be at a special discounted price throughout its release day, October 18th.

Up next:  DEADLY BETRAYAL will be a special discount price until its release date on November 14.

Just click on the titles above to read about them. They can be read in any order.

I have a question for you! My Christian romantic suspense and mystery novels almost always include a dog, and I ask for that dog to appear on the cover. I’ve hoped this hints at the warm emotional tone in my books.

But…while DEADLY NOEL includes a retired drug dog on the cover, DEADLY BETRAYAL does not include its Basset. I forgot to ask for him—and now I’m worried. Do you think Betrayal’s cover is okay as is, or should I request a new cover? Do details like this matter to you when you are considering your next purchase?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts! Leave a comment, and you will be entered in a drawing for a free e-book copy of any title in my Wyoming Courage series!

Have a wonderful autumn,

Roxanne Rustand

 

 

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Danger in Texas Hill Country…

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

SILENT DECEPTION  is my new Christian Romantic Suspense novel, releasing today, May 23, 2023.    Click the book title to read more about the book, or to order!

Here’s a quick description:

Has she just made a terrible mistake by returning home?

Single mother Kristin Cantrell has moved back to the Texas Hill Country, needing a fresh start. She never expected to find that Ryan Gallagher had returned as well. Their painful past goes way back, and neither ever expected to see each other again.

She’s also shocked when she learns that most folks in town still despise her late father, and wish she had never returned. And now one of them has his sites on her…

Are old memories best forgotten, or can she and Ryan help each other change the past…and keep her young son safe?

We are looking forward to a very quiet summer, with no long trips.  What are your summer plans?I  Leave a comment, and you will be entered in a drawing for a free Kindle copy of COLD CASE DANGER , the first book in my Wyoming Courage series, or LETHAL PURSUIT.

 

All the best to you!

 

Roxanne

* * * *

HERE’S  A LINK FOR AN ONLINE BOOK FAIR, where you can find some great new-to-you-authors and some great bargains!

SOME LIKE IT CLEAN
https://books.bookfunnel.com/somelikeitcleanmay2023/axlomqhsse

THIS MONTH I’M FEATURING WONDERFUL AUTHOR LAURA SCOTT AND HER NEW RELEASE!

Midnight Abduction by Laura Scott $3.99 (Released May 2, 2023)

Walking the line between danger and love…

 Kidnapped in the dead of night!

Grace Ramsey is horrified when she realizes her six-year-old son Caleb has been snatched from his bed at midnight. The only man who can help her now is FBI Agent Brady Finnegan, Caleb’s biological father. She had good reasons for keeping Caleb a secret, and while Brady does not agree, they decide that the main priority is to find Caleb and bring him home.

Brady is furious to learn he’s been betrayed by the woman he once loved, but manages to thrust those feelings aside in order to find the missing boy. As he and Grace follow one lead after another, his anger and resentment fades and they grow closer together in their shared mission. They can’t go back and change the past, but they can rebuild their future. If they can find Caleb in time…

Here are the links:

Amazon B&N Apple Kobo GooglePlay Laura’s Website

A NOTE BY THE AUTHOR….

I’ve always wanted to be an author, but my parents insisted I get a “real” job. Thankfully, I loved science so I chose nursing. I loved my critical care nursing career, but writing books, especially romances, still called to me.

When I finished my MBA it seemed like I had more time on my hands (despite working full time and having two kids? Hmm) so I decided to try my hand at writing again. I wasn’t an overnight success by any means, but I published my first book in 2003 and have written 100 books in the twenty years since! I retired from my “real” day job after 38 years and am thrilled to be writing full-time.

I love writing Christian-themed suspense stories that keep the reader guessing until the last page. I live in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin with my hubby of 38 years. I’m blessed to have a wonderfully supportive family, and to have amazingly supportive readers! Here’s to the next 20 years…

Laura Scott – USA Today Bestselling Author

Seeking Justice 2/23

Protection Detail 3/23

Shielding the Baby 4/23

 

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Have you ever had a crazy or silly pet? I have!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

I’ve written over forty novels and novellas (with twenty-five available on Amazon and four more coming in 2023), and I love incorporating my favorite horses and pets when I can.

Last month, my newsletter was about my crazy, funny childhood horse Cherry, who was the ultimate equine escape artist. He was part of CHRISTMAS DANGER, the Christian romantic suspense novel I released on February 7th.

LETHAL PURSUIT is my new Christian Romantic Suspense novel releasing today, April 11th, 2023.    Click either of these book titles in my Southwest Peril series to read more about them on Amazon.  Here’s a quick description:


What happens when a woman loses nearly everything–her husband, her home, her reputation, and is suspected of a crime she didn’t commit?

A legacy, her late aunt’s small-town cafe–is Beth’s chance to rebuild a secure life for her little girl far, far from Chicago, though little Lone Wolf, Texas, might not be quite ready for the sort of ruffles and lace café she has in mind. That can all be sorted out.

But when a dangerous stranger from her past follows her there…

                                                                      * * * *

In Lethal Pursuit, our dog from the 1990s, a Schipperke named Cinder, is a part of the story under the pseudonym Viper.  Are you familiar with this breed?

Cinder was nine pounds of fierce, dauntless canine independence with a dense black coat and a lion’s mane of bristly hair. With her pointy ears and an impressive array of sharp teeth, we all thought she looked like a fruit bat when snuggling peacefully upside down in my husband’s arms while he watched television.  She was totally dedicated to him. The rest of us, she tolerated.  And about that independence….

She was a house dog, like all of our dogs before and after, and seemed to have a brain abnormality from birth, given the two-plus years it took for house training and her penchant for marching in tight circles (only to left, never, ever to the right), and her unpredictable snappishness.   But the worst:  She would lurk behind the unwary (especially visitors) when they opened the front door, and then shoot out of the house and down the road.

It might have been amusing to see this supersonic black bowling ball rocket down the road. But it wasn’t so amusing when she couldn’t be caught.  She would linger near our yard (and the neighbors) at night, barking madly, though we could only see the glitter of her eyes because the rest of her was like a black hole in space, her dense black coat absorbing any light and reflecting nothing.

In the wee hours, I would then sit outside in my nightgown trying to lure her inside with bits of steak and pork chops and all manner of leftovers. Nope. She would come close just so far, then take off, barking endlessly.

It always took about forty-eight hours for her to get hungry enough to come home.  Back then, we used a long tie-out cable for letting the dogs briefly go outside to do their business and didn’t have an Invisible Fence to keep our dogs at home. But now we sure do!

 Once, someone caught Cinder and even tried to keep her despite her license tags. During one of my daily calls to the humane society, we learned she had been turned in. The “new owners” said they had to get rid of her ASAP as she was an impossible dog. LOL.  We already knew she was, but our pets are cherished and have forever homes with us until the day they die.  Even if they’re a bit naughty! 

I would love to read your comments about your own pets!  Leave a comment, and you will entered in a drawing for a free Kindle copy of COLD CASE DANGER , the first book in my Wyoming Courage series.

* * * *   

  HERE’S  A LINK FOR AN ONLINE BOOK FAIR, where you might find new-to-you-authors and some great bargains on Kindle Unlimited!   CLICK HERE    

                                                                                    * * * *

 

 THIS MONTH I’M FEATURING WONDERFUL AUTHOR JOSIE RIVERA AND HER NEW RELEASE!
1-800-Series Volume Two 

Josie Riviera is a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary, inspirational, and historical sweet romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable shih tzu, who constantly needs grooming, and live in an old house forever needing renovations.

Sign up for her newsletter and get a FREE ebook on her website: http://josieriviera.com/

Have you ever tried something you were afraid to try because it mattered so much to you? I did, when I started writing. Take the chance, everyone, and just do something you love.

Join her Facebook VIP team at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1687211758162360/

Like” her Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Josie.Riviera

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6587492.Josie_Riviera

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/josie-riviera

Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Josieriviera

Book info from Josie:

My newest boxed set, The 1-800-Series Volume Two, includes three clean, wholesome, and cozy small-town romance books.

The first book, “1-800-SUMMER,” follows Belle Boots, an equine therapist, as she considers moving on from her current life until a man’s offer changes everything.

The second book, “1-800-NEW YEAR,” is a holiday love and romance story about Shanice Williams, who struggles to sell the old farmhouse she inherited from her grandmother, where she has fond memories with Lincoln Reid, her teenage crush.

The third book, “Christmas in the Air,” is about Penelope Reid, a single mother in her late 40s, who meets an elusive, handsome stranger on a plane trip to Hilton Head Island and later discovers that he is the new pediatrician in town.

Each book in the set offers a chance at new beginnings, hope, and second chances for the characters. Readers can cozy up with their favorite beverage and lose themselves in these stories filled with delightful characters and brimming with joy.

 

The entire box set is only $2.99 for a limited time and FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

 

Amazon link:

Universal link (for all online stores!):

https://mybook.to/1-800-SeriesVolume2

 

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Roxanne asks: What Pets Do You Remember from Childhood?

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

My brother and I had lots of pets while growing up. I look back now and just marvel over my parents’ willingness to take in anything with fur, wings, hooves, or scales.

I got my first horse at the age of six and rode all over our small town bareback. Now I wonder, what was dad thinking to give a six-year-old such freedom?!  It was like giving me my own car keys, but times were much simpler then.  I will always be grateful for it—and for all of those adventures.

Over the years, I graduated from one horse to the next, and each one was unique.  Oh, the memories!  Quirky personalities abounded in our menagerie, and some still make me laugh.

And some have ended up in my various novels!

CHRISTMAS DANGER, my new release this month, for instance.

I had Cherokee during early junior high. He was a seventeen-hand Thoroughbred/Clydesdale cross, and it was love at first sight when I rode my horse to the local horse trader’s farm and saw him.

Someone had bred him to be a jumper, I was told, though he wasn’t athletic and ended up being a “kid horse” for me.  I traded my quarter-horse cross gelding for him (plus $12.50 in allowance money) and thought I’d made the best trade ever! My parents, mind you, knew little about horses and gave me considerable free rein. Bless them!

Maybe Cherokee wasn’t a hunter-jumper candidate, but he sure was an escape artist…and in CHRISTMAS DANGER he appears as “Galahad,” complete with some of his adventures when he’d go on the lam.

To this day, I still have horses, cats, and dogs, and can’t imagine being without them.
Did you have any pets? Do you now?  Leave a comment, and you will be in a drawing for a free e-copy of  COLD CASE DANGER.

 Here’s a quick intro for CHRISTMAS DANGER (available on Amazon.)  CLICK HERE to find it.

After facing a terrible loss, Johanna hopes to find healing and a new beginning by moving away. But will this decision be the last one she makes?

An escape artist of a horse and a Great Pyrenees pup the size of Texas are all the family she needs now—or so she thinks. So why is she drawn to a rancher who couldn’t be more wrong for her?

But when a stranger begins threatening both her and the clinic she runs, dangers mount. And that rancher might prove to be exactly the man she needs.

“A heartwarming story of honor, love of family, and ties that bind through generations, even through life’s most difficult challenges.”   An online reviewer

Another suspense-filled inspirational romance by USA Today Bestselling author Roxanne Rustand

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

Do you do anything special for Valentine’s Day?  The restaurants are all so busy that evening that we always stay home. With winter weather usually in full force here in the upper Midwest, is much nicer to enjoy a cozy evening at home.

I’m hoping to have some of our grands here before then, though, so we can make rolled-out Valentine’s themed cookies. They love decorating cookies for every holiday—often with heaps of colored sugars on each one….and then the counters, the oven, and the floor end up quite crunchy.  No worries—the point is having fun and making memories.

But I did finally learn my lesson at Christmas. My flat Airbake cookie sheets might have been wonderful for baking cookies, but not so good at actually corralling all of the sprinkles. So now, they’ve gone to Salvation Army and I’ve purchased rimmed cookie sheets. Seriously–why didn’t I think of that before?

 

I have a new book release today, February 7th tltled CHRISTMAS DANGER 


Here is its AMAZON LINK  and a quick description:

After facing a terrible loss, pediatrician Joanna Miles hopes to find healing and a new beginning by moving away. But will this decision be the last one she makes?

She agrees to cover an infant and maternity pediatric clinic in the mountains of New Mexico for three months while that physician is on leave, before starting her new position in California.

An escape artist of a horse and a Great Pyrenees pup the size of Texas are all the family she needs now—or so she thinks. So why is she drawn to a rancher who couldn’t be more wrong for her? Especially after a little pink bundle left on his doorstep convinces her just how irresponsible he is. He’s definitely not her type.

But when a stranger begins threatening both her and the clinic, dangers mount. Will she be able to keep her patients–and herself–safe? And who can she turn to for help?

A heartwarming story of honor, love of family, and ties that bind through generations, even through life’s most difficult challenges.

 

I hope you will enjoy it!  It’s  FREE for those of you on Kindle Unlimited, or at the bargain price of just $3.99 for those who prefer to buy their Kindle books.

I really enjoyed writing this title, because it was a chance to incorporate just a few of the exploits of one of my childhood horses. Cherry was 17 hands tall, gangly, and goofy. He would manage to crawl under the fence and then merrily go through the neighborhood peering into windows. One family looked out, saw what appeared to be a disembodied white figure (his wide, white blaze), and called the sheriff. They were sure they had just seen an alien.

* * * *

BOOK FAIR!  Click on the following link to find an array of wonderful MYSTERY ROMANCE, COZY MYSTERIES, and WHO-DONE-ITS:
https://books.bookfunnel.com/generalfiction3/4t4kqxq2pq 

 

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Best friends, favorite seasons, & a free book drawing! …Roxanne Rustand

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

October is here at last! My favorite month of the year. The wonderful, crisp air, the blazing colors—it’s all glorious. Do you see autumn colors where you live?

The first weekend of October is always very special to me, because that’s when I drive up to way-northern Wisconsin to visit fellow author Lyn Cote. I’ve been making this trip since 1993. Phone calls and zoom calls are great, but there’s nothing like actually visiting in person!

Here are photos of the colors just starting to turn when I was there:

photophoto

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News for October…here’s a new release!

 

WOLF CREEK DANGER, is the second title in my Wyoming Danger series,  published October 20th, 2022.
Here is the Amazon link to order: CLICK HERE  

 

Here’s a quick blurb for WOLF CREEK DANGER:

Leigh McCallister has come home to the Rockies to set up her new veterinary practice, but now someone from her past is threatening her and that danger is growing. Will returning be the worst—and most final—decision of her life?

Her family’s ranch, in the shadows of the Wyoming Rockies, is a part of Leigh McCallister’s blood, but not everyone in Wolf Creek welcomes her with open arms. Her mother made a lot of enemies over the years with her shrewd and manipulative business dealings. Some of the locals are already blackballing Leigh’s fledgling clinic. And now that Cole Daniels is back in town, the rumors are starting to fly.

Single dad Cole has come back to Wolf Creek with one goal–he wants to clear the name of his wrongly-convicted father. Guilty, until proven innocent. That was the McAllister family motto, wasn’t it? Cole will never forget it—no matter how interested he’d once been in pretty, kind Leigh McAllister. Thanks to her father’s lies, Cole’s dad had been sent to prison and then died there. And Leigh had testified against him, too.

Can they set aside the past and work together before someone dies?

 

And there will be another new release in November.
The next book in the Wyoming Danger series is COLLATERAL DANGER. It is now available for pre-order (CLICK HERE)  and will be released on November 15th, 2022.
CLICK HERE to see all of the books in this series.


QUESTION:  Are you a dog owner, or have you ever been? If you were to look for a new companion right now, would you want a puppy or an older dog? And do you have a favorite breed—or prefer the Heinz 57 variety? Leave a comment, and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a free e-book!

 

 

Finally,  THE LAST CHRISTMAS PUPPY will be released November 29, 2022. You can CLICK HERE to read all about it, pre-order, and save $2.00!

It’s on sale now for just 99 cents, but after December 15th it will return to the usual price of $2.99.

But there isn’t just one book about puppies and holiday joy coming out soon. Eight authors from the Sweet Romance Reads group have come together to write our annual Puppies for Christmas series. Below are the authors, titles, and links, so you can see the covers and read the descriptions of each.

This should put us all in the holiday spirit!

If you leave a comment on this blog (page to the bottom of this blog to do so), you’ll be entered in a drawing for a free e-book from 2019 through 2021  of mine–your choice!

Roxanne Rustand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

Here’s the list of the Puppies for Christmas…

Pat Simmons: House Calls for the Holidays
Pre-order now, available 10/13

Jean C. Gordon: Can’t Say No to Puppies
Pre-order now, available 10/18

Josie Rivera: Christmas in the Air
Pre-order now, available 10/25

Laura Scott: Sealed with a Christmas Promise
Pre-order now, available 11/1

Merrillee Whren: Puppy Love and Christmas Cookies
Pre-order now, available 11/8

Susan Aylworth: Mischief and Mistletoe in Christmas Town
Pre-order now, available 11/15

Lyn Cote: Mavis’s Forever Christmas
Pre-order now, available 11/22

Roxanne Rustand: The Last Christmas Puppy
Pre-order now, available 11/29

Kimberly Rose Johnson: Found: An Almost Perfect Christmas
Pre-order now, available 12/6

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FINAL ESCAPE is available now! Plus, some wonderful bargains, too.

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

 

 

When you’ve run out of places to hide, what are your chances of survival?

Carrie Randall hoped to escape her past and find a fresh start, after divorcing her abusive husband. But this small, remote mountain town is hiding dangerous secrets, and now someone is harassing her. Has her ex-husband tracked her down? Or are the increasing threats related to the troubling rumors about her handsome new landlord? Can she trust this man with her life? 

Her heart says yes, but falling in love led to disaster in the past, and now the clock is ticking.  Does she stay, or must she run?    To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Read on for a simple, wonderful recipe,  and some links for bargain book fairs!

 

 

My dear friend Lyn Cote is offering you something very special!  From April 19 to 23rd, her book, Journey to Respect, will be free on Kindle!  Here’s some information:

East Meets West in a Regency Era Western~ A family’s saga, a young nation’s  story~

An inspirational historical romance from a Carol Award–winning author: Does Rafe belong with his mother’s tribe or on his father’s plantation? As he chooses between two lives, Eve, a daughter of a prominent Washington, DC family, prepares to go west. Both Rafe and Eve embark on a journey, a Journey to Respect. But such journeys are rarely uncomplicated or without pitfalls. And falling in love is the most dangerous of all. PG13
This moving, authentic, uplifting historical novel by a USA Today Bestselling author, is one you won’t want to miss. Though part of a series, this story is complete within itself.

What Readers Say
“I so very seldom write a review but I couldn’t turn the last page without leaving one this time. Characters and emotions in this book seem so stunningly real I felt I was in the midst of them. This is a very beautiful story and I highly recommend it to each and all readers.”

“Another fantastic story in this series. Each one is as good as or better than the previous one. We met Rafe McKuen, the son of an Osage chief’s daughter and a fur trader in book two, but we get to know the man he is now.”

                                                                                          #  #  #

Also, here are some virtual book fairs for you to check out! Click on the links to take a peek.
Note that several of these feature KU (Kindle Unlimited) titles. But if you don’t subscribe to that program to obtain free books, you can choose to buy them as usual…and some are discounted for a great deal!

  1. KINDLE UNLIMITED FOR CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
    https://books.bookfunnel.com/ku4romance-apr22/24bb193l1h

 

  1. SUMMER OF SUSPENSE
    https://books.bookfunnel.com/summerofsuspense/c9gys0k816

 

  1. SWEET ROMANCE IN KU
    https://books.bookfunnel.com/nothingbutsweet/9dqu58bwut

 

  1. HANG ON FOR ONE HECK OF A RIDE
    https://books.bookfunnel.com/hangontight/m5xn9nficw

 

                                                                                            #  #  #

April’s recipe is so easy—SIX ingredients, and it’s a yummy addition to breakfast or brunch!

SPEEDY CARAMEL ROLLS

ROLLS
Two tubes of refrigerator biscuits (I like Pillsbury’s Flaky Layer Grands)
1 heaping cup white sugar
1 TBSP  + 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cut biscuits in fourths with a scissors. Roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture (you can also dip in melted butter first for more adhesion.) Drop loosely into a buttered 9×13” pan.

CARAMEL
3/4  cup brown sugar
3/4  cup butter
3/4  cup white sugar
3/4  cup vanilla ice cream

Melt these four ingredients in a microwave for two minutes. Stir.  Microwave another 30-45 seconds.
Pour caramel over the rolls.  Top with chopped pecans if you wish.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Cool for five minutes, then invert pan onto a tray or into another pan, and cool

 

                                                                                #  #  #

Please take advantage of Lyn’s free book. You will love it!   And also click on the book fair links to take a look at all of the bargains offered by wonderful authors this month.

WINNERS:    I’ll list last month’s winners (from those who replied to the questions in my March newsletter) in my May newsletter, and also the winners from this April edition as well.

The questions for April:   

Have you clicked on any of the online bookfair links in my monthly newsletters yet?  Have you found some new-to-you authors that you enjoyed?

How do you generally search for new books to read?  Through Amazon, Goodreads, other online sources, or brick-and-mortar stores, or word-of-mouth?

Wishing you all a wonderful spring!
Till May—Roxanne

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Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! ….and book bargains galore. Roxanne Rustand

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Do you celebrate the day in a way special for your family? Parades, a party, or just trying to remember to wear something green? It’s just the two of us at home now, and we aren’t into any festivities, but I do make corned beef with cabbage, red potatoes, onions, and lots of carrots, plus Irish Soda bread. And if grandkids are here, rolled-out cookies with lots of sparkling sugars (mostly green.) Now, need to find shamrock cookie cutters!

New release!

FINAL PURSUIT, the third inspirational romantic suspense in my MONTANA SECRETS series, is now up for sale. Free to those who use Kindle Unlimited, or on sale for just $3.99. CLICK HERE for more info, or to buy!

A quick blurb: A violent criminal has been terrorizing her small Montana mountain town. Deputy Megan Peters is working hard to identify him and bring him to justice…but now he has turned his sights on her. Could he be Scott Anders, the only newcomer in town? Should she believe her instincts…or follow her heart?

 

And, just in case you’d like a bit of early Christmas spirit (or a story set in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day) here is AN IRISH CHRISTMAS BLESSING. CLICK HERE to learn more, or to buy for only 99 cents!

A quick blurb: Eve goes to Ireland for the Christmas season to help an old friend run her Shamrocks & Shivers Antiquarian Book Shoppe. She figures the two months will be a dream come true. A quaint little village, with centuries-old buildings made of stone. Narrow winding lanes. Picturesque. What’s not to love?

But then her friend has been called away for an extended family emergency before Eve gets off her plane, and now she has to sort out a stranger screaming upstairs, a crazy dog, a mouthy parrot, AND an utterly handsome man with a broken ankle who has taken up residence on the main floor of the shop….

Welcome to Roxanne’s “Coupled by Christmas” six-novella series (each priced at just 99 cents.) Tied together only by a Christmas theme, they can be read in any order.

#1  The Mistletoe Puppy
#2  A Montana Christmas
#3  An Irish Christmas Blessing
#4  A London Christmas
#5  A Scottish Christmas
#6  Christmas in Paris

 

 

LAST MONTH’S CONTEST?  Ooops!

No, you didn’t miss anything, as I didn’t send out a newsletter in February. But here are the new questions for March!

THE NEW MARCH QUESTIONS:
1. Do you like reading holiday-themed books? Why or why not?

2. Easter is practically around the corner. Do you have Easter dinner menu traditions?

To write a comment or answer, CLICK HERE to reach the blog version of this newsletter at my website, then scroll down that page to the COMMENT SECTION to reply. The winners will receive a free copy of one of FINAL REFUGE, Book #1 in my Montana Secrets, or FINAL CHANCE, book #2 in this series.

**Note: if you send answers to these questions, be sure to check my April newsletter to see if you are a winner!

 

 

HERE’S A SUPER EASY, FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPE!

Even the left-overs are good, whether hot or cold. I’ve been making this for over ten years and I don’t remember the source, but do know that I made a number of adjustments to the original. Now that I’m thinking about it, this will be our supper for tonight!

PECAN CHICKEN

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts moderately flattened to uniform thickness (not too thin)
Peanut oil for the electric skillet

Coating:
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan (not the dry kind in a shaker can)
1/2 cup flour

For dipping:
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk

1. Combine dry ingredients in a shallow dish
2. Combine eggs and milk in a separate shallow dish.
3. Dip chicken thoroughly in the egg mixture.
4. Roll pieces in the dry mixture.
5. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
6. Gently lay pieces on a rack for 10 minutes, for the coating to “set.”
7. Heat peanut oil to moderate high temp in an electric frying pan, cook until chicken is golden on both sides, and an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees.

 

 

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINKS TO FIND BARGAIN (AND EVEN SOME FREE!) BOOK PROMOS:

SWEET SUMMER DAYS
https://books.bookfunnel.com/sweetsummerdays/otyn3xo5md

CRAVING CHRISTMAS
https://books.bookfunnel.com/cravingchristmas/kuy4ysdc26

LUCK OF THE IRISH—SUPER MARCH MYSTERY SALE
https://books.bookfunnel.com/luckoftheirishmystery/jkqpq6nv49

 

All my best to you,

Roxanne Rustand

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FINAL CHANCE, book bargains & a chance for prizes

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

Greetings from the snowy Midwest!

During our hot summer I found myself longing for winter.  Now, I’m not sure which is better! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and will have a happy and healthy year ahead.

cover: FINAL CHANCE

FINAL CHANCE was out last fall, and is the second of five novels in my new Montana Secrets  romantic mystery series.  All of them will be released by early spring, and can be read in any order.

CLICK HERE for the Amazon link for FINAL CHANCE. 

Here’s a quick blurb:

Arson. Attempted murder. And Kris Donaldson is the prime suspect. Why won’t anyone believe she’s innocent?

After years on the run from an abusive ex, Kris receives an unexpected inheritance, an acreage in the Rockies near a small, quaint mountain town. It’s her dream come true–a chance to establish an animal rescue and finally lead a peaceful life. Perhaps there’s even a chance of forever-after with the intriguing rancher next door.

But her dreams might just prove fatal.

The next title, FINAL PURSUIT, will be released January 27th .

 

Did you answer any of the questions in the December newsletter or blog post?

The questions were what are your favorite foods at Christmas, and do you have a favorite memory from Christmases past?  Here are the contest winners.

Winners, use the Contact Me button here on my website so you can choose one of my Christmas novellas as your prize.

1. Malgorzata
My favorite Christmas food is Poppyseed cake rolade with honey poppy seed filling and raisins, and sugared glaze!

2. Sara T.
My favorite Christmas food is the Glazed Ham and Mashed Potatoes and Gravy! Plus my daughter’s Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge! Congratulations on your New GrandBaby And Merry Christmas!

3. Cindy M.
We always traveled to my paternal grandparents for Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day.  We lived three hours away. Because of this my grandparents  would come up to our house to stay a weekend before Christmas. This happened the weekend my grandparents were visiting. 

When I was young around 4 or 5, my Dad tried to get me to go outside and get a bike that was left out by the road.  I would not go.  All of the adults tried to get me to go and nope, I would not. It was dark and I was scared to go out by myself. My middle sister said she would go get it and they said okay. When she opened the door Santa had came early.  All of our gifts were laid out on the porch.

Santa always brought my cousins’ gifts to my grandparents’ house. But Santa always knew we would not be home, so he made a special trip and delivered our gifts early.  This way my parents wouldn’t have to bring all the gifts home. 
This is one of many memories I have. 

 

THE NEW QUESTIONS IN THIS JANUARY, 2022 NEWSLETTER:

To write a comment or answer,  scroll down to the Comment section to reply. The winners will receive a free copy of one of FINAL REFUGE, Book #1 in my current series.

**Note: if you send answers to my questions of the month, be sure to check the next month’s newsletter to see if you are a winner!

 

Look below for my gift to you—links to ONLINE BOOK FAIRS!

I love sharing these opportunities with you every month. 

Click on each link to find free and bargain books—some by me, and perhaps some by your favorite authors. Who knows? You might also find a new-to-you, all-time favorite author by clicking on these links!

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year!

Roxanne Rustand

 

1.  CLEAN ROMANCE READS

2.  CHRISTIAN ROMANCE IN KU

3.  CLEAN & WHOLESOME COWBOY ROMANCE

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Christmas novellas, prizes, and maybe a baby! Roxanne Rustand

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

Happy holidays!

In whatever way you celebrate your faith’s traditions at this time of year, I wish you my very best for peace, good health, and happiness.

A white Christmas seems a bit doubtful this year here in the Midwest, but dusk is already falling at 4:30 pm and a cold wind is blowing today. It’s a perfect time of year to curl up with a quilt, a wonderful cup of hot chocolate (look below for a great recipe), and a good book. At the end of this message you’ll find lots of bargains for those! 

Do you enjoy Christmas fiction? I had a great time writing my six-title Coupled by Christmas series, and they are just $.99 each! Here are the titles, with links to check them out. They can be read in any order.

To see all of the covers at once, scroll down my homepage at www.roxannerustand.com.

The Mistletoe Puppy
A London Christmas
A Montana Christmas
A Scottish Christmas
An Irish Christmas Blessing
Christmas in Paris

 

 

 

 

 

I’d also like to share a link to the book I released in November.
FINAL CHANCE is the second of five novels in my Montana Secrets series, which will all be released by early spring. They can be read in any order. CLICK HERE for the Amazon link. Here’s a quick blurb:

Arson. Attempted murder. And Kris Donaldson is the prime suspect. Why won’t anyone believe she’s innocent?

After years on the run from an abusive ex, Kris receives an unexpected inheritance, an acreage in the Rockies near a small, quaint mountain town. It’s her dream come true–a chance to establish an animal rescue and finally lead a peaceful life. Perhaps there’s even a chance of forever-after with the intriguing rancher next door.

But her dreams might just prove fatal.

 

 

Here are the contest winners from my late November newsletter & blog post:
The questions were about Thanksgiving foods and memories. Here are the winners. To claim your prize, an e-copy of ONE MORE KISS, click Contact Me at my website: www.roxannerustand.com.

1. Sunnymay
My favorite food at Thanksgiving is leftovers. I like to make a turkey sandwich using bread, turkey, a thin layer of mayo and lettuce on one side, on the other side is jellied cranberry sauce. Growing up, Mom always dropped the turkey trying to get it out of the oven and out of the pan, so it pretty started carving itself. The dog and cat were very interested.

2. Madie
While I enjoy several of the foods, Thanksgiving is often the only time of the year we have stuffing, so I pretty much eat as much as I can. My favorite Thanksgiving memory is our first one after we adopted 2 cats. We figured out quickly how to keep our cat who couldn’t jump from getting on the table, but we all spent the entire meal keeping our athletic cat from getting at the dinner.

3. Michelle
My favorite Thanksgiving foods are my Auntie Marg’s Cranberry Relish, Baba’s Kolache and Grandma’s Pink Delight Desert. My favorite memory is when we would gather at Grandpa and Grandma’s house with aunts, uncles and cousins galore. (Mom had 4 brothers and a sister). There would be tables set up in the living room even.

 

THE NEW QUESTIONS IN THIS DECEMBER, 2021 NEWSLETTER:

What are your favorite foods at Christmas, and do you have a favorite memory from Christmases past?

To write a comment or answer,  scroll down  to the Comment section.

The winners will receive a free copy of one of my Christmas novellas, winner’s choice. See the titles and links above for more information on them.

**Note: if you send answers to my questions of the month, be sure to check the next month’s newsletter to see if you are a winner!

 

HERE IS AN EASY HOLIDAY RECIPE – FRENCH HOT CHOCOLATE!

In May of 2018, I took our daughter to Paris for two weeks. She’d been married six years, and though I’ve always taken her with me to author conferences, I thought this could be our last big adventure before she and her husband might want to start having a family. I told her that I would pay for the trip, but she needed to search for bargain flights, a bargain hotel, and come up with a detailed plan for how we could see and savor as much as possible during our stay.

She and I both love, love, love museums and all things related to history, so she came up with a wonderful day planner on an Excel spreadsheet including bargain museum passes that helped us avoid long lines. It was an incredible trip, and I would go back in a flash if I could!

One of our stops for a special treat was at Angelina’s, a completely charming café where we had yummy French pastries and small cups of le chocolat chaud (French hot chocolate.)

Oh, my, goodness. Thick and rich—it was nothing like the thin, milky hot chocolate we’d always had back in the USA. Since then, we’ve searched for a similar recipe and finally found several recipes that, when combined, tested, and tweaked, fit the bill. I think this nails it, and it is so simple! Enjoy!

Oh—and by the way, Emily’s dream of starting a family will be born any day. Gramma is excited!

 

FRENCH HOT CHOCOLATE

1 cup milk (1%, 2% or whole)

1 cup unwhipped whipping cream     (+ 1 cup more for whipped topping)

2 tsp. Splenda, other artificial sweetener, or sugar

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate bar chopped, or choc chips**

** Use the best quality bittersweet chocolate you can find, approximately 70%,for the most authentic flavor
Semi-sweet chocolate can be used (best quality =  best result)
Bar chocolate melts smoother and more easily than chips, though both will work.

Directions:

  1. Over medium heat, blend the milk and cream in the tallest stainless steel saucepan until it just starts to simmer (not the short one or it goes over.) Do not let it boil.
  2. Take pan off the stove and stir in the chocolate and sweetener until mixture is completely smooth, then return to stove over very low heat until it becomes a very silky, thickened consistency. 
  3. Serve hot in small cups, as it is very rich, topped with mounds of sweetened whipped cream.


Cold, it firms up to a silky pot du crème that can be eaten with a spoon, but one made without the egg yolks. Yum!
Or, reheat for hot chocolate.  Keeps for days covered in the refrigerator.

Optional ingredients for the hot chocolate: ½ tsp of either mint flavoring, vanilla, or even expresso powder—which intensifies chocolate taste.

Optional toppings on the whipped cream: crushed candy canes, chocolate sprinkles

My experiment with almond milk for a lower carb version resulted in a thinner result, like American hot chocolate, that did not thicken and had an off-taste.

Look below for my gift to you—links to SIX ONLINE BOOK FAIRS!

I love sharing these opportunities with you every month.

Click on each link to find free and bargain books—some by me, and perhaps some by your favorite authors. Who knows? You might also find a new, all-time favorite author by clicking on these links!

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!
Roxanne Rustand

 

1. SWEET CHRISTMAS ROMANCE BOOKS

2. CLEAN CHRISTMAS SMALL-TOWN ROMANCES

3. DECEMBER CHRISTMAS ROMANCES

4. 99c FIRST IN CHRISTMAS SERIES – SQUEAKY CLEAN

5. CLEAN ROMANCE SALES PROMOTION

6. CUDDLE UP WITH A COWBOY: SWEET, CLEAN COWBOY ROMANCE READS

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