Winter’s Embrace by Pamela Ackerson, Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe, Cindy Lewis Smith, and Jae El Foster – Spotlight and Giveaway

December 17, 2025 By 1 Comment

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. A print copy of ‘Winter’s Embrace,’ autographed by author Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Embrace the joy of Christmas and some yuletide cheer in this collection of five sweet holiday romances from four of today’s most entertaining authors! Featuring brand new stories from Pamela Ackerson, Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe, Cindy Lewis Smith, and Jae El Foster, this anthology will help you hold the spirit of Christmas and the magic of true love in your heart the whole year round.

Meant to Be by Pamela Ackerson: Single and starting over in tiny Lorman, Mississippi, teacher Faith Anjos dives into home renovations with tools in hand and a boat from her late dad’s fishing Sundays. Realtor Gabriel White becomes her unexpected ally, sharing lunches, family barbecues, and stolen kisses under patriotic park lights. But when a sassy ex-roommate stirs trouble and life’s curveballs hit hard, Faith learns that true love thrives not just in perfect houses, but in the messy magic of Christmas cheer and forever promises.

Window Shopping by Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe: Single and sentimental, Whitney dives into downtown’s dazzling displays—animatronic toys, frosted windows, violin carols—chasing Christmas cheer alone after helping coworker Chad remotely. Fate intervenes with a literal bump into charming Chad, leading to diner laughs, Santa’s lap shenanigans, and hand-holding revelations. As they embrace kid-at-heart traditions amid bustling streets and Santa’s sly matchmaking, a parade invite blossoms into dinner-and-movie dreams. Proving the season’s sparkle uncovers love when least expected.

Mr. Hollister’s Christmas by Cindy Lewis Smith: Thirty-three and resigned to spinsterhood in Goldfield, Josie channels her Georgia Christmas memories into a perfect Eve nuptial for Rose and Hank, footed by taciturn rancher Clint Hollister. Their prickly partnership blooms amid pine boughs, fiddle waltzes, and whispered regrets from a saloon-fueled mail-order mishap. When a wheel-wrecked ride home unveils Clint’s hidden role in her arrival—and his lingering loneliness—snowy revelations ignite a romance as timeless as the stars above the Llano River.

What the Snow Blew In by Jae El Foster: Snowbound in Deerborne, Connecticut, during a record-breaking blizzard, editor Carina Whitaker hunkers down with wine, her cat Tom Boy, and cherished Christmas ornaments—until a shivering mailman named Jerry delivers a package and seeks refuge from the storm. As power flickers out and drifts bury her home, candlelit evenings spark unlikely conversations, shared meals, and cozy traditions that warm more than the gas fireplace. Amid reading aloud by firelight and piano carols, holiday magic proves that what the snow blows in might just be the love she’s been waiting for.

The Magic of Mistletoe by Jennifer Patricia O’Keeffe: Sarah’s winter break turns into survival mode: dodging doll-throwing dollops, sweeping glass shards, and sacrificing her office sanctuary for peace between battling children. Amid cold coffee confessions and contract close-calls with hubby Thomas, festive fumbles—from runaway pillows to reluctant photos—test their bond. Yet as grilled cheeses soothe tears and starry-eyed surprises arrive post-midnight, mistletoe weaves its spell, transforming holiday havoc into heartfelt harmony and impossible dreams come true.

Read an Excerpt from Mr. Hollister’s Christmas by Cindy Lewis Smith

It has been a long week. So many preparations for Rose’s wedding on Christmas Eve. What a time to have a wedding! Rose told me that she would have never dreamed of having a Christmas wedding, it was all Hank’s idea. But, with her being my only friend when I arrived in town last year, I was going to do everything I could to make it happen for her.

Her fellow, a young man named Hank, works for Mr. Hollister at the Hollister Ranch. It’s a well known ranch in these parts, out near the banks of the Llano River. Thousands of head of cattle roam the ranch’s eight hundred and forty some odd acres. Mr. Clint Hollister, the owner, is a widower. I’ve heard tales about how he lost his wife several years ago. Folks say she was sick with yellow fever when she was in child birth. Both her and the baby succumbed to the disease. Mr. Hollister was devastated. For some reason, he never remarried. People talk, but I take no mind to idle gossip. They just say he turned into a bitter old man, choosing to live his life alone on the ranch.

Hank has worked on the Hollister Ranch since he was a youngster. His parents died in an Indian raid when he was baby, and he grew up with kin folk until he went to work for Mr. Hollister, the same year his wife died. The kin folk just couldn’t care for him any longer, as they were getting up in age. Maybe Hank knew even then, that Mr. Hollister needed someone. Hank said Mr. Hollister was more like family to him than an employer.

A few weeks ago, Rose asked me if I would help Mr. Hollister plan the wedding and give it a woman’s touch. Rose didn’t know anything about planning a wedding, she had never even been to one before. Like Hank, her parents had passed away and she had been on her own for a while. She took up with me real quick when I came here. Almost as if she needed an older sister to confide in. We immediately became best friends.

Needless to say, I was not looking forward to working side by side with Mr. Hollister planning a wedding. Our first meeting a year ago didn’t go so well. It was like he was either appalled by the sight of me for some reason, or instantly just didn’t like me. He kept his distance and made it a point to never look at me eye to eye.

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Character Creation by Lynn Hubbard – Guest Blog and Giveaway

October 17, 2018 By 7 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The authors will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Character Creation
by Lynn Hubbard

Character Creation is one of my specialties. Every character is important. I try to flesh out as many characters as possible. Of course you want your Main characters to live and breathe but your sub characters are also important.
It helps to keep a journal with the basics. What do they look like? Hair, eye color, height, scars, etc. This might seem to be a bit much but you don’t want someone hitting their head on a doorframe in one chapter that you described as being short and stumpy in another.

Pretty much anyone that that your main characters talk to or interacts with needs a back story. Not a full back story but something about their past would be good. In my book, Run into the Wind, I have an Army Captain pop up a couple of times. One of my fans wrote begging me to write a story about him, that he was her favorite character. You never really know who your readers will fall in love with.

You need to think about your characters. Their actions and interactions should not be forced. Build the scene and describe what you see in your mind. Your character walks by a little boy crying. Take the time to introduce your readers to him. Had he just fallen and has a scrapped knee? Did his mother scold him? Just a little bit more information can change your story from 2 Dimensional to 3D. Is your character concerned about him or are they bothered by the noise? Learning about sub characters also gives us and our readers more insight into our main characters.

The Gingerbread Man- A Scrumptious Erotic Fairytale
by Lynn Hubbard

Once upon a time there was a girl named Penelope. Food was scarce those days, and she had to walk miles looking for roots or berries to eat. After a long, hot morning Penelope was tired and hungry. A delicious scent led her to a cabin deep in the woods. She followed it in anticipation of having all her needs filled.

The Legend of M’Rith
by Miriam Newman

By 1844, an increase in the human population of Ireland has forced Fae inhabitants from their lush green homes in the East to the spare, bare terrain of the West–except for one. M’Rith, half fairie and half elf, has been bidden by her Queen Mother to remain in the forest, promising her a mortal man to love. Kieran, the village blacksmith, has lost his wife and lives in the same painful solitude as M’Rith, but he is a worker of iron that can mortally wound a fairie lover.

To Adventure
by Jae El Foster

There is a black plague crossing from kingdom to kingdom, placed upon a slumbering princess by her wicked stepmother, and only with true love’s kiss can the spell be lifted. Will the plague encompass all before that kiss can be sealed, or will the power of true love make itself known to the handsome Prince Harold, providing him with the adventure of a lifetime?

Enjoy an excerpt from The Gingerbread Man- A Scrumptious Erotic Fairytale by Lynn Hubbard

Unable to stem her curiosity, Penelope took a couple steps to the open doorway. She was shocked when she peeked inside. There was a bed and a man lying on top.

At least she assumed it was a man. The room was dark so she could not make out his features. Stepping closer, she froze as the wooden floor creaked beneath her feet.

Thankfully, he did not move. Taking a step closer, and then another, she reached the side of the bed. Looking down, she was shocked at what she had found: A life size Gingerbread man. She blinked her eyes twice to make sure she was seeing things right. Verifying she was sane. She fell to her knees in shock.

About the Authors: Lynn Hubbard is a Historical Fiction author. She has been writing for over ten years and has eight books. Most of which are westerns. Lynn is fascinated by the Old West and her books portray when life was simpler. When, people worked hard, and sweated to make an honest living. And when justice wasn’t always blind.

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Miriam Newman: Fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was published in poetry before catching the romance writing bug. I bring that background to my writing along with a lifelong addiction to horses, an 18 year career in various areas of psychiatric social services and many trips to Ireland, where I nurture my muse. My published works range from contemporary fantasy romance to fantasy historical, futuristic, science fiction and historical romance. Currently I live in rural Pennsylvania with a “motley crew” of rescue animals.

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Jae El Foster is an author with whom you question going to bed with at night, but you dare to venture beneath the sheets with him anyway. As the venture concludes, you are perhaps romanced by it, or perhaps you are frightened by it. Don’t worry, because you are always satisfied by it. Despite the title or genre of the book, Jae El sets out to please you with climatic and unexpected conclusions that will make you tremble with emotion. Hop aboard the Jae El train and give it a good ride.

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