The Mistletoe Puppy A Holiday Novella

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

 

Can there ever be a second chance at love, after Brad Callahan has faced great loss, and Kate Larrsen has faced too many troubled relationships in the past? Can a lonely little girl and a sweet golden retriever puppy bring them together by Christmas?

Kate Larssen works as a nurse at a clinic in Mistletoe Falls, a charming small town in northern Minnesota. She also established and manages the area’s only no-kill animal rescue, a cause dear to her warm and loving heart. After a series of romantic disappointments, she’s no longer interested in risking another. She has far more important things to focus on. 

Brad Callahan is a former Minneapolis cop who recently moved north for his new job as a deputy. His wife died just before Christmas last year, and that grief is still too fresh to think about new relationships. He hopes Mistletoe Falls will be a place where Janie, his grieving six-year-old daughter, can grow up, and be part of a close-knit community. With few relatives left, he prays that this will happen.

Brad finds an abandoned golden retriever mix and her thirteen puppies and brings them to the animal shelter, where he meets Kate, the pretty manager.  Always ready to take in homeless or abused animals and to help anyone in need, Kate worries about Brad’s sad, motherless child, and invites them both for Thanksgiving dinner. Though neither has any interest in commitment, Kate and Brad’s friendship grows as she tries to help fill the void in Janie’s life. Can a litter of adorable puppies and a lonely little girl bring them together by Christmas?

To purchase on Kindle

Or other online bookstores,  click here

$0.99   through December 31, 2020

 

Merry Christmas,

Roxanne

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Fall Weather and Blueberry scones

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

I love to bake, and today’s cool, rainy weather seemed like a perfect time to make something warm and comforting, so I made a batch of blueberry scones. Coffee always tastes better in my Jane Austen mug. 🙂 I’ve probably read all of the sayings on it at least a hundred times, but they still make me smile.

 

 

 

BLUEBERRY SCONES
Blend and set aside:
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk*
Mix in a separate large bowl:
3 cups AP flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

Add
1/2 cup COLD regular (salted) butter–not margarine!
Cut butter into flour until you have large crumbles.

Then add the liquid mixture:
Work the egg & buttermilk mixture in with a fork, and add
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries.
The mixture will seem very dry and crumbly. Try to press it together a bit ( it is not going to be a smooth cohesive dough at all!) Don’t overwork it.
Pat into the scone pan (you might not believe it at first, but yes–it will all fit!) or into a 9 inch round cake pan. The crumbly dough is hard to work with, but will result in a nice bumpy top.
Sprinkle heavily with sugar (coarse, large grain sparkling sugar if you have it is so pretty!) and bake 375 degrees for 20-25 min, let cool in pan.

*NOTES: I have only used the liquid buttermilk for this recipe, not the buttermilk powder plus water, so I’m not sure how the powder would work

I make these in a Nordic Ware scone pan that has dividers for each scone, so they come out perfectly.

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The Mistletoe Puppy, and a new holiday series

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

Hi!

First of all, I need to confess.  I’ve been the biggest failure EVER when it comes to sending newsletters!  It’s been several years, now.  Since some folks on my mailing list might not remember why they signed up for my newsletters in the first place,  I’ll be sending a quick note to everyone on that list, asking if they’d like to receive newsletters going forward.  If you are new here and would like to sign up for my monthly newsletters, that’s easy.  Just go to the home page of my website and click the sign-up button in the upper right corner.  You’ll even receive a free cookbook and a free novel for doing so…and will also be entered in a drawing for a ruby, heart-shaped necklace, right along with my long-term subscribers!  The winner will be announced on this blog in mid-December.

As for my newsletters, I look forward to writing breezy notes about life in the country, news about writer friends, new releases, contests where you might win books or other prizes–like that ruby heart necklace in time for Christmas–and I’ll be adding family recipes, too. Did I mention that I love to cook?  🙂   As always, your email address won’t ever be shared.

It’s a bit early to be thinking about Christmas, but I want to share news about my new Christmas novella series.

The Mistletoe Puppy is the first release in my “Coupled by Christmas” series, and it’s available for just 99 cents as an Amazon pre-order!  It will be released October 8th.

Here is an easy link to buy it on Amazon:  CLICK HERE

And for other retailers, CLICK HERE

The other five titles will be published between October and December of 2020. Here is the full list:
#1 The Mistletoe Puppy
#2 A Christmas in Montana
#3 An Irish Christmas Blessing
#4 A London Christmas
#5 A Scottish Christmas
#6 Christmas in Paris

 Can there ever be a second chance at love, after Brad Callahan has faced great loss, and Kate Larrson has faced too many troubled relationships in the past? Can a lonely little girl and a sweet golden retriever puppy bring them together by Christmas?

Kate Larssen works as a nurse at a clinic in Mistletoe Falls, a charming small town in northern Minnesota. She also established and manages the area’s only no-kill animal rescue, a cause dear to her warm and loving heart. After a series of romantic disappointments, she’s no longer interested in risking another. She has far more important things to focus on. 

Brad Callahan is a former Minneapolis cop who recently moved north for his new job as a deputy. His wife died just before Christmas last year, and that grief is still too fresh to think about new relationships. He hopes Mistletoe Falls will be a place where Janie, his grieving six-year-old daughter, can grow up, and be part of a close-knit community. With few relatives left, he prays that this will happen.

Brad finds an abandoned golden retriever mix and her thirteen puppies and brings them to the animal shelter, where he meets Kate, the pretty manager.  Always ready to take in homeless or abused animals and to help anyone in need, Kate worries about Brad’s sad, motherless child, and invites them both for Thanksgiving dinner. Though neither has any interest in commitment, Kate and Brad’s friendship grows as she tries to help fill the void in Janie’s life. Can a litter of adorable puppies and a lonely little girl bring them together by Christmas?

Wishing you all my best,   Roxanne

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Showing horses and happy memories… Roxanne Rustand

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

My newest Love Inspired novel,  Falling for the Rancher, has just been released.  I was so happy to see it at Walmart a few days ago!

And it was even more fun to see the similarity between our mare Patsy and the horse on the cover. Though the photo of her is from the side and doesn’t show it, she even had the same blaze!  What do you think–is the similarity just wishful thinking on my part?

Ah, the memories…when I first saw this cover.  The years of growing up on the back of my horse when I was little, the years of showing horses (first, at the little local shows, then on to the bigger WSCA, Tri-State and quarter horse show circuits in the Upper Midwest throughout high school and college.  Happy days, whether I won or lost, for I was able to do what I loved more than anything.

I left college for a while to work for a horse trainer–Monte Forman, for any of you who were around “way back when” and might remember him–then I went back to finish a bachelor’s in dental hygiene and public health.  Later, I got a master’s in nutrition and became a registered dietitian, and after my husband and I married, we began raising horses.

An AQHA palomino yearling in her photo above, Patsy was an equine airhead,  but she did pretty well at halter in the quarter horse shows, and then later she became a good broodmare for us.

Falling for the Rancher touches on themes that mean a lot to me–overcoming heartache, forgiveness, and the deep importance of a forever family for children who have been orphaned or otherwise abandoned. I was adopted when I was three, and will forever be grateful for my wonderful adoptive family.

This novel is set in a fictitious small town in the beautiful St. Croix, Wisconsin area that I love, and the hero and heroine are both veterinarians–which meant I was able to incorporate lots of four-footed secondary characters!

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Starting fresh!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

The world we live in seems to be evolving at such a fast pace these days–it’s hard to keep up. Do you find that to be true as well? The proliferation of technology advances and social media  is mind boggling. And in the writing life–well, blink and you’ve missed so much.

I  just didn’t have the heart for writing during the year after my sweet mom passed away, and during that time so much was happening with Facebook, Twitter and the still-growing array of other social media. By the time I got back in the saddle writing-wise, I was hopelessly  behind and befuddled. I’d become newly aware of one thing and suddenly there were two more on the horizon!

In the meantime, the  publishing world was rocked by the explosion of e-books that were taking off….and the way writers and readers connect is evolving as well. I’ve been trying to catch up ever since. You probably have known about memes for ages.  I just learned about them–and what to do with them–couple weeks ago!  Here’s one of mine–it’s rather like a online business card.

My super-patient webpage designer guided me into the latest wave of web page design a few years ago, but already, styles and content have changed,  So, she and I have spent the last couple weeks talking about another revamp, then experimenting with ideas. And now, my website has been freshened up and revised. I would love to hear your comments and suggestions!

So…what do you think of technology today? Honestly, I never imagined seeing entire families eating out…but instead of conversing, each with the bright screen of a smart phone capturing their complete attention!

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I am sooo excited!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

20140413_081104New things are coming at www.roxannerustand.com!  After having this style of website and blog for several years, I have been working with my lovely webmistress, Karen McCullough, who surely deserves an award for her patience as I’ve been sorting through the ideas I’d like to try next.  This site will be down on Monday, while she implements those changes, and by Tuesday everything here should look completely different.

I can’t wait to see it, and hope you will stop by again to take a peek–and let me know what you think! Your feedback means a lot to me, and will help with the final tweaks!

I hope you are having a wonderful winter.  Here in Iowa it has been gray and cloudy and sometimes drizzly…but hey, it’s easier to enjoy an occasional dreary day than shovel snow!  🙂

Roxanne

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An Aspen Creek Christmas !

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

aspencreekchristmas

Just a quick hello here, to let you know that I have a new book out in the stores right now.  It’s also online at www.harlequin.com and amazon.com….perfect timing for an inexpensive stocking stuffer!

It’s the third book in my Aspen Creek Crossroads series–and the book I’ve been wanting to write for a long, long time

On another note, Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

I hope you have a wonderful dinner, and a fabulous time with friends or family.  This will be our second celebration–we had our first in Iowa on Sunday, with my husband’s brother and his family, plus our son Brian and his family, and enjoyed it so much.

And now, we have traveled way south to spend the long weekend with our daughter and her husband down in Pass Christian, along the Gulf, where it is now a beautiful, balmy 70 degrees.   While we are gone, our other son and his family are spending their holiday vacation at our house, to have Thanksgiving with her parents.  It got complicated this year and I wish we all could have been together, but it all worked out!

15137606_10154920961672334_6947877934459038626_oBest wishes to everyone–have a lovely holiday!  Oh, and by the way, if you are in Cedar Rapids or nearby on December 9th, I’ll be at Barnes & Noble, starting at 6pm.  I’d so love it if you would stop by to say hello!

Those who stop by and buy my book can enter their name into a drawing for one of THREE  $10.00 Barnes & Noble gift cards, by simply adding their email address to my e-newsletter. One of those gift cards would well exceed the cost of the book. I rarely do booksigningss, and look forward to seeing some friends and readers there!

About the newsletter: I haven’t sent one out in yseveral years, but now plan to accasionally send it out a couple times a year to share recipes, news, and such.  I would never, ever share those addresses, promise.

Take care, and God bless!     Roxanne

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It’s a Party!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

It’s been a while since I’ve been here…lots of traveling, some book deadlines and the usual life of life  in the country with the horses, dogs, cats, and of course…my sweet hubby.  🙂

14067570_1057674064345780_7708453376600748160_nI’ll catch up more later—and include some wonderful recipes I want to share with you, too. But right now, I’ve got a book due VERY soon, and  just wanted to drop by and tell you about a fun event on Facebook, featuring this year’s Sweet Romance anthology:  Sweet Christmas Kisses III

All of the authors will be at the Facebook Sweet Romance Cafe page, offering prizes and a nice chance to chat!

 

Single_DadBest wishes to you all!

Roxanne

PS: I had a book out last month, still available on Harlequin.com and Amazon:  The Single Dad’s Redemption.

It’s the third book in my Aspen Creek series, and the next ones will be in December and next July through the Love Inspired inspirational line.

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Howdy!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

12719532_1670012753259091_5109020961471458216_oIt’s been a long time….but here I am at last. Lunar Pages locked me out of this site for quite a while, and I just got involved with a lot of other things.  Book deadlines, a lot of travel, and best of all, young grandkiddies–including a sweet little guy who is brand new!

BUT…I wanted to make sure I started off by telling you about the Facebook party today at the Sweet Romance Reads Facebook page!  if you want to join in and try for the giveaways, just go to

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SRRCafe1

A lot of authors will be onboard  throughout the various time slots and would love to meet you!

Happy Valentine’s Day in advance!

 

ROXANNE

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A Writer’s Life…with Budgies! by Patricia Johns

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

By guest blogger Patricia Johns

DSC03788

I’ve always been a bird person. Not the bird watching type, but the bird petting and snuggling type. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a bird for a pet.

A writer’s life is a solitary one, and having my two birds sharing the room with me makes everything a lot more cheerful. They are budgies–on the small side, too!–and they are quite tame and will sit on my finger. Together. They like to be side by side, no matter what they’re doing, and when I get one onto my finger, the other one will hop up, too, and they’ll consent to be told how very pretty they are.

They know their names, and they’ll obey commands like, “Coco, get down!” when she flies up to the curtain rod where she isn’t allowed to sit. Little Blue has learned the word “bath” in the same way a dog learns the word “vet.” For the longest time, Little Blue wouldn’t properly preen his tail, and so I’d have to give it a rinse under the tap, and he just hated it. So even now, months after he’s started properly caring for his own tail, he still flies away from me at the mention of the dreaded B-word.

I like the companionship. I write better with some company in the room with me, and it’s a pleasant break when one of them starts to chatter at me from across the room, their way of getting my attention for something they want. They might want the door open, or their treat picked up from the bottom of the cage, but they’ll snark way at me until I get it right, and then I get a chirp of thanks and they settle onto whatever they’d been hankering for. I’m well-trained. 😉

I’m married with a school-aged child, but my birds fill a very special part of my heart. Any pet person knows what I mean when I say this. When I write, they are right there, keeping me company, demanding I pick up their treats, and just making me happy. It’s an honor to be their friend.

Here is a link to Patricia’s new book!    A Firefighter’s Promise (Love Inspired)

firefighter's promise coverA FIREFIGHTER’S PROMISE
Love Inspired
By Patricia Johns

When the baby he rescued seven years ago returns—with his widowed adoptive mom—Deputy Fire Chief Matt Bailey can’t turn them away. Desperate to escape the reminders of his failure in the line of duty, Matt is close to leaving town. But one look at Rachel Carter and her son, Christopher, has him second-guessing his plans. Rachel is a mom in need of a hero for her son. But as much as she wants the two to bond, she’s determined to keep her distance from Matt. After losing her husband on the job, she promised never to love another fireman. Yet somehow she finds herself drawn to the one man she should avoid.

http://patriciajohnsromance.com

 

 

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