🔦In the Bookish Spotlight🔦Mistletoe Season by Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller, Pepper Basham

 


This Christmas, three couples find themselves under the mistletoe . . . whether they want to be there or not.



Title: Mistletoe Season

Authors: Sheila Roberts, Kathleen Fuller & Pepper Basham

Publication Date: October 8, 2024

Pages: 320

Genre: Women's Fiction/Romance/Holiday Romance

This Christmas, three couples find themselves under the mistletoe . . . whether they want to be there or not.

Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts—Mistletoe is Hailey Fairchild’s kryptonite. Every time she’s kissed someone under the mistletoe it’s led to love disaster. Not a good thing for a romance writer! When she was a gawky high school girl, her hunky neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team (and her dreams) kissed her under the mistletoe on a dare. But the kiss wasn’t a dream come true. It was a mortifying moment she’s never forgotten, and now she’s about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and . . . determined to say no to mistletoe. Especially if Carwyn is anywhere around.

Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller—Emmy Banks has always loved Christmas. How could she not when she lives in Mistletoe, Missouri? Kieran O’Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother’s seventieth birthday. He reconnects with Emmy, his sister’s close friend, and spends time with her in her charming antique shop. When the weather turns colder, things start to warm up between Emmy and Kieran. But can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he’ll never stay in Mistletoe, and she will never leave?

The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham—Prince Arran St. Clare has lost his freedom and fairytale life in exchange for a three-month “punishment” in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. To prove he is ready for the royal life for which he was born, Arran must engage in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. But when kindness, authenticity, and hard work prove more appreciated in Appalachia than a royal pedigree, Arran must face the mirror and find out who he is beyond the crown. Add a beautiful and intelligent woman who doesn’t recognize her own worth, some mistletoe, and a little Christmas magic and it all might be enough to help the rebel-prince understand what truly matters most.

Mistletoe Season is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

Book Excerpt

Mistletoe is my kryptonite.One kiss under it, and I go weak in the head. My last three mistletoe kisses resulted in relation- ship disaster. Which is why I, Hailey Fairchild, am swearing off it.

You’d think after three love fails I’d hate cupid. I don’t. I’m one of his loyal acolytes. I write romance novels. I’m a believer.

If you ask me, everyone should be. We need more love in the world. I need more love, but so far I’m only finding it on the pages of my computer screen.

On the screen is better than nothing. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Consider this a public service announcement, a warning. Don’t go under the mistletoe. It’s hazardous to your heart. Here’s what it did to me.

 

About the Authors

Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under different names and in different genres. She’s seen three of her novels made into movies for the Lifetime, Hallmark and Great American Family channels and has over 3 million copies of her books in print. The story in this anthology makes her eighteenth Christmas story.

Website https://sheilasplace.com 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/funwithsheila/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sheilarobertswriter/


 

With over two million books sold, USA Today best-selling author Kathleen Fuller writes amusing stories with quirky characters and happy endings. Her novel, Written in Love, won the 2018 Romantic Times Inspirational Romance of the Year. Many of her books have also hit the CBA and ECPA best-seller lists. A retired Special Education teacher, she and her husband James live in Arkansas and are the parents of four adult children. When she’s not writing you can find her reading and crocheting—usually at the same time. She also enjoys traveling, football, and collecting recipes she’ll never use. 

Website https://kathleenfuller.com 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WriterKathleenFuller/ 

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/kf_booksandhooks/ 


Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her dual timeline novel, Hope Between the Pages, was a 2022 finalist for the prestigious Christy awards. Pepper’s newest book, Loyally, Luke, made it on the ECPA bestseller list for May. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.

Website https://pepperdbasham.com 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham/

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/




📖Authors To Watch: P.K. Eden, Author of THE MIRROR #authorstowatch #interview

 

  

P.K. Eden is the alter ego of multi-published and award winning authors Patt Milhailff and Kathye Quick whose debut novel FIREBRAND was lauded as comparable to the Harry Potter series, garnered 5-Star reviews, and won numerous  Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Born long, long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil.  She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances as well as urban fantasy. 

Kathye has twenty fiction books in print with various publishing houses and one non-fiction compilation of her town’s history at the behest of the Manville Library Bord.  She was honored to have been named an Amazon top 100 Romance Author for Ineligible Bachelor published by Montlake Romance. Other works include a three book  Grandmother’s Rings Series – Amethyst, Sapphire and Citrine, a rom-com series that follows three siblings as they use their Grandmother’s Rings given to them by their mother to find their soulmates. 

Because she has been fascinated by King Arthur and his knights for almost forever, her series Beyond Camelot, Brother Knights, is her vision of how the majestic kingdom may have survived after Arthur. Two books are written in this series with the third and final still in concept.

She is a founding member of Liberty State Fiction Writers and has been a part of Romance Writers of America and New Jersey Romance Writers.

She is married to her real-life hero, Donald, and has three grown sons, each having romantic adventures of their own. Her two grandkids, Savannah and Dax, happily cut into her writing time but she still manages to get a few pages done each day.

Website & Social Media:

Website www.Kathrynquick.com  

Twitter ➜ https://x.com/KQuickAuthor

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/KathrynQuickBooks/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/kathrynquickauthor/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217228581-the-mirror

***

Thanks to novelist and editor, Dr. Nathasha Brooks-Harris who invited Patt Milhailff to write for several TRUE CONFESSION lines of magazines where she learned tight and entertaining writing and resulted in the publication of more than two hundred short stories and articles.

One of Patt’s most gratifying experiences was when she moderated a standing room only workshop at the African American Romance Slam Jam in 2004 and has since enjoyed speaking engagements at libraries, book clubs and other forums. 

She was awarded 2009 Author of the year and 2010 Mentor of the year by Romance writers of America, New York City Chapter, a terrific organization that helped her to obtain valuable lessons and insight while on her writing journey. 

Patt is also featured in A Dream Deferred, A Joy Achieved, a non-fiction novella by Charise Nesbit a co-producer at Tyler Perry Studios, about foster care, as well as being included in two of Times Bestselling Author Zane’s anthologies. 

Patt is one half of the writing duo P.K. Eden along with Kathye Quick, authors of Firebrand,  that received a five star Affaire de Couer Reviewer’s Choice Award. 

She is also a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers the home of a magnitude of talented writers and fellow authors and is the author of nine novels.  

Patt was raised, and educated in New York City, residing in  New Jersey, and has since relocated to Delaware.

Social Networks for P.K. Eden:

Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/PKEdenAuthor 

Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/P.K.EdenAuthor

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p.k.edenauthor/





Can you tell us how you got started writing urban fantasy?

I love myths, legends, and magic, so one day I decided to try my hand at an urban fantasy.  I was at the gym one day talking to a fellow writer, Patt Mihailoff, and told her about my idea. She got a funny look on her face and asked me to come home with her.  Once there she ushered me to her office, fired up the computer and told me to read what she pulled up on the screen. When I did, I was shocked. Her story was very similar to the one I wanted to write.  After a short discussion P K Eden was born, and the rest is history

Describe your writing process. Do you plot or write by the seat of your pants? When and where do you write?

Patt and I know how we want the book to start and how we want it to end, plus maybe a few scenes we’d like to write, but mostly when we sit down to write, the words just seem to come and take us from one scene to another. 

When we write, we write in our own offices and share the scenes via email for the other to edit and comment upon. Sometimes we write scenes out of order; scenes we like to see somewhere in the story. Believe it or not, these abstract scene actually make the story better.

Can you tell us about your most recent release, The Mirror?

Our protagonists – the Primogen Sentinels are led by the direct descendant of the Brothers Grimm.  There is one sentinel from each continent whose mission is to protect the artifacts from the fairy tales, as well as those from folklore and myth, from being discovered because the artifacts are real. The Brothers Grimm only wrote their stories to protect these magical items from being exploited.

Of course not all of the original sentinels were happy with this. Some would like to use the items for personal gain and wealth. This faction  broke away and formed the rogue groups known as Taltos. Taltos and the Primogens, with different plans for these objects,  have fought for centuries; one to protect the artifacts from discovery, the other to exploit them.

When Snow White’s mirror activates and shows a world in devastation after a cab is hit and bursts into flames at the intersection outside Penn Station New York, it is the mission of some of the sentinels to stop whoever is supposed to be in that cab, find out why, and discovers is Taltos is behind the accident. It is a mission easier said than done when it is discovered a PhD who only believes in facts is the person targets to die that day.

How did you get the idea for the book?

As a child I loved the fairy tales and often wondered what the world would be like if the items were real. What is Rapunzel’s tears could cure disease. What if a spinning wheel could turn straw into gold. What if a Giant lived on the clouds and you needed to plant beans and grow a beanstalk to see it.

Ideas always come from what ifs.

Of all your characters, which one is your favorite? Why?

I really like Dr. Ben Michaels, my scientist. It was fun writing him and seeing him evolve from brainiac to believer. And along the way he just happened to fall in love with one of the Primogens.  

I mean the man needs another hobby.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing your book?

Time Management.  I am a very busy person by choice. I take a long time to write because life gets in the way. I’m getting better at writing now and try to do 3 pages or one scene every day. 3 pages = 90 pages per month and should equal 270 pages and an almost book in 3 months. We shall see.

What projects are you currently working on?

Patt and I ae plotting 2 more books in this series. She will take lead on book 2 which will address climate change and Native American folklore.

I’ll lead on book 3 which will deal with Rapunzel’s tears from my childhood question.

Plus I and nearly done with a historical fiction story which is based on a true story told to me by my Pastor about a relative from the 1860’s.  It is a fascinating account of  period during which one of his relatives was the Executioner for the State of Georgis and I am really enjoying writing it. 

Stay tuned for all 3.

What advice would you offer to new or aspiring fiction authors?

I can only give them the best piece of advice my Dad gave me during one of my low period when I first began collecting rejection letters.

He said “Do you know what the real meaning of failure is? It’s quitting just before you were going to succeed.”

So don’t quit. Keep writing. You got this. 

 

 

What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death? That’s the dilemma Scientist Ben Michaels faces when Siene Dower, descendant of the Brothers Grimm, tells him that Snow White’s Magic Mirror sent her to stop him from getting into the cab that crashed and burst into flame right before his eyes at the intersection at Penn Station, New York City. Does practical Dr. Michaels dismiss everything he knows about reality and science and follow the curious and beautiful woman who just saved his life?

The Mirror is available at Amazon.