Category: ThrowbackThursday

My daughter and I were blessed to be able to visit South Korea last year. It was an amazing adventure and we were able to see so many things and yet there was still a lot more we’d like to visit. One of the things on the list of things to do was to wear a hanbok and visit one the many palaces in Seoul. Koreans encourage people to wear the traditional dress since if you do, entry into the palaces is free. Because of that, it’s not unusual to see many men and women strolling the palace grounds in traditional dress. In olden days, the color and fabric could tell you the person’s marital status and position in society. You can either rent or buy a hanbok at various shops located in and around the palaces and we rented hanboks, had our hair done, and headed off to the palace. This is a picture of my daughter and I wearing them. P.S. – I have no books set in Korea, although the reason for the trip was for my daughter and I to research our books. I have a proposal for a romantic suspense with my editor but as you might know, my daughter writes K-drama and K-pop themed romance novels. You can find them at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Samantha-Ann/author/B09QT7DKSR.

It’s National Wine and Cheese Day! Hurrah! When my husband and I were dating way back during the college years, the trendy and fun thing to do was to go a wine and cheese restaurant. They were as popular as the many microbreweries that you can now find on almost every corner. We had a favorite place where we regularly went to drink affordable wine and sample assorted cheeses and crackers. There would always be a wine bottle covered in wax from being used as a candlestick to create a romantic feel while we ate, sipped, and learned more about each other. I don’t recall seeing any wine and cheese restaurants lately and every now and then wish they’d make a comeback. For now, hubby and I share some wine and cheese on our little balcony after a relaxing day at the beach. What about you? Do you ever celebrate with some wine and cheese? P.S. I think caterer Carlo from NEVER A BRIDE, who is Portuguese, might woo Emma with a nice sampling of wine from the Duoro region in Portugal and tasty cheeses. You can find out if he does by picking up the AT THE SHORE box set, now specially priced at 99 cents for a limited time. Get your copy at https://amzn.to/3LDVe8x.

One of my favorite times of year on the Jersey Shore is the 4th of July. So many towns do fireworks and I love to go down to the beachfront to watch them. This year we watched the shows in Bradley Beach and Belmar and I have to say, they both rocked. But we had the advantage of being up close for the Belmar fireworks and that made it such an exciting experience. I filmed some of the Belmar fireworks for you and here is a condense version for you! P.S. – If you like fireworks on the Jersey Shore, grab the At the Shore contemporary romance box set. Three fun and emotional stories about best friends finding their happily-ever-after. Even better, it’s only 99 cents for all three stories. Download your copy at https://amzn.to/4eRQNEJ.

Just like there are seasons to a year, there are seasons to a garden, especially if you’re growing perennials. This time of year is one of my favorites since the day lilies are up and blooming. My love of day lilies started when one of my father’s friend’s wives gave my mom a small bunch of daylilies straight out of her garden. My mom planted them in our Long Island home and they thrived. I took a small bunch of them to the garden in our first apartment and I have taken a piece of them to every home that I’ve had. I love that sense of history in my garden. Some of these daylilies are in my townhouse’s common areas since I’m now the head of the landscaping committee but they all came from my prior home where the deer had almost decimated them. Now I get to see them bloom in all their glory along with a number of other flowers in my container garden. It’s been a great year so far and I look forward to sharing other flowers with you as my garden’s seasons change. P.S. – I really have to work on another book with a garden lover! The last one I did with that was MORE THAN A MISSION, a romantic suspense about a chef who may be an assassin who poisoned a prince. P.P.S. – One of my fav garden centers is Barlow’s Flower Farm in Sea Girt. I’ve bought many of my plants there!

They say that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I’ve always believed in that, staying positive even when things aren’t necessarily going the way I’d like. That’s what happened at a recent conference that became a little overwhelming at times. But my friends and I carried on, sharing fun times, making new friends, and reuniting with old friends. We had a lovely time with each other and it opened some new opportunities for me and my friends. A win-win. On this Throwback Thursday, I’m sharing a photo of us on the last day! Look at all those happy faces! P.S.-If you like stories about friends finding their happily ever after, ONE SUMMER NIGHT is specially priced for 99 cents. You can grab your copy at https://amzn.to/3XI0eAy.

When my daughter had the opportunity to study abroad, we were lucky to be able to visit her and see many parts of London. We also did a day trip to visit Bath to see the Roman baths and various Jane Austen spots. I think the highlight of that daytrip for me, though, was a stop at Stonehenge. I’d always heard so many things about the mystical aspects of this site and it was a very atmospheric trip as it was a windswept and slightly overcast day. It really added to that mood as we walked around the stones (from a distance). You can’t really get right up to them unless you pay for a Circle Experience. There was also a wonderful exhibit explaining how Stonehenge might have been built and its history. If you get a chance, it’s worth a visit and also to nearby Bath. I also understand that it’s not far to Woodhenge and the Roman settlement of Old Sarum. If you like stories set in areas like this, you might want to check out The Vampire’s Consort or More than a Mission (one of my fav books).

I’ve always loved horses. I’ve been lucky to be able to go with friends to Monmouth Park to watch the races. Monmouth Park is lovely and in addition to the horse races, especially The Haskell, it also hosts food truck festivals and concerts. This past Sunday, we watched (and bet on) 10 races and also had a lovely lunch. Unfortunately no winners. My experiences with horses and visits to Monmouth Park helped inspire SABOTAGE OPERATION. I loved writing the scenes describing how Teresa rides and trains her horses. P.S. – You can download your copy of SABOTAGE OPERATION or check out the next books in the South Beach Security K-9 Division series at https://amzn.to/3Kt2G5Q.