Allie Pleiter on Spring in Chicago

Spring is SERIOUS BUSINESS in Chicago!

We suffer—and I do mean suffer—through this region’s cold nasty winters only to dig our heels in for March and April’s wildly fickle weeks.  There was a time earlier this month where we got snow, rain, sleet, and sunshine in repeated cycles all in one day!  It was a different season every time you looked out the window.  Thirty degree temperature drops.  Snow on blooming daffodils.  You don’t know which clothes to keep in your closet, or whether to take the ice-scraper out of your car.  It can make a gal crazy.

Then, finally, Spring puts her foot down and declares her arrival.  It was 80 yesterday, and I did doing the very favorite thing about my work—writing on the deck.  Those are the day where I love the nature of my job, where writing feels like the best profession on the planet.  Sure, it’s 50 again today, but I know Chicago’s on the upswing of Spring.

I’m currently writing the fourth book in the Blue Thorn Ranch series—one you’ll see next year. But this month has also been filled with lovely letter and emails from many of you who have taken the time to let me know how much you’re enjoying the Blue Thorn Ranch series.  Books one and two are out and ready for you to read, and book three will show up in August.

Spring is my favorite time of year.  It’s optimism season.  Dog walks are happy affairs instead of bundled-up endurance tests.  Grass is emerald green and soft, flowers poke their perky noses up everywhere in celebration that Chicago’s winter is long gone.

What’s your favorite thing about Spring?

Two books and a birthday--Lenora Worth

Hello, sunshine. I love the month of April because it means spring is on the way, Easter is close and Elnora gets to have another birthday. I don't like getting older but I don't mind birthdays. This month, I'm especially blessed to have two books out. While neither is a Love Inspired, I'm proud of both of them. The first one is actually a novella from Zondervan. An April Bride is one of the "A Year of Weddings" e-book novellas by twelve different authors. I enjoyed writing this spring book about a soldier and his bride. The second book I have out this month is a big Superromance  called "That Wild Cowboy." This story is more secular and a bit rowdy but it still has a lot of heart. But I haven't forgotten my beloved Love Inspired. I'll have a June LIS--Forced Alliance (Connor Randall's story). He showed up in In Pursuit of a Princess, which was out last year. And this summer I'll be working on another LI and the sixth book of an exciting suspense continuity. So while April showers might bring May flowers, I'll be busy writing stories for all the imprints I love.

Happy Spring and Happy Easter. I hope you have a great year. I'll be back in a few days to talk about finding treasures. (Of the personal kind.)

 

 

 

Leigh Bale Blogs About Spring

Spring is trying to get here, folks. Here in Northern Nevada where I live, our weather waffles back and forth between blinding snow storms and wind gusts up to eighty mph on Monday, and then wham! Tuesday, we get several days that reach temperatures up in the sixties. I’ve lived here for twenty-eight years now, and the weather is always the same. Freezing snow we have to shovel out of our driveway, then tomorrow it’ll be in the sixties and every bit of snow melts off. And every February, the bleeding hearts, tulips and daffodils start to poke their heads up. I keep telling them to tuck back down or they’ll get their heads frozen off, but they never listen to me. Here’s a picture of my tulips coming up. They’ll be bright yellow and always lighten my heart to see this manifestation of Spring. (Have I mentioned that I hate winter?) Is Nevada the only place that has back and forth weather like this? What about where you live? In the meantime, stay warm. Especially you Easterners who are getting snowstorm upon snowstorm without reprieve. We’ve had that kind of weather here in Nevada before and you have my sympathy.

March On by Terri Reed

It's March!  A lot is happening in March.

For you sports fans-- March Madness!  I don't know much about this, but I hear its pretty popular.

Girl Scout Cookies!!  My favorite are Thin Mints and Savannah Smiles. But I certainly wouldn't turn down any of the others.

March 17th is St. Patrick's Day.  Don't forget to wear green!

The official start of spring is March 20th.  

March sees my 25th release with Love Inspired, the fourth book in the Protection Specialists series.

Framed!

For years after the suspicious death of his wife, single dad Wyatt Monroe isolates himself on his Wyoming ranch…until he's accused of murder. With a body at his doorstep, he's arrested and Wyatt has only one hope—a blue-eyed, blonde bodyguard. But it'll take more than skill for work-obsessed Jackie Blain to save her reluctant client, who just wants to be left alone. She'll have to gain his trust by keeping him and his daughter safe. With their lives in her hands, Jackie is faced with her toughest assignment ever—saving the cowboy and guarding her heart.

Protection Specialists: Guarding the innocent

And I'm heading to England and France for ten days to visit my daughter at college and to see Paris!  I don't speak a lick of French but I'm so excited!  

Hope you all have a blessed March!