Fall in Georgia

Fall in Georgia

Missy Tippens

I saw Marta's beautiful post the other day and felt such a longing for the changing of the leaves. But I have to admit I don't relish the thought of cold weather. I prefer early fall, spring and even the heat of summer.

Still, there's something nice about the weather cooling (it was a wonderful 70 degrees as I wrote this Tuesday night), the smell of cinnamon and apples cooking, the smell of pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie baking.

Each year, our church's youth group sells pumpkins for a fundraiser. The kids work to make money to pay for their trips during the year--mission trip, retreats. We bring in hundreds of gorgeous pumpkins to sell.

When it's time to buy a pumpkin for our own front porch, the kids and I always go around and around about whether to get a nice round pumpkin. Or a tall, skinny one. Or a short fat one. A smooth one or one with bumps (we call warts). :) Personally, I like the short, squat, warty ones. And I love them to have a nice stem.

What we usually end up doing, though, is picking one pumpkin each. It's a nice way to settle the "dispute". And it is, after all, for a good cause! :)


Missy Tippens has a new release from Love Inspired this month!

The Guy Next Door

From Friend to…Fiancé?  

Stalwart and steady, Darcy O'Malley has been by Luke Jordan's side since childhood. She has seen him through trials and tragedies, romances and breakups. They've been everything to each other—except boyfriend and girlfriend. Why ruin a good thing? What Luke can't explain, however, is why suddenly Darcy's presence is making his heart beat so hard. Something has changed since he left Appleton, and it's making him uneasy. Is it possible his best friend is meant to be something more? Dare he risk their perfect friendship in the hopes of finding his perfect wife?

Fall colors...and a Scottish Christmas

Roxanne Rustand here, hoping that you all had a wonderful summer, and that you are enjoying the start of spectacular fall weather wherever you are!

Here in the Upper Midwest, we have (hopefully) blazing fall colors to enjoy every year, usually hitting peak somewhere between late September and early October.  The photo at the left is from last year,  and I can't wait to see the leaves starting to change again.  
Maybe it's a remnant of all the years of anticipating the start of school when I was growing up, but fall seems like a wonderful time for new beginnings.

Though I love writing for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense, and look forward to continuing in the future,  I took a little foray into self publishing this past year--with three books that were sweet romance, but wouldn't have fit with Love Inspired.  It has been an adventure, deciding on covers, working on the content, and completing all of the other aspects of getting a book out to the public.  It has made me appreciate the great editors at Harlequin all the more!

We went to Scotland  this past May, and while there I took lots of notes, took hundreds of pictures, and enjoyed talking to Bed and Breakfast owners and other locals as we traveled through the Highlands, figuring it could be material for a book someday.  The country itself seemed so romantic that it felt like the perfect place to set a story.   So I did!  A Scottish Christmas will appear in a sweet romance anthology, Sweet Christmas Kisses releasing on Amazon October 1st. 

What about you--do you enjoy reading novels set in other countries?  Are there certain countries that you much prefer,  or do you prefer American settings over everything else?

Best wishes to you for a wonderful fall season!

Roxanne Rustand
www.roxannerustand.com
www.goodreads.com/roxannerustand

Time for sorting things out...

Autumn is always a time to take stock in things. I've sorted out drawers and closests. (Still have a ways to go.) And I've checked through my bookshelf and donated books that I know I won't read and no longer have room for. In the process I found a LOT of reference books on writing and just blogged about two of my favorites on the CRAFTIE Ladies of Suspense blog. I also pulled out my crock pot and started reviewing some recipes to help me get through my writing schedule. I've posted a recipe at the CRAFTIE Ladies of Suspense blog as well, so make sure you pop on over and check it out.

We're still having our monthly contest. Read a post in September, make a comment on the blog and you'll be entered in a drawing to get all 4 Love Inspired Suspense books for the month of September.

Many blessings,
Lisa Mondello