Finding that One Woman Only #MFRWHook

One Woman Only by Dee S. KnightAs one of a set of triplets, Jonah Goodman has always stood out as the least academic—and the last one to take the world, or commitment, seriously. Thing is, that’s not really who he is. But who can he convince of that? Not his family, who see him as they always have. And maybe not his one love, the sweetheart he left behind in high school but with whom he is now sharing an erotic holiday. Will he get his second chance to prove to Kelly that he is a loving man who wants more than a sensual few days, but a real relationship with the woman he lost once and doesn’t want to lose again? With that chance and Kelly’s love, Jonah knows that a “good man” can become a better man.
Buy link:
KU mybook.to/OneWomanOnly

MFRW Book Hooks

Excerpt:
“Asheville is a good place to live. I’m glad things are working out for you,” Jonah said.

“Eve and I will be going after the weekend to find a temporary place to live while we look for a house, and to get Tim enrolled in school. Then we’ll be there, getting used to the town and getting a feel for the school.”

“You’ll do great, Daniel. They’re lucky to have you.”

“Thanks.” Daniel stole a glance over Jonah’s left shoulder. “Looks like you might be lucky, too.”

Jonah turned to see what Daniel was talking about, just in time to see Kelly’s RAV4 turn the corner. His heart rate skipped with that little bit of contact. Damn it. She didn’t even see him. Didn’t wave or honk the horn. And still his heart knew her. And wanted her.

Just like other parts of his anatomy.

“Don’t you have to move this heap that’s blocking my classic? If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say she was coming from her home and going towards The Emerald. It is lunch time.”

“She might not be going to the diner.”

“Right. She might not be. But don’t you have to move that heap anyway? Check it out, dude. Jeez, do I have to tell you everything?” He turned. “Come on, Son. Let’s go get some boring old vanilla ice cream.”

Tim came flying across the yard. “Can I have chocolate, Dad?” he shouted.

“You can have anything you want,” Daniel said, and gave Tim a big kiss as he lifted him into the air.

Tim wiped it off and scrunched his face again. “Boys don’t kiss, Dad.”

“Oh, yes they do.” And he smothered Tim in kisses until the boy shrieked with giggles.

Jonah had to turn away. He loved that Daniel had found such happiness but seeing him like this filled Jonah with a feeling he’d never known before. Jealousy. And he didn’t like it.

“Okay, see you guys soon,” he called over his shoulder.

“Good hunting,” Daniel called back.”

“Is Uncle Jonah going to hunt something? Is it a bear?”

He didn’t hear Daniel’s reply. Instead his mind zeroed in on one goal. Finding Kelly Shepherd.

Find Dee here:

Dee
Burning Bridges by Anne Krist: old letters put the lie to Sara’s life. Now, mending her past mistakes while crossing burning bridges will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.
One Woman Only
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

See some other great excerpts from other Book Hooks!

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You never forget your first #MFRWHooks

Impatient Passion was my first book, published in 2003 on Valentine’s Day. I had no idea what I was doing–I was just trying to “write a book.” I did it in a month, sent it to Liquid Silver Books (in the process of folding now, sadly), and they accepted it. I was bitten by the writing bug, for better or worse! 🙂

This is a blog hop. Click the link at the bottom and see what other authors are posting!

IMpatient Passion by Dee S. Knight

Blurb:

Austin D. Gardner, an award winning web designer in San Francisco, has just faced the fact that she is going to turn thirty-five years old on Saturday and her life is nowhere near what she dreamed it would be. She needs to make big changes.

On the crowded bus trip home, Austin is pushed into a man. Instead of trying to move away, he pulls her to him. Austin is shocked at first, but then lets fate take her by the hand. An anonymous adventure on a crowded bus might be a safe way to break out of the dull life she is living.

Tyler Birch spent years waiting for Austin to give some indication she would welcome getting to know him better, but time is up. He decided Monday to stop being passive. That afternoon he finds himself pressed against her on the crowded bus trip home. Not one to turn down an opportunity when he’s presented with one, Tyler accepts the chance to mount a two-pronged plan of attack. One as the anonymous stranger who can set Austin  fire with his touch, and the other as Tyler Birch who can touch her soul.

MFRW Book Hooks

Excerpt:

In the years Austin had worked for Bay Web, her contact with Tyler had been limited, just the way she liked it. She glanced at him and found he was looking at her.

“You look as though you’re having a conversation with yourself. Want to tell me what about?” The look he gave Austin was open, friendly.

“No.”

He grimaced at her terse response. “Fair enough.” Tyler got up and closed the door, which worried Austin. She had never been alone in a closed room with any of the staff there. Even Henry, when he was arguing with her over designs, left the door open. What was this about?

“Ms. Gardner, or Austin, if I may call you that?” She nodded, and he gave a half smile. “Austin, you’ve been working on the Ron Morris project haven’t you? How do you think it’s coming?”

“I’ll have it ready for Henry to look at by end of day Wednesday. That should give him plenty of time to familiarize himself before Friday’s presentation. Is there a problem?”

“No. How do you feel the work is going? I guess what I mean is, how do you feel about what you’ve done?”

“Good. I think I’ve captured what Mr. Morris wants, and I think he’ll be happy with the results. Why? What’s going on? I’ve given Henry the preliminary drafts.”

“Yes, and he showed them to us at the executive meeting this morning.” He stopped and regarded her with a frank expression. “I’ll get right to the point. Austin, I want you to handle the presentation on Friday. Can you do it?” Tyler leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs and tapped his fingertips together, forming a steeple with his hands.

Austin was stunned. Presenting her own work to the client was not something she had ever done. In fact, not being able to do so had irritated her more than once, because she felt Henry might not have given her work the pitch he should have. She knew that part of being a backbench employee was being behind the camera, so to speak, not up where the client action was.

However, this account was really important to her, and she had hated the thought of turning it over to Henry, especially since he hadn’t shown much enthusiasm for her ideas. He wanted flash and lots of action on the screen instead of her more unadventurous, calm design. She quickly made up her mind. She looked up to see Tyler staring at her, quietly waiting for her response. “Yes, I can do it.”

“Good. I hoped you would say that. I liked your prelims and I think you can best explain them to Morris.”

“My only concern is Henry. This won’t go over too well with him.”

“Let me worry about that. Now,” he said as he uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. He rested his elbows on the desk and looked at her intently. “I hope you won’t take this the wrong way. I know we’re a very casual company-this is California, after all, and what’s California if not casual? But for this level of client dealing, I like the staff to be a bit more formal. No offense, but you look like the college kids out there.” He waved vaguely toward the cubicle area. “I’d like you to represent the adult side of the firm on Friday. Will you come in to work dressed a little more formally and with a different hair style?”

Austin bristled, and Tyler could obviously tell. “Now, don’t go getting all huffy. This isn’t anything I wouldn’t ask of a man if he normally came in every day dressed for the beach.” Austin opened her mouth and he held up his hand. “Which you don’t. That’s not what I meant.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly is wrong with how I look?”
Tyler stood and walked around his desk. He took her hands in his and forced her to stand. Austin was struck speechless as he casually appraised her, front and back, then motioned for her to sit again and went back to his chair. He leaned back and looked at her, still saying nothing.

Tyler sat quietly because, truth be told, he couldn’t speak quite yet. He thought Austin was beautiful. Had thought so since she started working there, but had been very careful never to reveal his thoughts. She had gorgeous blonde hair that she kept in a horrid braid. If it was loose, falling over him… He cleared his throat and forced his mind off of that track.
“With how you look? Nothing. With how you dress? Plenty. Bagginess is fine for sitting in a cubicle in front of a computer screen, but not for client presentations.” Tyler saw Austin tense and a flush spread up her neck and across her face, but he continued. “You have very nice hair, but this is a San Francisco business, not Little House on the Prairie. Something a little more suitable to your age and responsibility would be good.”

Austin caught her breath, and Tyler saw her eyes sparkle with tears. Fortunately, they didn’t fall, but he immediately softened his tone. Leaning forward, he said a little more gently, “You have beautiful skin and you’re one of the few women I know who doesn’t need makeup. Your eyes are amazing, even behind those gosh awful glasses you wear to see the computer screen. But tennis shoes don’t go with the image I have of the corporation, Austin.”

He looked at her steadily, and saw that she had control of her emotions. No tears for her, he thought. She’s pretty brave to sit through this and not lose it. He tempered his criticism with the next statements. “You’re a valuable employee. Your work is excellent and has brought the company recognition. I take you seriously, and I want others to take you seriously too.” He could see that his last words had an effect on her.

He lowered his head slightly and regarded her through his lashes. “I don’t mean to be harsh. For here at the office your regular dress is okay. If it’s a problem making a few changes for Friday, I understand. But I really wanted you to handle the presentation.”

There it was. The challenge. Would she give in to his request or give up control of her work? “I’ll do it,” she said in a low voice. “Is that all?”

Buy link: Amazon

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New release!! Burning Bridges by Anne Krist

Did you ever tell a lie for so long that even you believed it? And then got caught? Ah… Then you understand Sara in Anne Krists’ Burning Bridges.

Burning Bridges by Anne Krist
Letters delivered decades late send shock waves through Sara Richards’s world. Nothing is the same, especially her memories of Paul, a man to whom she’d given her heart years before. Now, sharing her secrets and mending her mistakes of the past means putting her life back together while crossing burning bridges. It will be the hardest thing Sara’s ever done.

Publisher: Nomad Authors Publishing
Release date: January 20, 2020
Buy link: mybook.to/BurningBridges
Price: $2.99 (for eBook), $9.99 (for paperback), KU
Word count: 83,000

Years ago, while visiting my mother in Virginia, I heard a news story. Up in Lynchburg, a mail carrier had died. When his family was cleaning out the property, they discovered two bags of mail decades old thrown into the back of his garden shed. The story was, maybe the man hadn’t felt like working one day and stuffed the bags into the place where they’d lain all this time. I immediately wondered how lives had been changed because one man decided not to do his job that day. Had people not received bills? Birthday cards? Expected packages?

Letters of love?

The Post Office did their best to deliver the lost mail, but what life went one direction instead of another because of that one slip of fate?

Thus came the story of Burning Bridges, where Sara Richards’ life changes not only because of letters she didn’t receive but because of the letters she did, decades late.

Burning Bridges is a true love story, begun in Virginia Beach as the Vietnam War is winding down—though no one knew that at the time—and ending in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, where two soul mates find each other again. Do they stay together?

Ah. I’ve already said it’s a true love story, but sometimes, even true love has a way of not quite holding on.

I hope you enjoy the book of my heart, Burning Bridges.

Burning Bridges by Anne Krist

Excerpt:

Sara stared at the letters arranged before her in numerical order. The moment in time she and Paul shared was long ago, yet her dream had conjured his presence as though she’d just seen him. In her mind, his blue eyes darkened with passion before his lips captured hers, and he moaned his appreciation when their tongues met. She tasted his sweetness and knew the steel of his arms as he held her. How many nights had she put herself through hell reliving those memories?

Too damn many.

After the concert, they’d met clandestinely on weekends, mostly at Sandbridge, where they could walk and talk undisturbed. With each meeting, stirrings built deep in Sara that pushed her to want more, but Paul insisted they restrain themselves because of her age.

Then the weekend before he shipped out, she’d planned a surprise and her life changed forever.

The kettle screeched, bringing her back to the present. Sara prepared a cup of tea and then picked up the envelope marked twenty-eight. At one time, she would have given her right arm to hold this letter. Now, curiosity and the desire for a brief escape drove her more than the passion of youth. Blind love had faded when she’d had no word to bolster her during the long weeks after the ship left.

First had come the waiting. No letters arrived, even though she wrote him daily. There were no phone calls, no notes, no anything, for days that dragged into weeks then crept into months.

Anticipation morphed into anxiety. She worried he was sick or hurt and unable to write.

One day she admitted that Paul must be afraid to write for some reason, and she feared what he would say if she did receive a letter. That their time together had been a mistake, that she was too young to be in love. That he really loved someone else and Sara had been only a stand-in while he was in Virginia. Perversely, she began to sigh with relief when she arrived home and found no word.

Now, knowing why she hadn’t received mail, what would she feel if she opened this letter and her old fears proved to be true?

“Nothing,” she murmured. “Paul’s dead. He can’t hurt me anymore.” At the very least, his letters might allow her to put his ghost to rest. For that reason alone, she had to read them.

She slid her thumb under the flap and ripped the envelope open. A single sheet held his hurried scrawl.

Burning Bridges by Anne Krist

Some reader comments about Burning Bridges:

“I loved it! And now my daughter’s reading it.” Sherry, a reader

“I just finished reading BURNING BRIDGES. Thank you for writing such a powerful story about how real love can overcome all obstacles. I appreciate the fact that Sara and Paul were imperfect and made mistakes. They needed each other to polish off their rough edges and make them complete. How nice that characters of middle age were written as attractive and sexual human beings.” A reader, Virginia

“I give Burning Bridges 6 stars out of 5!! A true love story…I’m ready for more.” – A reader, Byron, TaylorMade Bod

“I loved it, just loved it! I was going to take it with me on vacation but I started reading and didn’t want to stop. It was addictive.” – Chiara, a reader

“Loved it. Just loved it.” – Beverly, a Beaufort reader

Burning Bridges by Anne Krist

Author Anne Krist:

 A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity. Contact Anne at annekrist@nomadauthors.com.

Website: https://nomadauthors.com/annekrist/index.html

Snowy, blowy days #MFRWauthor

SnowSince it’s snowing as I type this and is supposed to be for part of every day for the next 10 days, I feel qualified to describe what I could do on inclement days like these. I could paint a masterpiece, sew a glimmering ball gown, sculpt a museum-worthy bust of Alfred E. Neuman, or compose an opera in Italian.

Actually, I couldn’t. Don’t know masterpieces from Paint-by-Numbers, or how to hem a skirt, much less sew a ball gown. If I tried to sculpt I’d probably cut my hand with the little thingy you use to chip the marble or make a mess of the clay, and it will make me sound kinda red-neck, but I’m a fan of George Strait, not opera. Realistically, I will write and read. Or maybe read and write. We don’t have children to blast out of bed or grandchildren to find entertainment for, and I don’t have to trudge through a foot of white stuff to get to work. The only thing I have to do tomorrow is prepare dinner, and even then, for a tip, Pizza Hut will trudge through the white stuff. So, I’m even off the hook for that.

Don’t judge me. 😉

I take heart in the fact that I’ve worked a bunch of years to get to this point, and I am going to enjoy it for all it’s worth. For many of those years, I didn’t get time off when it snowed, even though we lived in Virginia where whole towns shut down when a few flakes fall from the sky. And in all fairness, sometimes getting a couple of new chapters written feels like work, even though getting through them will be joyful. You know what I mean!

What do you do on those days when the white stuff is falling? Please don’tBaking say you do stuff like bake bread, organize a caroling group to appreciate the snow with song, or anything like that. You’ll just make me tired and I’ll have to slip in a nap between reading and writing.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
One Woman Only: The Good Man Series, Book 2 Jonah’s story! Can a simple mechanic rekindle with his high school love? She says no, but Jonah loves a challenge!

Mystic Desire
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

Dancing in the Dark #MFRWHooks

One Woman Only by Dee S. Knight

One Woman Only is a story of second-chance romance and a love that lasted despite a broken heart at the tenderest of age. This is a blog hop. After reading my post, please click the link at the end to see other posts!

Blurb:

As one of a set of triplets, Jonah Goodman has always stood out as the least academic—and the last one to take the world, or commitment, seriously. Thing is, that’s not really who he is. But who can he convince of that? Not his family, who see him as they always have. And maybe not his one love, the sweetheart he left behind in high school but with whom he is now sharing an erotic holiday. Will he get his second chance to prove to Kelly that he is a loving man who wants more than a sensual few days, but a real relationship with the woman he lost once and doesn’t want to lose again? With that chance and Kelly’s love, Jonah knows that a “good man” can become a better man.

Excerpt:
“May I have this dance?”

Kelly turned at the sound of Jonah’s voice behind her. Dinner had ended. All three of the boys had given best man speeches and Eve had even given a very creditable matron of honor speech, considering she had only known Marilyn and Caleb a short time. Lots of toasts had been raised and finally the live band had struck up the music. Caleb led his bride onto the floor for a foxtrot—a dance more than half of the guests had no idea how to do, including her.

Facing Jonah she sighed inwardly at how scrumptious he looked. Sure, his face was pretty much displayed on his brothers’ heads, too, but there was something different about Jonah. His nose was just a little crooked from when Bobby Hendricks had broken it in ninth grade and his eyes held an especially bright sparkle in his eyes when he smiled. Maybe… Well, she didn’t know what caused the difference between Jonah and his brothers. Whatever it was, she had never been fooled by the so-called identical nature of the identical triplets. She’d wanted to be his girl since elementary school. Thought she would be in high school. And then forced every last thought of him from her mind from senior year on.

Until now.

“I don’t know how to foxtrot.”

He shrugged. “Who does except those over fifty?” He glanced at his folks, still alone on the dancefloor, although a few couples were wandering out to join them now. “We can pretend.”

She mentally compared standing on the sidelines alone now that Mama Rio left the party, or being held in Jonah’s arms. Smiling, Kelly held out her hands. “Just don’t step on my toes, Jonah Goodman, or there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Together they walked onto the dancefloor. He took her right hand in his left and placed his right hand on her waist. Fortunately for them, the music changed to a slow tempo. Kelly laid her head on Jonah’s shoulder, and he tugged her closer as they swayed to the music.

“This is nice,” he murmured.

“Yes it is,” she replied. So very nice. He smelled good. Beneath the light citrus fragrance of his aftershave was a slight whiff of pure man with maybe a twinge of motor oil or something so Jonah it brought tears to her eyes.

He rubbed a path up to her shoulder blades and gave a squeeze. “You fit me perfectly, Kelly.”

“I do?”

“You sure do. I think our hearts can feel each other beat.”

Kelly chuckled. “Smooth talker. Face to face like this our hearts are on opposite sides.”

“Hey! I’m trying to be romantic here.”

She sighed. “Keep on. It’s appreciated.”

“You smell…good.”

She felt his smile. Raising her head she gave him a mock glare. “Watch it with those pregnant pauses, buster.”

He used his hand to press her head back to his shoulder. “You do smell good, though. This isn’t the same perfume you wore in high school. That was—”

“Lilac,” they said at the same time. Once more she raised her head to look at him. “How did you remember that?”

“I remember much more than you might think.” He turned her and moved her closer to the door onto the patio. “Each spring when lilacs are in bloom memories come flooding back. Does that surprise you?”

“More like shocks me,” she said, grinning. And then she laid her head on his shoulder once more, finding she liked it more and more there in his arms. She stepped slightly closer and his arm tightened about her.

“Well, after a while I thought lilac seemed too girlish. I like the vintage scents, so in college I wore Wind Song. Then Shalimar was the scent Brad liked me to wear.” She felt Jonah stiffen when she mentioned her ex, and really she didn’t blame him. “But when I grew up enough finally to take charge of my own life, I started wearing Chanel No 5. A complex fragrance for what I hope is a complex woman.”

“It suits you. Complex and beautiful.” He kissed her temple. “Want to step outside for a minute?”

“Sure. It is a little warm in here.”

On the patio, they could hear the sounds of the people from the television networks packing up equipment, chatting and laughing. Stars shone brightly in the clear night sky. Wood smoke from someone’s fireplace wafted through the air and static electricity fairly crackled in the crispness of the autumn air.

“This is my favorite time of year,” Kelly said. “The heat of summer is gone and winter nights curled up with a hot drink and blazing fire are ahead.”

“Not me. I’m a summer boy all the way.”

“A hothead you mean?” she teased.

“Oh, I’m hot all right.” He waggled his brows at her. Kelly laughed.

“I do seem to remember that about you.”

“You used to be pretty hot yourself. Still are.” He leaned in. His eyes flicked down to her lips. Kelly sucked in a breath. She should stop him, she really should.

Buy link: Kindle Unlimited: mybook.to/OneWomanOnly

MFRW Book Hooks

Author bio:

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That’s how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she’s lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors. Contact Dee at dsknight@deesknight.com.

Author links:

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

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Hearing your words instead of reading them–what a rush!

Good Girl Gone Bad PodcastToday I had the pleasure of being the featured author on Good Girl Gone Bad Podcast. I submitted my short story, “Invitations to a Wedding,” months ago for the owners’ consideration, and she thought it was sufficiently sexy to qualify. I’m thrilled with how it turned out!

Invitations to a Wedding

If you enjoy the story, please share it with your friends and followers!

Dee
One Woman Only: The Good Man Series, Book 2 Jonah’s story! Can a simple mechanic rekindle with his high school love? She says no, but Jonah loves a challenge!

Mystic Desire
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

Giving Thanks #MFRWauthor

The question asked is why we should be grateful. My question is why shouldn’t we? Even in the worst of times there are things to be grateful for. And what does it hurt to look for a reason? Either you think you have nothing in life to be grateful for and you feel miserable, or you find a reason to give thanks and maybe feel a little uplifted. It’s a matter of deciding to be happy or not.

InternetHere’s a very small reason to be thankful: if you are reading this, you either own or you have access to a computer and the Internet, one of the most powerful forces on earth. With the Internet, you can change your life—find a job, find a wife (or husband), shop for a new dress or a new car, check the news, check the stock market—virtually (literally) anything you want.

Another reason to be thankful: most of us live in free nations where we can succeed if we work hard, stay positive, make good contacts, and (more importantly) make good friends. We are free to turn our hobbies and passions into a profession. Sadly, we’re also free to do nothing with our lives if we choose—though that seems like a waste of freedom.

We can have as many children as we’d like, marry whom Freedom to live where we wantwe like, live where we like (for the most part). In the States (unless you’re on a college campus), you can speak your mind, vote for the candidate of your choice, attend church where you want. Here we live in a vertical society, where—again, with hard work—we can rise in the world “above our station.” We aren’t restricted to a class. If we aspire to become billionaires, we have the opportunity—and lots of us have succeeded.

If all of this isn’t enough to be thankful for, take it to a more personal level. Most of us have someone (or more than one someone) to be thankful for. Even if we’ve had the very worst home lives possible, we have a friend, a teacher, a coach who cares what happens to us. Even in the darkest night, most of us have a candle within reach. I’ll always be grateful for the people in my life who helped me grow and learn to love unconditionally.

I do hope this post doesn’t sound sanctimonious–I don’t mean for it to. Years ago I was told that everyone makes their own happiness, and I’ve found that to be true. We wake up each day with the choice to make the best of life that we can, or not to. It isn’t up to anyone else to make us happy, we have it within ourselves. Some of us have to look harder than others to find things to be grateful for, but there’re always reasons. Once you start recognizing those  reasons, it will get easier and easier to keep finding them.

Freedom to love whom we wantEach and every day brings new reasons to give thanks. I don’t have a hard time finding them, whether it’s the beauty of a field of golden wheat or a star shooting across the heavens or rolling over in bed to snuggle up to my special person. I hope you find thousands of reasons to be thankful, too, not only in this season but all year long.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
One Woman Only: The Good Man Series, Book 2 Jonah’s story! Can a simple mechanic rekindle with his high school love? She says no, but Jonah loves a challenge!

Mystic Desire
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

Giving #MFRWauthor

I just read a news article about an actor and how he and his wife approach Christmas gifts with their son. He said that they bought nothing for his Christmas when he was under one-year-old because he wouldn’t know the difference. And as he got older and they noticed that he saw Christmas gifts as just a bunch of stuff—one gift after another—they cut back until he appreciated each gift he got as something of value.

I thought about that as I got to the point of writing this week’s topic. How do we give gifts that are personal? Here are a few ideas I had.

  • Give gifts from the heart. I made it a habit long ago to give gifts to Giving from the heartpeople I love that I love, too. So, unless my mom asked for a puce-colored sweater where the sleeves hung over her hands and the hem reached her knees, I gave her a sweater I would like to wear myself. I gave a gift that would mean something to me if I received it.
  • Give gifts that people need. I don’t mean giving only underwear for Christmas—people need joy as well as undies—but there’s no need to give a person something they have no use for. My mom is on a fixed income and appreciates gift cards she can use to buy things she needs instead of having to use her own money. I always used to think that gift cards were impersonal, but they’re what she needs at this stage of life, so that’s what she gets.
  • Give something intangible. A smile at the right time can be the greatest Give a smilegift of all. Lending a helping hand when you see it’s needed, thanking a serviceman or woman, or police officer for their service, or saying a kind word are all ways that make the recipient warm inside, and they cost nothing. My mom was always (and fortunately for me, still is) always ready with a hug or encouragement. Always willing to jump in and give me whatever it is I need.
  • Give something tangible. Charities always need more help at the holidays, but they also need a boost all year long. My mom tithes allGiving gifts that are tangible year, but she doesn’t tithe to her church, as such. She tithes in kind, by giving to two particular charities: one is an Indian school in South Dakota. She and my aunt send books and school supplies during the year and all kinds of gloves, scarves and hats in the winter. They buy travel size personal items and small teddy bears and package them to give to women’s shelters. When women escape horrible situations at home, they leave with just what they have on, and they need more, so Mom and my aunt help provide those things.
  • Give time. Another intangible that might cost something if it means taking time from work is the gift of time. Time is infinite, but time hereGive time on earth, with loved ones or even those we don’t know, like folks at a nursing home or hospital, is not infinite. Once a day is gone it never comes again. I live too far from Mom to see her often, but we talk weekly and when we do have time together, we cherish it. Time and love are the two greatest gifts!

I do try each Christmas to follow these gift-giving ideas, though I don’t always succeed. I tend to give Jack things that I think he needs, not what he thinks he needs. (I do know best, don’t I? It turns out, not so much!) But I think the best point to remember about personal gift giving is that it’s not just for Christmas—it’s a notion we should follow all year round.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
One Woman Only: The Good Man Series, Book 2 Jonah’s story! Can a simple mechanic rekindle with his high school love? She says no, but Jonah loves a challenge!
Mystic Desire
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

Holiday favorite #MFRWauthor

Corn makes corn puddingThe whole time I lived at home, my mom made corn pudding for our holiday meals. I really don’t remember having it any other time, but Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, corn pudding was a staple on our dinner table. I loved it! Mom loved it! Dad…? Well, when he explained to Mom why he was leaving, after 28 years of marriage, he said he hated corn pudding.

I know, right? Why couldn’t he have just said, “I don’t care for corn

Corn pudding--holiday favorite
Mom, helping Dad pack. I’m pretty sure she put a container of corn pudding in that box.

pudding.”? But no, he let his dislike fester until he couldn’t stand it anymore. Of course, maybe that wasn’t the real reason he left. A man who won’t admit his dislike for a holiday recipe probably has other things he won’t confess, too. 😉

At any rate, I still love corn pudding. I don’t make it frequently, probably because unlike being corn fed (so to speak) as I was, hubby is a green veggies kind of guy.

Here is my recipe for corn pudding, a slightly different recipe than my mom used.


Corn Pudding
2 15 oz cans creamed corn
1 15 oz can whole corn (or 1-1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
16 Saltine crackers, crushed
1 Tbl melted butter
1 large egg
½ cup milk

Mix everything together and put in a well buttered baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Note: I normally don’t use salt and pepper when I cook. Season this as you like.


I hope you like my corn pudding. More importantly, I hope your husband does!

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee

One Woman Only: The Good Man Series, Book 2 Jonah’s story! Can a simple mechanic rekindle with his high school love? She says no, but Jonah loves a challenge!

Mystic Desire
Only a Good Man Will Do, The Good Man Series, Book 1
Naval Maneuvers

FREE!! Until Friday midnight, get Only a Good Man for FREE!!

Dee S. Knight

A year ago almost to the day, Book 1 of the Good Man series was published: Only a Good Man Will Do. Today, the second book in the series is available: One Woman Only.

Dee S. Knight

For this week, meet the first Goodman bother (Daniel) for FREE!!

Meet the second brother (Jonah) on Kindle Unlimited!

After this week, get both Only a Good Man Will Do and One Woman Only on KU!

I loved Only a Good Man Will Do, loved the characters, loved the attraction between the heroine and hero. It told the story of Daniel Goodman, PhD, teacher of young men, resident master in a dormitory of children. He has one goal in mind and that’s to become headmaster of the school where he works. Westover Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the world and they only accept teachers, parents, and students of the highest pedigree. Daniel feels he has a good chance of achieving his goal…until in one week, the daughter of a board member comes on to him, one of his students is found drunk in a place forbidden to students and staff, and he meets the beautiful Eve Star who danced on stage (no, not the Broadway stage) as Evening Star. He handles each crisis until it’s down to Eve, his student, or his dream.

What’s a good man to do?

In the next book, One Woman Only, debuting today (YAY!!), we meet Daniel’s brother, Jonah. Jonah Goodman is something of an opposite to Daniel. Jonah works on a NASCAR team…or he doesn’t. He makes enough money for his needs, but he’s not about the prestige or the power. He lets life take him where it does. Then, he meets the woman he’s loved since high school and he wonders why life has dragged him back into her orbit. Contrary to what others think, it’s not easy being Jonah Goodman!

But with Kelly Shepherd, he’s a good man trying hard to be a better man.

For this week, introduce yourself to the Goodman brothers for FREE with Only a Good Man Will Do, and then visit with the second brother, Jonah, in One Woman Only, on KU!

One Woman Only: Dee S. Knight