“Book people are my kind of people” – a special note from Janice Lynn to Tule readers for her Wrapped Up in Christmas series

August 14, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Hello Tule Readers. I’ve said it before and I imagine that I will say it many times in the future—Book people are my kind of people. So, it’s a joy to be with you today.

My Wrapped Up in Christmas series originated with Hallmark Publishing, but with their closing, I’m thrilled that Tule is continuing these special stories. I love everything about my Wrapped Up in Christmas series—the small town, Christmas, the military connection, quilting, and the characters. Oh, how I love the people in Pine Hill, Kentucky, especially the Butterflies-a group of older women who are lifelong friends, town matriarchs, a bit zany, and wannabe matchmakers. Think Golden Girls meets 80 for Brady.

When I wrote the first Wrapped Up in Christmas book my goal was to write a story that gave all the warm fuzzy Hallmark feels, but had deeper, sometimes heart-wrenching, backstories. I wanted my readers to feel as if they’d stepped into the world of Pine Hill and to feel the emotions the characters were feeling—the heartache, the laughter, the holiday spirit, the healing, and especially, the love. My goal with each new book has been to continue those things, and to, hopefully, improve with each story. I am still striving toward that goal with the fourth book, Wrapped Up in Christmas Love, which will be out November 12, 2024, and with book five coming your way Christmas 2025.

Here’s the back cover copy for Wrapped Up in Christmas:

This Christmas brings an unexpected gift…

For years, quilt making has been Sarah Smith’s creative outlet. When she starts donating her one-of-a-kind quilts to hospitalized wounded warriors, she hopes her artistic designs will bring the soldiers peace and the knowledge that their service is appreciated. But this holiday season, Sarah finds herself mired in an arm-length repair list for the B&B she’s hoping to open.

Former Army Ranger Bodie Lewis knows he’s lucky to be alive. But he’s struggling to adjust to civilian life after his injury and mired in survivor guilt. Needing a distraction, he sets out on a private mission to thank the quilt maker for her gift that comforted him during his recovery. He’s hoping he can do a good deed in return. Bodie’s stunned the artist is a young, beautiful woman and amused she mistakes him for the handyman.

Bodie works on Sarah’s home repairs and soon her sweetness and Christmas spirit imbue him with something he thought he left on the battlefield…hope.

And here’s a snippet from where Bodie has first arrived in Pine Hill to thank whomever Sarah Smith is for making his Quilts of Valor. Sarah is at a church gathering to make Christmas ornaments for a fundraiser at a town festival and is surrounded by Butterflies, of which her late aunt was one. Her aunt had left her a large older home that she’d dreamed of turning into a bed and breakfast, but never had. Sarah’s dream is to make that happen—somehow.

“Aunt Jean’s house isn’t crumbling.” Not anymore, thanks to Sarah’s bank loan and her having spent every spare moment over the past year working on restoring the outside and the downstairs to their former glory. “It just needed some TLC.”

And a repair guy to stick around to finish up the job. Hopefully God would answer her prayers and the right person would respond to her help wanted ad. Otherwise, she’d have to delay her planned grand opening of Hamilton House.

The thought of that made her heart hurt a little. She wanted to do this for Aunt Jean.

Please, Lord, let them respond.

The door to the community room opened, and all heads turned to see who’d shown up to join their ornament-making festivities.

Sarah’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar six-foot-plus man wearing jeans and a sherpa-lined blue jean jacket. He rubbed his hands, warming his bare fingers from the chill outdoors as he surveyed the Christmas chaos Sarah adored.

Ask and the Lord shall deliver.

Literally.

Okay, so she didn’t really believe the stranger was there to answer her prayers, but still, his timing was impeccable. Who was he?

Apparently, she wasn’t the only one wondering. It wasn’t that you could hear a pin drop—not with the holiday music playing—but there was a collective curiosity pervading the now-muted room that had been loud with chatter prior to his arrival.

“I’ve been extra-good this year and Santa’s delivering early,” Rosie whispered under her breath, elbowing Claudia. Her lively eyes sparkled with mischief. “That’s exactly what I asked for.”

Giving the newcomer a once-over, Maybelle snorted. “You ain’t been that good your whole life.”

Claudia snickered. “That’s the truth.”

“That one there makes me wish I had been.” Rosie sighed, fanning her face. “He’s easy on these old eyes. A few years back, I’d have invited him over for some of my grandma’s cinnamon bread. That never fails to warm a man over to my way of thinking.”

Still amused at the timing of the man’s arrival, Sarah’s lips twitched. Rosie’s grandmother’s cinnamon bread was the stuff legends were made of. Women had been attempting to copy the recipe for years without success. Rosie closely guarded the recipe as she swore it was guaranteed to put a sparkle in a man’s eye. She wasn’t about to let the other town women in on her little secret.

With almost every eye on him, the man scanned the room, apparently searching for something, or someone. He didn’t look impressed—more like he didn’t belong in the room or around happy people in general. With his observant, stern expression, he stuck out like a pumpkin on Christmas morning.

Despite the stranger’s serious demeanor, Rosie was right that he was easy to look at. Give the man a smile and he’d make women of all ages swoon.

Who was he and why was he there?

Y’all will have to let me know what you think of Bodie and how Sarah brings Christmas back to his life. And, if you love Pine Hill as much as I do, be sure to check out Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy, Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope, and coming in November, Wrapped Up in Christmas Love. The stories are stand-alone but do feature reoccurring characters and sequential events.

Take care and much love as I extend Christmas in July out to Christmas in August with the release of the first three stories in this series.

– Janice

About the Author.

USA Today Bestselling author Janice Lynn strives to write characters who evoke strong emotions and make readers want to go along on their journeys. She writes sweet contemporary Christmas stories for Tule and contemporary Medical Romances for Harlequin. Her books have been best sellers on numerous platforms and have won numerous awards, including the National Readers Choice Award, the Golden Quill, Romantic Times Magazine’s American Title, and the Holt Medallion Award of Merit.

Janice lives in Tennessee with her Prince Charming, her vivid imagination, an adorable Maltese named Halo who’s the true princess of the house and a bunch of unnamed dust bunnies who took up permanent residence after Janice started her writing career. In addition to writing romance, Janice is a nurse practitioner, a quilter, an exercise queen, a military mama and a member of and supporter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Just kidding on the exercise queen.

Tule Author Q&A: Laurie Beach discusses her Crickley Creek series and how her career has led her to becoming a full time writer.

July 19, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

We had a chance to sit down with Tule Author Laurie Beach and talk about how her career landed her as a full time writer, and how impactful her fictional town of Crickley Creek has become in her moving forward.

How has your diverse career background influenced your writing style and storytelling techniques? I learned to be clear while writing as a press secretary, concise when I worked as a television news reporter, and I added in an extra layer of creativity as an advertising producer. But the thing that taught me the most in my life was parenthood. I didn’t realize at the time how all of that intense human interaction and writing practice would benefit me in my future career.

Growing up in Alabama, what elements of Southern life and culture do you incorporate into your novels? I moved to Alabama in the second grade and left after graduating college. My mother was from California, and my dad from Montana. I became an observer of southern ways because I felt as though I didn’t fit in. I tried so hard to conform and assimilate, that the “fish out of water trope” from The Firefly Jar came naturally to me. Now, I feel incredibly lucky to understand some of the cultural idiosyncrasies, and to have experienced people who I used to perceive as different, but have grown to deeply love and appreciate.

What aspects of Southern settings do you find most romantic, and how do you incorporate these elements into your love stories? I am an absolute sucker for ancient oaks and Spanish moss. If I could make my husband propose to me all over again, I’d have him do it under a hairy 200 year-old tree. 

How do you balance the charm of Southern hospitality with the potential for conflict in your romance plots? The opposite of charm is revulsion or displeasure and the South is filled with brilliantly sneaky ways of expressing those emotions. Balancing charm and conflict is so much fun! Can you share an example from one of your books where this balance is key to the story? In a name, Virginia Buchanan. She is a layered antagonist with a friend, Birdie, who is like a parrot on her shoulder telling all of her secrets. In the opening scene of The Firefly Jar, Virginia acts as the consummate hostess, until Charlotte Sinclair shows up. At this point the reader witnesses a woman behaving in the nicest way while expressing deep hatred at the same time. Birdie’s character is useful for pointing out Virginia’s sly digs and explaining why she’s doing it, thereby helping to maintain the balance of charm and conflict.

How did raising four children impact your journey to becoming an author? I don’t know if my kids delayed my writing career or caused it! When my last two children (twins) were about to begin Kindergarten, my husband gave me the best advice. He said, “You are being given the gift of time, do something with it you’ve always wanted to do.” That’s when I wrote The Firefly Jar.  Do any of your children share your love of writing? My stepson, Drew, is an avid reader and very creative. I hope he writes a book one day because it would be a bestseller! My daughter, Brooke, loves to read and is probably the child most likely to take after her mother in this way. My daughter, Allison, wrote a brilliant (yet unpublished) children’s book, and my daughter, Natalie, is a beautiful essayist and social media specialist. None of them have shown any desire to write a novel yet, but there’s still time!

You mention being a sucker for elderly people and grumpy animals. Have any of these personal affinities inspired specific characters or scenes in your books? Absolutely! I volunteered for a hospice organization for five years and got so much joy from the people experiencing the I will say anything I want and I don’t care what other people think stage. It is so genuine and free. The character of Brownie in Christmas in Crickley Creek is one I hold especially dear for this reason. I even named him after my grandfather.

As far as grumpy animals, I feel like they’re misunderstood and see them as a challenge—a challenge that may or may not have landed one of my family members in the hospital with a dog bite on Christmas Eve. Animals are just like us, only they speak a different language. It takes time to learn it. I’m happy to say that we won that biting dog over and gave it a great life. Only one human and no animals were harmed in the process.

Why do you prefer happy endings in your stories? I’m one of those readers who feels betrayed if I spend hours on a book and get invested in the characters only to have a sad ending. I vowed to myself that I would never do that to people. Do you think they are important for readers today? I think readers should have all of the options. Sometimes we want a good cry, sometimes we want to be scared out of our minds (hello, Stephen King), and sometimes we just want to feel something. It doesn’t always have to be a romantic happy ending, but I do feel like we come to expect things from certain authors. For instance, I expect to cry with a Nicholas Sparks book, and I accept his endings, which are usually poignant, but not always “happy”. I just happen to be an author who strives to have her readers finish her books with a happy sigh and a warm feeling of time well spent. When circumstances in our lives have us down, it is nice to escape to a place where we can feel good.

How has living in California influenced your writing, especially compared to your Southern roots? I’ve been incredibly lucky that my family has remained in Alabama. I love noticing and enjoying the differences in both places. The food, the weather, social interactions, even what we do for fun varies in interesting ways. California has simply served to highlight those differences for me.

What types of books do you love to read, and how do they inspire your own writing? I always try to keep up to date on the books within my genre—women’s fiction. Outside of that, I go through phases. I read all of Harry Potter, the Twilight series, and I’ll even admit to reading Fifty Shades of Grey. I’ve also read tons of classics and every book by Jane Austen. Today, I’m reading a thriller (Stacy Willingham) and listening to RomCom (Christina Lauren). Everything from books to movies to real life inspires my writing. I’m always on the lookout for little gems that spark thoughts and ideas.

The Firefly Jar was a long-term project of yours long before it found its home with Tule. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in keeping your story alive for so long? The Firefly Jar was the first book I ever wrote, and the one that I edited and revised over and over again as I learned storytelling techniques. It would be shelved for a while as I practiced writing other things, and then pulled back out again. I used it to look for an agent and I shared it with friends. It is the most deeply personal book I’ve written. The challenges I faced were both within myself, and typical in the industry. What would people think of the book? Was my writing any good? When I finally got the confidence to pitch it or query it to agents, most of the time the effort went without response. It took over fifteen years to find a publishing home. And what were the most rewarding moments once you finally landed with Tule and expanded Crickley Creek?

Girl in row boat on creek with fireflies at dusk for Blink Twice if You Love Me book cover by Laurie BeachWriting the second book in the series, Blink Twice If You Love Me, was like going on vacation to my favorite spot. I love Crickley Creek and the fictional people who live there. It was so gratifying to visit my good friends again. I will always be indebted to Tule because they gave me not just a physical book, but an audience. To get such positive feedback from readers has fueled the flame of my love for writing and opened the door to the career I longed for. No matter what happens from here on out, the title of author is mine. I will always feel awe and gratitude for that.

BONUS: What is one book that is a comfort read for you that you always find yourself reaching for? So many books feel like home to me, it’s impossible to choose just one. I find magical books like those by Sarah Addison Allen and Heather Webber to be comforting. But, if I was stuck in bed and needed to feel better, I’d want to be transported to my happy place—the Lowcountry. Therefore, I’d choose Anne Rivers Siddons, Dorothea Benton Frank, or Pat Conroy. 

 

One Year with The Firefly Jar and the launch of Laurie Beach’s Crickley Creek Series with Tule.

June 7, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Hi Tule Readers!

I have a one-year anniversary update for you, and a sneak peek at my new series.

What has changed for you in the past year? For me, the prescription on my reading glasses got stronger, my laptop burned out, my couch acquired a dent in the exact shape of my rear-end, and I had the thrilling honor of adding “published author” to my dusty, outdated resume’.

All of that because an imaginary jar of bugs lit up my imagination more than eighteen years ago. If you read The Firefly Jar, you know what I’m talking about.

Like most authors, I experienced hundreds of rejections, took numerous online classes, and wrote many practice novels. Then, just as my children were leaving the nest, up popped Jane Porter and Tule Publishing. Fireflies are magical, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. My dreams came true with a three-book deal. It was like a million sparks of light lifting my darkness.

When The Firefly Jar was launched one year ago, not only did the little town of Crickley Creek come alive, but the second half of my life did, too. The awe and elation of having others read and enjoy my work is just as thrilling as I always thought it would be. I’m consistently shocked by how many people know my characters and have a connection to that quirky little town. Blink Twice If You Love Me and Christmas in Crickley Creek might have been born from a business contract, but they followed in the footsteps of that little book about a jar, and are now a beloved part of my family.

And the fun keeps going! With a new four-book contract plus a Christmas novella in the works, I get to create a whole new town and set of characters. You’re about to be welcomed to Goose Island, home of some wacky folks searching for love and life lessons in places like The Saltwater Winery, Salty Dot’s food truck, Fred’s gas station, and an abandoned summer camp. You’ll find drama, surprises, and love among tiny marsh homes and showy old mansions. Where there’s history, there are sure to be secrets. 

I hope you’ll stay with me on the journey!

About the Author.

Laurie Beach is a former news reporter, advertising producer, and political press secretary who, after raising four children, is parlaying her love of reading and writing into a career as an author. She is a sucker for elderly people, grumpy animals, and happy endings. Having grown up in Alabama, she loves novels set in the South.

Take a trip down to Louisiana with Tule Author Susan Sands (with surprise guest, Jane Porter!) to celebrate the release of Bayou Redemption!

May 21, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Hi Tule readers! I’m so excited to be here today on the blog! 

My latest Louisiana Series novel, Bayou Redemption, is out today. Cardiac surgeon, Elizabeth Keller, has appeared in the first three Bayou books as the clear villain until now. In book four, Elizabeth finally gets her redemption. 

She’s considered a mean girl by pretty much everybody in Cypress Bayou—because she’s been one up until recently. But as with most bullies, Elizabeth’s been misunderstood and has a strong desire to change her image now that she’s got a recently discovered half-sister and a brand new nephew. It’s time to let go of old grudges and turn over that proverbial new leaf.

Elizabeth’s not prepared for Charlie Beaudine. The Cypress General hospital board has gone behind her back and hired a second cardiologist—one with more experience from a bigger hospital in New Orleans. A man. The good old boy network is alive and well in Cypress Bayou, and she’s in jeopardy of Charlie taking over as head of the department. Over her dead body. She sees him as her competition from day one.

But Charlie is a nice guy, a skilled surgeon, and he doesn’t seem to be after her job. Elizabeth is suddenly distracted by the news that Cypress Bayou is in the path of an unusually strong hurricane. The two surgeons must work together for the safety of the community and their patients.

As in all of my books, this story is chock full of family, food, and southern charm. Oh, and romance. Bayou Redemption is an “enemies (kind of) to lovers” and “stranger-comes-to-town-with-a-secret” story. 

As a bonus, I’ve just returned from the real-life in Cypress Bayou (Natchitoches), Louisiana with Jane Porter! We ate at all the places in the books, strolled along the “bayou” which is really Cane River Lake, and wandered down Front Street through all the shops. We stomped around some very rural graveyards on red dirt roads, and then I had a book release event for Bayou Redemption at Many City Hall. 

 

Back in October at a conference, we learned that her “family in the graveyard” resides thirty minutes from my hometown of Many, Louisiana. We then decided to go on this Louisiana adventure together. I’ll let Jane fill you in on her findings at the graveyards.

I hope you’ll check out my Louisiana Series and get to know the Bertrands, Kellers, and Carmichaels!

Check out some of our photos from Louisiana!

 

 

About the Author.

Susan Sands grew up in a real life Southern Footloose town, complete with her senior class hosting the first ever prom in the history of their tiny public school. Is it any wonder she writes Southern small town stories full of porch swings, fun and romance?

Susan lives in suburban Atlanta surrounded by her husband, three young adult kiddos and lots of material for her next book.

Unveiling Tule’s Romance Releases of the Month! (Plus a Giveaway!)

May 1, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the May romance releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected and announced at the end of the month.

 

 

 

Check out our new romance releases for May!

Happy Mother’s Day: A Bundle of Contemporary Small Town Romances
Featuring Stories By: C.J. Carmichael, Nan Reinhardt, Sinclair Jayne, E. Elizabeth Watson, Kris Bock and H L Marsay

The Eight Second Wedding by Anne McAllister
Cowboy, Come Home | Book 4

The Cowboy’s Mail-Order Bride by Megan Crane
The Careys of Cowboy Point | Book 1

When the Earl Desired Me by Lydia Lloyd
The Rake Chronicles | Book 3

Bayou Redemption by Susan Sands
Louisiana | Book 4

Enchanted by the Highlander by Gerri Russell
Guardians of the Isles | Book 6

Sworn to Honor by Charlee James
Sworn Navy SEALs | Book 2
The Cowboy’s Bride by Barbara Ankrum
The Hardestys of Montana | Book 1

Check Out Tule Publishing’s First 10 Christmas Books as Part of our #Tule10 Anniversary!

December 2, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Tule Publishing has hit a milestone 10 years and we’re celebrating all month long with showcasing some of our first 10’s! Learn more about our first 10 authors, meet our first 10 cowboys and cowgirls, watch our first 10 films, and maybe find yourself wrapped up dreaming of the holidays with our first 10 Christmas stories!

We are so thankful for each of you for continuing to put your faith in us to continue bringing you amazing reads. You are a crucial part to our success and we couldn’t have made it to our 10th anniversary without you! We hope you stick around all month for more celebratory blogs and are looking forward to another 10 years – cheers!

 

Celebrate the Holidays With the First 10 Christmas Releases of Tule Publishing:

 

 

Fall Into Our October 2023 Releases! (Plus Enter the Giveaway!)

October 1, 2023 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Read more about our new releases for October!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the October releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

Someone Murderous at the Midnight Motel by Kris Bock
(Tule Mystery)

Release Date: October 2, 2023
The Accidental Detective, Book 5

She didn’t anticipate a career change at fifty…

Forced to leave her celebrated career as an international war correspondent after an injury, Kate Tessler now dabbles in detective work in her Arizona hometown. She and her sister, Jen, need to take any job offered if they want to become true PIs. When Jen’s college friend asks them to investigate suspicious activity at a motel he inherited, it sounds like a free vacation with a little surveillance thrown in.

But when Kate’s hot flashes wake her in the middle of the night, she wanders outside to cool off and stumbles over a dead body. Soon they’re caught up in their toughest—and most dangerous—case yet. Kate and Jen can’t trust anyone at the motel or the local police force they suspect of corruption. Good thing they have their eclectic senior sidekicks to share the undercover work.

The lies pile up, the villains multiply, and the motel is hiding more secrets than they ever imagined. When they finally get a break in the case, Kate needs to ensure she and Jen aren’t collateral damage.

The Texas Cowboy’s Christmas Miracle by Debra Holt
(Texas Born)

Release Date: October 10, 2023
Texas Heritage, Book 4

All they need for Christmas is a second chance nudge…

Sixteen years ago, MacKenna Davidson was a runaway bride, and she never found the courage to face her jilted fiancé and family back in Burkitt, Texas. Then her sister’s nuptials set off the very chain of events she’s feared: a sense of homecoming she can’t untangle.

Matteo Montez survived MacKenna once, and he refuses to fall for her again. But he has no choice except to team up with her when a fellow attorney informs them that a mutual friend has passed and named Matteo and Mackenna as her children’s guardians. How can he crush these little angels’ hopes for a family, especially at Christmas?

Mackenna is willing to work with Burkitt’s hottest bachelor to build a picture-perfect holiday, as long as her heart doesn’t get involved. Because she, too, has secrets that prevent her from picking up her past. But Christmas is a season of surprises and even a miracle or two—especially when Mackenna and Matteo have a guardian angel rooting for their happiness.

The Body in Seven Dials by H L Marsay
(Tule Mystery)

Release Date: October 11, 2023
The Lady in Blue Mysteries, Book 1

Inspired by the remarkable life of Dorothy Peto, the Metropolitan Police’s first female superintendent.

In 1914, the idea of a female police officer is dismissed as absurd, but to a small group of determined women, not impossible.

With men departing to fight for king and country, women have new opportunities at home. Dorothy Peto and her fellow suffragettes propose forming the Women’s Police Volunteers to assist police keep order. At first, the suggestion is derided, yet the force is stretched thin. As Dorothy and her friends train and organise to help refugees fleeing the war and guide terrorised Londoners to shelter during the Zeppelin raids, the ‘ladies in blue’ gain a grudging acceptance.

During one nightly bombing raid, Dorothy discovers the body of a beautiful, Belgian refugee in Seven Dials. Convinced the woman was murdered before the bombs fell, Dorothy’s determined to investigate even though the battle-scarred Scotland Yard Inspector remains skeptical of her ideas and enthusiasm. As the list of suspects grows—a British aristocrat, a Belgian gangster and a wealthy German industrialist—Dorothy must outwit the killer, and even some within the WPV.

Clued In Christmas by Mia Heintzelman
(American Heart)

Release Date: October 12, 2023
Love & Games, Book 3

Nadia Sikes usually loves the holidays—cozy game nights, snowy mountain girls’ trips, hours decking the halls at Love & Games. But when her two best friends and co-owners find love, all she wants is to tuck away her heart and make it through the season.

Quietly handsome bookstore owner and single dad Micah Hamilton is determined to a) build lasting Christmas memories with his little girl and b) avoid Nadia. When his daughter asks to attend the holiday festivities at Love & Games, though, Micah is forced to introduce the woman who broke his heart, to his child she never knew existed.

The scene would drive anyone to plot their romantic reunion…and someone does. Between turkey dinners, tree decorating, and mistletoe kisses, mysterious notes begin showing up at the game store. As Nadia strings together clues, motives, and suspects for this twisty whodunit, she and Micah are blindsided by the return of their desire.

Is it a mistake to lose themselves in each other again? Or will a Christmas miracle bring them back to where they belong?

Merry Christmas, Montana by Elsa Winckler
(Montana Born)

Release Date: October 16, 2023
The Millers of Marietta, Book 3

She doesn’t believe in miracles, but maybe this holiday her son’s Christmas wish will change her mind.

Single mom Riley O’Sullivan isn’t one to complain, but with her closest family members now settled in Marietta, Montana, while she still calls Portland home, finding good help isn’t as easy as it used to be. With Christmas approaching, Riley and her young son Dylan are excited to be in Marietta with family for the holidays; but she certainly doesn’t need maddening Mitch Miller coming to her rescue, awakening her senses, or making Dylan ask questions about what dads do.

Mitch Miller left his successful financial career behind him when he moved to Marietta with his two sisters. He’s not looking for love, but Riley captivates him like no other woman ever has. She thinks he’s an overprotective grinch–with good cause–but it’s clear to everyone Riley and Dylan could use a little Christmas magic and he’s willing to help. It’s not as if he’s offering his heart.

Perhaps all it will take to bring them together is the Christmas wish from one special little boy.

Once Upon a Christmas Beauty by Kyra Jacobs
(American Heart)

Release Date: October 17, 2023
Bourbon Falls, Book 2

This Christmas will be one for the books if they can open their eyes to the possibilities…

Mia Brooks-French threw everything she had into her marriage…until she walked in on her husband and his assistant. Now she’s shifted her focus to being the best mom possible to her sixteen-year-old daughter, her classroom of third graders, and her family’s struggling bookstore. Even Christmas is shaping up to be a challenge this year.

Unfortunately, businessman and bestselling author Alex Wellingham didn’t get the memo. This Christmas, he’s decided it’s finally time to go after the girl he’d firmly locked away in his memories. But Mia isn’t ready to let college bygones be bygones or risk her heart a second time.

His surprise trip to Brooks Books in flames, Alex accepts help from Mia’s sister, Delaney. The duo concocts a tale guaranteed to buy Alex time with Mia and the bookstore a featured guest for an upcoming charity event. But when snowflakes begin to fly and the fibs snowball, can Alex and Mia wake up and decide if this second-chance romance is the real gift of the season?

A Match by Christmas, by Jami Rogers
(American Heart)

Release Date: October 19, 2023
The Evergreen Brothers, Book 3

It’s going to be a merry Christmas—but only if they survive the wedding first.

Tuck Evergreen’s annual holiday plans are uncomplicated: return to Melody, Wyoming, for a few weeks, catch up with his family, then fly home to New York City. After all, Tuck promised his late father that he’d always honor his dreams of living in the Big Apple. But this year, he’s the best man in his brother’s wedding—which means he must tangle with the maid of honor, social media influencer Elle Morrison, daily.

Elle hasn’t enjoyed being around Tuck since he dissed her on Christmas three years ago. She’s done a great job of ignoring him since. But when the wedding couple falls ill just days before their I dos, it’s up to Elle and Tuck to finish pulling the event together.

Tuck despises public attention while Elle has made a career out of it. Thankfully, their rocky start quickly turns into a smooth friendship. Can they move past their differences to find their happily ever after, even as the secrets surrounding them begin to crumble?

Christmas in River’s Edge by Nan Reinhardt
(American Heart)

Release Date: October 23, 2023
The Weaver Sisters, Book 3

You can go home again…

After a painful divorce from her high school sweetheart, triplet Jenny Weaver returns to River’s Edge with her young son. While happy to be reunited with her sisters and working at the family’s marina, she has no intention of jumping into the dating pool, especially going into the holidays. Then Gabe Dawson, once a shy nerd who tutored her in history classes, arrives home transformed into a handsome hunk who makes her pulse race.

Archeologist and history professor Gabe Dawson thought he’d long ago outgrown his teen crush on Jenny. Back in town for a few months to help his mom post surgery, he can’t resist reaching out to Jenny. She’s as beautiful, warm, and funny as he remembered and soon Gabe is reconsidering his future.

Gabe is determined to seize this second chance, but can he convince a very wary Jenny that a globe-trotter is ready to come home for good this Christmas?

Christmas in Crickley Creek by Laurie Beach
(Southern Born)

Release Date: October 24, 2023
Crickley Creek, Book 3

She doesn’t need gifts under the tree this holiday season. What she longs for is a second chance.

Emma Shea Abernathy is fully aware of her social role: marry well, live extravagantly, and, most of all, exhibit perfection. And it started with saying “I do” to future governor Trent Broadway.

With her carefully crafted life in full swing, she knows she’s made a big mistake. Leaving it all behind, she hides out at her great-grandmother’s beach house in Crickley Creek. There, she discovers a secret room containing a well-preserved 1920s Prohibition speakeasy–and some surprising information about the women in her family. This leads to a new plan: to become a woman who acts contrary to what is expected. In other words, a Firefly Girl.

The problem is, no one else embraces her change of heart, especially her first love, Scruggs Willingham III. He still refuses to forgive her for marrying someone else. Despite the olive branches she extends throughout Crickley Creek, it appears she’ll spend Christmas alone.

Until a rare Christmas snow brings the one miracle she needs: the freedom to accept herself.

Her Cowboy Christmas Hero by Jeannie Watt
(Montana Born)

Release Date: October 26, 2023
Return to Keller Ranch, Book 4

She’s never had a true family Christmas….

As a child, Alex Woodson appeared to have it all, yet her life was an illusion. Now independent, Alex returns to the one place she was briefly happy—Marietta, Montana and starts an interior painting business. Her first client is the Keller Ranch. When Cade Keller unexpectedly arrives home, Alex promises herself she can ignore her former high school crush, who barely knew she existed. But the handsome cowboy is up in her business, flirting and tempting her with holiday activities she’s always dreamed of.

After leaving his job as an oil rig operator, Cade heads home to the family ranch for Christmas and to re-think his career. Seeing the former Woodson princess painting his family’s home is a distracting mystery he intends to solve. But the more time he spends with Alex, the more he’s intrigued.

Cade tells himself he’s just being neighborly by inviting Alex to join his family for their holiday traditions, but he’s lying. He’s falling hard—unfair with his uncertain future. Alex is wary, knowing life is never a fairytale.

A Poinsettia Paradise Christmas by Janine Amesta
(American Heart)

Release Date: October 30, 2023
Love in El Dorado, Book 2

This Christmas a lump of coal might just turn into a diamond….

Natalie Gonzalez-Torres has never been a fan of Christmas. As the manager of her family’s coffee shop, she avoids all the holiday kitch. But this year, her uncle assigns her to run a coffee cart at Poinsettia Paradise tree farm to prove she’s ready to become a full partner. The assignment feels like a lump of coal in her non-existent stocking, until a Christmas tree farmer helps uncover her inner elf. Too bad she’s already given up on finding love.

Mason Lavigne bursts with expansion and improvement ideas for his family’s Christmas Tree Farm, but his dad still still sees him as a kid. This Christmas, Mason’s determined to prove his worth, especially after his dad mentions he’s thinking of selling. With his stress off the charts, helping Natalie is a bright light this holiday season as long as Mason’s not distracted from his mission by her sparkling eyes and quick wit. They both have something to prove but doing it together might be more than they can resist.

Listen to Justine Davis’s playlist that inspired WHISKEY RIVER ROCKSTAR, out today!

April 23, 2018 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Books start in different ways, for me at least. Sometimes it’s a single situation or scene, and I have to build both up to it and down after it. Sometimes it’s an exchange of dialogue that pops into my head and I have to know who these people are and how they came to the point where this exchange happens. Sometimes it’s an image, a still or in video, that sparks something. Sometimes it’s hearing something said; I once got an entire book out of a conversation between a mother and her young son in the produce aisle of a grocery store.

 

But the one thing all of them have in common is music. Songs had always inspired stories, but it was somewhat belatedly in my career that I discovered that a “soundtrack” helped my mind set. And when I began writing more than one book at a time, that soundtrack became essential; it was the main thing that could shift my mind from one world to another. In the case of Whiskey River Rockstar, I already knew my heroine, Zee Mahan, from the previous books. But Jamie Templeton was a bit more elusive, and took some searching.

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Traveling to Texas with NEW Tule Author Audrey Wick

April 17, 2018 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Travel is my biggest inspiration for writing. My favorite element of telling a story is setting, so the places I write about are largely places that are special to me. As a reader, I also love discovering fresh places through an author’s work. The journey to a new location is always fun, and I’m fortunate to be able to do that for readers in FINDING TRUE NORTH.  

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