How Does a Book Heroine Celebrate December?

 Greetings Friends,

Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or a different celebration, Pen Dames thought it would be fun to imagine how the heroines in our stories might celebrate the holiday. These women are from different time periods and occupations. So join us on this imaginary journey.

                                                 

                                                

                          Mind Your Goddess 

                                       by 

                      Flossie Benton Rogers

        Tickle your fantasy with a little Yuletide fun!

The life work of Epona, goddess of fruitfulness, involves seeing her people flourish and helping humans from the nearby earth dimension. The inhabitants of Epona's realm celebrate a midwinter holiday called Yuletide. Festivities surround Winter Solstice and the rebirth of the sun after the longest night of the year. There is feasting, singing, dancing, and gift giving. Special guests are always welcome, and the sun god Apollo has been known to play his lyre after a seven-course Yuletide meal. He says Epona's blackberry wine surpasses that served on Olympus. Epona's most honored guest is her lover Eshigel, the dark guardian of the between. She adores frisking him away from the dim corridors of his domain and cuddling up with him by a crackling midwinter fire in her Rose Cottage. 

             https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Your-Goddess-Wytchfae-Book-ebook/dp/B076XX9TPJ

                                                                          

                                                                                          Echoes of the Moon

                                                                                by Jennifer Taylor

         Jolly Ole England, Christmas Day

                   King's Harbour, 1737

It was a Happy Christmas indeed, thanks to gracious Lena, owner of the Siren Inn. After church, the town fair danced their way to the party, awed by the greenery that graced the walls and tables groaning with the bounty of the town's excellent cooks. Identical twins Bethan and Elunid were breathtakingly beautiful in white gowns embroidered with holly and ivy by the talented and troubled Elunid.

Henry, our town night soil man stood against the bar, eyes only on Bethan. He and son George so looked like the perfect gentlemen that no one would ever know their occupation.

The day was complete when the dashing Reginald and the Wandering wastrels sallied in, singing. we enjoyed hours of revelry: eating, drinking, gambling, and hilarity.

Best of all we witnessed Henry and Bethan passionately kissing under the mistletoe.

https://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Moon-Jennifer- Taylor/dp/1509217606

                                                                       

                                                              Siren Descending

                                                 by Katherine Eddinger Smits

                                                              Bah Humbug!

Athenia is a Sea Witch apprenticed to Thorne, a swamp mage from the bayous and backwaters in Florida. Before, she didn't celebrate holidays. Now, with Thorne, she endures human ways. Though he forgave her for stealing his powers and abandoning him to die, he hasn't forgotten. And the other mages treat her with contempt. As Christmas approaches, Thorne drags her into the human world. Their customs mystify her. Why do they worship a fat man in a red suit? Although the mages aren't obsessed with old guy, they're incomprehensible too. They have immense power to conjure lavish meals and beautiful clothes, but they eat simply and wear shorts and t-shirts. Makeup? The women strive to be plain-ass boring. They look down on her for her fondness of luxe, and hate her for what she did to Thorne, but she can't stand them either. This Christmas complication is a bitch.

https://www.amazon.com/Siren-Descending-Sirens-Book-2-ebook/dp/B082CMLGTF

The Bone Yard by Loretta C. Rogers

A Christmas Dinner Flub-a-Roo!  

Dr. Tullah Holliday is a veterinarian, and amateur sleuth. She uses her empathic abilities to help solve

crimes. While she is a great doctor, she didn't inherit her grandmother's cooking gene. This year was Tullah's turn to host Christmas dinner. While whipping the potatoes with her new electric hand mixer, the power kicked off. Her father rushed to the basement to flip the switch in the breaker box. When he returned upstairs, Tulllah was propped against the kitchen counter holding the mixer like a pistol and shooting mashed potato bullets all over the kitchen with globs decorating her grandmother's face and hair. Tullah was relieved when the guests didn't complain about the dry turkey and gloppy gravy.

https://www.amazon.com/Boneyard-Doc-Holliday-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B09QXQNLYW

                                

 

Now that you've seen how our book heroines might celebrate the holidays, we'd love to hear how you and your family celebrate or perhaps share some of the flub-a-Roos you've experienced during this joyous season by posting in the comments section below.

From Pen Dames to you, we wish you Happy Reading, Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas, and a New year filled with Blessings!

Childhood Books Last Forever

 Remember the books you loved at an early age? The ones read aloud to you and the ones you checked out from the library? The ones the teacher handed out at the beginning of the new school year? The ones wrapped in sparkling paper on Christmas morning? The ones on the little shelf in your bedroom? These treasures left a lasting impression on your young mind, as they did on ours. Pen Dames could post each and every day about books we loved back then. That’s how much they mean. Here are a scant few we’d like to share with you. We would also love to hear about YOUR favorite childhood books.

KATHERINE EDDINGER SMITS:

I read Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce after encountering the book in the local library when I was quite young. Although I loved the book and fondly remembered it all my life, I forgot the title and author. I wanted to find a copy for myself, but thought it would be impossible because I had no way to identify it. When I read a reference to the book in a blog, I thought it might be the one I was seeking, and when I looked it up on Amazon, I was thrilled to find it was! I now have my own print copy of Tom's Midnight Garden to keep forever!

LORETTA C. ROGERS:

Horses have always been an important part of my life.  When I was four years old, my daddy would get me up early and sit me on the mule. Daddy was a farmer and plowed with a horse and a mule. When the horse kicked daddy and laid him up for many weeks, daddy sold the horse. The problem was that the mule refused to plow without the horse. So, daddy would sit me on that stubborn animal to get him to move. At night, daddy would read "Black Beauty" to us. I think that's when my love of horses and reading grew. Later, when the rolling library came to my school, I fell in love with "Misty of Chincoteague," by Marguerite Henry, then of course, there was Walter Farley and all of his Black Stallion books.

FLOSSIE BENTON ROGERS:

When I was three, my grandparents gave me a set of ten classic books called Young Folks Library. My grandmother read me stories, and later I read the books on my own. I learned of sisters who outfoxed a devious dwarf, a secret underground world filled with music and dancing, a blustery north wind who puffed out his powerful cheeks to start winter, an old wise woman who wrote secret messages on a fish, and many more tales. These books sparked in me a lifelong love of the mystical and magical. 

What books made a big impression on YOU at an early age? Thank you for traveling with the Pen Dames on our adventurous journey to books from our childhood.

What Creeps You Out? Happy Halloween!

 Everybody's creeped out by something, right? The Pen Dames are no exception. Some things just plain terrify us. 

Let's take Loretta Rogers. She is a fearless and prolific author who skillfully gives her readers chills with her paranormal romance and detective stories. Here's what she has to say:

Rattlesnakes

"I am deathly afraid of snakes. It doesn’t matter what kind, harmless or not, what color, alive or fakey rubber, it’s still a snake, and to me, all good snakes are dead ones. Why? Because I was bitten by a rattlesnake, spent thirteen days in the hospital, and nearly had to have my leg amputated.

A long time ago, a friend of my hubby, knowing my fear, thought he’d play a practical joke and threw a (live) baby corn snake at me. Before I fainted, I think the entire neighborhood heard me scream. Hubby cold-cocked the guy who sported a swollen nose and a black eye for several days.

Because of this experience, many of my books include snakes. I guess it’s my way of trying to conquer my fear—not!"

                                            Loretta C. Rogers, author of The Witching Moon

Yikes, Loretta! I think your fear of snakes is more than justified! And three cheers for hubby being your champion. That guy had it coming.

Next up, we have the mysterious and talented Flossie Benton Rogers. She writes spine-tingling fantasy, and her book of poetry based on mythological creatures is brilliant. 

THINGS THAT SCARE MY SOCKS OFF

Flossie Benton Rogers:

"Octopus holes / suction cups. Other similar hole clusters are also repulsive but octopi even more so because they move and curl and uncurl and look gruesome. I suppose this is a mild case of trypophobia, which means I try not to see it.

Long incongruous tails and things that resemble tails, such as the arms of OCTOPI. When my grandsons, the Snickerdoodles, were younger, they played a video game at my house called Little Big Planet. The game allowed a high degree of customization. The Snickerdoodles chortled in delight at my horrified reactions to their pinning long scary tails on everything in sight.

Rictus smile or sardonic grin. At a young age I saw the 1961 movie, Mister Sardonicus, in which a man’s face froze into a rictus smile as he was robbing his father’s grave. Creeped me out. Oddly enough, the smiling chauffeur in Dan Curtis’ 1976 Burnt Offerings (Karen Black, Oliver Reed, Bette Davis) didn’t scare me, but the rictus smile on one of the main characters near the end of the movie did. No, I’ll not be viewing 2022’s Smile movie.

 Other shuddery turnoffs:

The sensation of falling through the air.

Being confined in a closed space such as a train or MRI.

Snakes (let’s face it, they’re long slithering TAILS)."

                                                                     

Here are more book offerings from our fellow Pen Dames.
 

 Who doesn't like witches at this time of year? Another one of our Pen Dames, gifted Katherine Eddinger Smits, delights her readers with stories about mermaids and sexy mermen. And she has just the thing for Witch Story Enthusiasts. 

                                                                              

Our southern charmer, Linda Tillis, writes amazing historical romances filled with love and adventure. Who doesn't like to indulge in a little time travel at Halloween?

                                                           

  

That leaves me, Jennifer Taylor. What creeps me out? Those innocent, adorable squirrels. Eek! It's their tails that give me the willies, always quivering and shaking. They hold a grudge against me for some reason. On my daily walk down the driveway, I get pelted with pine cones and acorns. They must sense my scorn. 

I have a fear of those drive-through car washes. Don't ask me why, but I cannot drive through them. I do feel a bit of success, because I recently conquered my fear of pneumatic tubes. 

Here's for something really scary: Like most of us, I imagine, I have a fear of being buried alive. In my first historical romance, Mercy of the Moon, someone is buried alive but survives--and that's just in the first chapter. You can only imagine the ramifications of that----wait! You can read the book.               

All three books in my Rhythm of the Moon series are on sale for 99 cents until Thursday night. Just in time for Halloween.

 Some authors write about what they're most afraid of. Maybe it's a way of dealing with it, or maybe we're all just a little bit creepy.

                                              

                                                                

Let's hear from you. What creeps you out?

Anniversary and Friends

 

Why it’s Important to have Friends

August 24, 2021, a group of friends and I met via email. We are all published authors and live in different areas making it difficult to meet in person. At one time, we all belonged to a now defunct writers’ group and were looking for a way to stay in touch, not only to discuss our works in progress, or to bounce story ideas off each other, but to be supportive when life gets in the way. After much discussion, we decided to form a private FB group; and because we are all writers we agreed to call ourselves “Pen Dames,” and to also create the Pen Dames Blog to share our knowledge of writing and other thoughts with the public.

Today, August 24, 2022, we celebrate our one year anniversary, not only as Pen Dames, but, more importantly, as long-time friends. I’ve pondered the question: Why is it important to have (good) friends? I hope you’ll indulge me while I share my thoughts with you:

1. Friends do a lot more than give you a shoulder to cry on; they also have a positive impact on your health. Friendship decreases feelings of loneliness and isolation.

2. Friends help us set and maintain goals whether those goals are finishing a novel, starting a new novel, or beginning a diet and exercise program, or simply suggesting books to read.

3. Friends give us emotional support when we’re going through tough times. It’s always nice to have a shoulder to lean on.

4. We all have self-doubts and insecurities every now and then. Supportive friends can help you feel more confident by offering praise and reassurance. They'll shine a light on just how amazing you are and how much you have to offer others.

5. Spending time with friends can help reduce stress without being judgmental. As the song goes, “we all need a friend to lean on.”

6. Friends help us grieve when we lose that special someone whether it’s a spouse, a family member, or a beloved pet.

I’m thankful for my Pen Dame friends. If you’ve visited our blog, then you’ve met us, but if this is your first visit, then I’d like to introduce you to these wonderful ladies:

Flossie Benton Rogers

Katherine (Kathy) Eddinger Smits

Jennifer Taylor

Linda Tillis

You can click on each of their names on the right side of this blog to read more about them and the genres they write.

As we move through life, we find that there are many things out of our control. We can’t choose our parents, our genetics, or control the things that happen in the world around us. One thing that we can control is who our friends are, and when we choose good friends this decision can make our lives so much richer and beautiful.

By the way, please join me in wishing Pen Dame, Linda Tillis, a very special Happy Birthday.

                                               HAPPY 1st ANNIVERSARY

                                                           PEN DAMES!

                                               I look forward to many more years of friendship.

                                                        Loretta C. Rogers

 

 

 

 

 

How to Indulge in a Little "Me" Time

 

Are you lost in the shuffle of day to day living? At times that’s how it seems to me. Tasks such as grocery shopping, cleaning house and preparing meals often take precedence over “me” time.

I looked up the word self-indulgence and here’s what I found, “Eating whatever you feel like, even if it’s ice cream for breakfast; you just do what you feel like doing.”

One great way to indulge yourself is to kick back in your favorite chair with your favorite beverage or snack and with an intriguing mystery novel. Please enjoy the blurb and excerpt from book #3 in my Doc Holliday Mystery Series…

 

                                                          Lights…Camera…Murder!”

                                                                        Blurb

When a stuntman is shot while rehearsing a scene from cowboy hero Cody West’s newest movie, everyone considers his death an unfortunate accident. Veterinarian and amateur sleuth, Tullah Holliday, doesn’t hesitate to get involved. Her empathic senses tell her he was murdered. She suspects Cody West is the killer. As Tullah begins to put together the pieces of the case, West is stomped to death by a young stallion being trained as a stunt horse. Her life is endangered when she attempts to stop the horse trainer from shooting the stallion.

When two women confess to murdering the movie star, and also point the finger at a third accomplice, Tullah soon discovers the entire movie crew seems to have had a motive to kill him. Who killed Cody West—the horse or…



                                                        Lights…Camera…Murder!”

                                                                        Excerpt

I squatted over the body. The man’s arms were held against his chest. Clutched in his left hand was the neck of a broken bourbon bottle. His eyes looked into mine, but they were motionless. There was no need to check for a pulse. I touched my chin to my chest and whispered his name. Only the corral’s sullen silence and the patter of rain on my head and shoulders answered me.

“Damn. It’s…” Boyd stood over me and gagged. Once he caught his breath, he commanded, “Give me my rifle. That horse needs killin’.”

“Ella,” I yelled above the storm. “Call my dad. It’s Cody West, and he’s dead.” I also instructed her to back the horse trailer all the way down to the barn’s open outer doors.

My heart pitched with anger. “Mr. Boyd, I’m taking custody of both horses until the cause of Cody’s death is determined.”

His hands shot out. He grabbed me by both wrists and yanked me up. “Determined? The hell you say. It’s obvious that killer stomped Cody to death.”

So who killed Cody West? You’ll find the answer in Lights…Camera…Murder! Available in print and Ebook.

I also appreciate when readers leave a review. So, thank you in advance. I look forward to you telling me (in the comments below) if you guessed who killed Cody West (no spoilers, please) or did you have to read all the way to the end of the book to find out?

HAPPY READING!

Visit me on Facebook

Loretta

 

 

Christmas in July with the Pen Dames

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

PEN DAMES DECK THE HOLLY!

The Pen Dames authors invite readers to celebrate Christmas in July with special stories featuring captivating heroines and sexy heroes.

Katherine Eddinger Smits Books

Loretta C. Rogers Books

Jennifer Taylor Books

Linda Tillis Books

Flossie Benton Rogers Books

YOU CAN'T BEAT THESE BARGAIN PRICES.

FILL YOUR STOCKINGS NOW!

 

Fun and Games!

I love all kinds of word games from crossword puzzles, to seek and find, the daily Jumble in the paper, and, of course, Wordle. Drinking my coffee and playing games in the morning is one of my favorite ways to relax. 

Since I love these games so much, I decided to create one for you. All the words relate to the Pen Dames. All you have to do is rearrange the letters. Give yourself a point for each word you figure out. Some are easy. Some are long and hard. When you finish, scroll to the bottom and find your unscrambler level.

The Pen Dames Word Scramble

1.      raushot

2.      vneol

3.      rtahe

4.      mhuor

5.      unssepes

6.      erstmyy

7.      vloe

8.      nsaaruurelpt

9.      wsrntee

10.  arnamlopra

11.  spnaois

12.  nadger

13.  gnereve

14.  leyraatb

15.  hspoe

16.  emsrad

1.      aroencm

2.      eiarmdm

3.      fansyat

4.      ilhcoiarst

Unscrambler Level:

0 – 5 Correct: Word Seeker

You are new to the game and probably a little frustrated. But don’t give up! The more you practice, the better you will do.

 

5 – 10 Correct: Word Skilled

You are smart and enjoy word challenges! Keep working and you’ll move up the levels.

 

11 – 15 Correct: Word Sage

You’re an awesome word player. You probably can read upside down and backwards too!

 

16 – 20 Correct: Word Siren

You are a master at anything to do with words. You effortlessly call the words you need to you and make them do your bidding!

I hope you enjoyed the game. I'd love to hear how you did! If you like contests, freebies, and fun, come on over to my website and sign up for my newsletter which I send out once or twice a month. Every month I have contests with cool prizes. If you like challenging word puzzles, you will love my June newsletter (coming out at the end of the month)! I bet no one will figure it out. And, if you like free books, you'll love my June Special Edition which comes out June 15. Sign up now: Katherine Smits Newsletter

You'll also receive a free short story just for subscribing. 

Unsubscribe any time. No hard feelings!

Katherine Smits’ stories of fantasy and romance include mages, mermaids, and magical creatures. Mystery, suspense, and a little sex add spice to her books.