Blast to the Past-All I Want for Christmas! Free Read!

 I loved the characters, the setting and the spirit of the holidays. Amanda McIntyre has the magic touch."-Rosemary, Amazon Reviews

FREE SEPT. 29- OCT. 3

The legacy continues....

Rein and Liberty MacKenzie are starting a family…make that trying to. In this sexy, heart-warming holiday tale, the Kinnison Legacy returns to End of the Line, Montana where this persistent couple face more on the road to parenthood than they bargained for.

Excerpt~

“This is Cody Ross.” The kind woman placed her arm around his tiny shoulders. “Cody, you remember Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie from the house?”

The young boy ducked beneath Ellie’s arm, shielding his face in her shoulder.

She smiled and hugged the boy. “It’s okay, Cody. They are some of my best friends and I know they’d like to be yours, too. Why, I bet if you wanted, Mr. Mackenzie might even take you to see his horses at the Last Hope Ranch.”

The boy peeked at Rein.

“It’s true,”. Rein said with a nod. “We have a lot of horses and one of our dogs just had a litter of puppies. Do you like puppies?”

The boy glanced at Liberty, then back to Rein and nodded. He cautiously extracted himself from Ellie’s embrace.

Liberty’s eyes stung from unshed tears. She wanted nothing more than to scoop up the little boy and hug him. Her fear of whether she could love a child not her own was immediately replaced with that of whether she’d be able to let go of this one when the time came. “Do you like Christmas trees, Cody?” Liberty asked. “We’ve been waiting to put ours up.” She didn’t add that the reason had been her melancholy about the holidays in general. Liberty hadn’t been able to muster much Christmas spirit, despite being very happy for friends and family in the throes of having children—starting their families.

“I never had one,” he said softly. He rubbed his small fist down his cheek and glanced at Ellie, seemingly unsure if that was the appropriate answer.

Liberty smiled encouragingly. “Then this will be a very special tree indeed. One that you can pick out. How about that?”

His eyes narrowed briefly, followed by a barely noticeable nod before his gaze fell on the giant gooey cinnamon roll that Liberty had ordered.

“Would you like to try a bite? Betty makes the best cinnamon rolls on the planet.”

“It’s true,” Betty said with a grin for the boy. “At least, that’s what they tell me.” She placed a cup of coffee on the table for Ellie. In front of Cody she put a small mug of hot cocoa. “You looked like a marshmallow kind of guy. Here,” she said, “you’ll probably need a spoon.”

Cody accepted the spoon, then tentatively reached for the pastry.

“Oh, here. Let me help you with that.” Liberty sliced off a piece and placed it on the small plate Betty had brought.

Cody picked up the bite with tiny fingers and took a nibble.

Liberty held her breath, awaiting the little boy’s reaction.

“Do you like that?” Ellie asked, finally cutting the tension.

He thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

Rein leaned back with a grin as Cody quickly devoured the rest and reached for more.

“How about we get some bacon to go with that? Then maybe Mrs. Mackenzie will share a bit more with you,” Ellie offered. “Would you like that?”

The little boy nodded. For the next thirty minutes Liberty watched entranced by how the young boy’s demeanor changed from sullen to seemingly content. She wondered what kind of things those soulful little eyes had seen. Images of her childhood drifted into her thoughts, remembering things that no child should have to experience.

Ellie caught her gaze and smiled as though understanding the sum of Liberty’s thoughts. She turned to the boy. “Cody, how would you like to go with Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie to see their house, and stay for a short visit? Maybe you could help with the new puppies?”

“They’re only a few weeks old and you’d have to be very gentle. Could you do that?” Liberty took his tiny hand in hers. The mere touch produced a strange lump in her throat.

Cody drew his hand away and, pushing to his knees, whispered in Ellie’s ear.

She smiled and glanced at Rein and Liberty. “Mr. Mackenzie isn’t your father, no, but he and Mrs. Mackenzie have offered to let you stay with them for a while. But I’ll be up to visit you in a day or two.”

“We’ve got a special room ready for you, buddy,” Rein said. “You’ll have your own bed. Your own toys.”

“Tractors?”

Rein blinked, then grinned. “Sure, absolutely. John Deere. And when the weather clears we’ll go down to my brother’s ranch and see the horses.”

“I like horses,” Cody piped up without reservation.

“Then we’ll need to get you a pair of real cowboy boots, I’m thinking. What do you say?”

“And a hat… like yours?” He pointed to Rein’s perched on the hook by the booth.

Liberty caught Rein’s eye and grinned. The little guy wasn’t the least bit shy once he felt comfortable.

“Well, then, Cody, I guess let’s go get your things out of the car,” Ellie said.

Rein stood. “I’ll go take care of the bill. Liberty can go with you. I’ll be right out.”

Ellie handed the boy’s coat to her. “Into the deep end, girlfriend.”

That’s what I’m afraid of. She knelt in front of the little boy. A million questions and concerns spun in her brain. Only one kept swirling to the forefront. Can I do this? She glanced up at Ellie as she stood.

Ellie smiled. “It’s going to be fine.”

Liberty looked down at the little boy who stood holding his mitten-clad hand out to take hers and her heart took a tumble. 

I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS, ESPECIALLY CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND MOVIES (ANYONE ELSE BINGE HALLMARK MOVIES?)

What's Your Favorite Holiday Movie?

So here's my GIFT this season for readers to sample my writing!

FREE September 29- October 3 

PICK UP YOUR DIGITAL COPY 

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS 

May your holidays be filled with many blessings!

Get Lost In Something Like Family by Bestselling Author Heather Burch

Give a big welcome to a new guest on Get Lost In A Story, HEATHER BURCH, a #1 Bestselling Author of Contemporary Fiction. 

Her books have been translated in over a dozen languages. She writes emotional stories that explore family, love, hope and the challenges of life. Heather lives to tell unforgettable stories of love and loss—stories that make your heart sigh.

Today, Heather is sharing her latest release, SOMETHING LIKE FAMILY. 

Here's a blurb and excerpt. Don't forget to sign up below for our drawing for 2 FREE copies.

Abandoned by his mother when he was young, twenty-two-year-old Rave Wayne knows all about loss. That doesn’t mean he’s used to it. After he’s dumped by the girlfriend he assumed he’d spend his life with, Rave is longing more than ever to connect.

Then, as if by miracle, he receives an invitation from his grandfather, a man he thought was long gone, to come for a visit in rural Tennessee. Loyal, honest, and loving, dear old Tuck is everything Rave could have hoped for. He’s family. Soon, Rave finds himself falling for a down-to-earth local girl, and he thinks his life is finally coming together.

But the past isn’t through with Rave. When his mother returns after many long years, looking to reconcile the terrible mistakes that once defined her, Rave struggles to put together the unsettled pieces of his heart. Will this once-estranged family be able to come together to understand the meaning of unconditional love, the fragile bonds of family, and the healing power of letting go?

Excerpt: Main characters, Rave and Becca (in a budding relationship) are going on a date. Rave's grandfather Tuck has gotten bad news from his doctor, and the elderly widow who lives down the street has arrived to keep Tuck company after he insisted the young people go on their date as planned. 

           Rave and Becca stepped outside onto the front porch. It was a perfect June evening with a soft breeze whispering through the quivering leaves of the trees. Inside, they could still hear the trash talk passing between Tuck and Trini about who was the best poker player.

            Becca stopped at the top of the steps.

            Rave turned to see why. “What’s wrong?”

            “Rave, let’s invite them to come along.” Her hip was cocked, her hand on the banister, her forehead puckered in a concerned frown.

            He cast a glance to the door. Had Becca seen something he’d missed? Trini and Tuck seemed happy to stay behind. “Why?”

            She tilted her head back and the rays of the early evening sun kissed the highlights on her face. “I don’t … know.” Becca toyed with the edges of her sundress.

            Rave stepped up the stairs to her. “What’s wrong, Becca?”

            She looked at the front door. “It’s just that, well, Trini likes Tuck.” 

            “Yeah.”

            Becca rolled her eyes. “No, you’re not getting it. She likes Tuck.”

Oh. Oh! Rave might be slow, but he wasn’t blind. Of course, Trini liked Tuck.

Becca chewed her cheek. “She has for a long time. And now, now I think she feels like time’s running out.”

Rave pressed a hand to his stomach. “I feel the same. But they looked pretty happy to stay right there.” Besides, there were things he had to discuss with Becca. Maybe this was her way of putting off the inevitable.

She sighed. “I remember losing my grandpa. He had an opportunity to come to the lake with us just a few days before he died. No one knew anything was wrong, but he stayed home. And I remember looking through all the pictures my mom took that day and wishing we had pictures of him. Wishing he’d gone with us.”

“I don’t think we have a camera here, Becca. Unless you brought one.”

She shook her head. “We don’t need one. Memories are pictures. They’re stored in the part of your mind where happiness lives.”

That was something Rave understood. “Tomorrow, I buy a camera. Or a cell phone with a good camera in it. Tonight, we’ll take memory pictures.”

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HEATHER'S BOOKS

Website: https://www.heatherburchbooks.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherburch

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4983102.Heather_Burch

E.E.: How often to you get lost in a story? 

HEATHER: There are two answers to that question.  When I'm reading, several times a week. Ok, maybe even several times a day. When I'm writing, I get lost too. In fact, it's one of the ways I know I'm on track with a story. If I get lost in it, so will my readers. 

E.E.: What turns you off like nothing else?

HEATHER: Rudeness. I just don't feel that there is any excuse for one human to be rude to another. It makes my heart ache when I see people caring so little for others.

E.E.: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
HEATHER: Wayne Kidd. (He was the inspiration for my character, Tuck Wayne.) Mr. Kidd is a decorated veteran and I had the privilege of getting a private tour of the John's Creek Veterans Memorial from him. This book is dedicated to the men and women from the John's Creek Veterans Memorial, all of whom have served our nation.

E.E.: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

HEATHER: Oh, definitely both! An action adventure with a warrior princess at the helm!

E.E.: Where do you read and how often?

HEATHER: My favorite reading nook is outside on our screened-in lanai. Here in Florida, you must have a screened-in area or the mosquitos will carry you off.  

E.E.: What was the first story you remember writing?

HEATHER: I was six and I wrote a story about my grandpa tossing a piece of tobacco in the air and a seagull snatching it. The bird landed on the ground and remained still for several seconds. Grandpa thought he'd killed it. But it got up and flew off--if a little wobbly. My mom sent the story to our local newspaper (very small town) and they published it. 

E.E.: Is there a “Blooper” in your story (it may have been changed before printing)?

HEATHER: I can't think of one in this one, but in my last book, IN THE LIGHT OF THE GARDEN, there was a spot where I had her lifting the edge of her tablecloth to her mouth. HER TABLECLOTH. Not her napkin. Can you imagine the hero and heroine are sitting at a romantic dinner and she LIFTS THE TABLECLOTH to her mouth! I laughed out loud when I caught it. It had already gone through a couple of rounds of editing. After a good laugh, I changed it to napkin. 

E.E.: Is writing or storytelling easier for you?

HEATHER: Hmm. I love this question. It's causing me to reflect. I think storytelling. When I was young, all of my friends wanted to have sleepovers at my house. We didn't have the nicest house, or the biggest, but my mom would turn off all the lights, light one candle and tell us ghost stories until we couldn't breathe! She had such an incredible and vivid imagination. I remember sitting there and thinking about how entranced my friends were. I wanted to grow up to make people feel so much with just words. I'm a little choked up right now. Thank you, Get Lost In A Story, for that beautiful memory.

E.E.: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

HEATHER: That they make me cry. Happy tears. Always happy tears because they are always so open with sharing how my story effected them. I feel very honored by their words. 

E.E.: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

HEATHER: Take my husband out to dinner where we can sit outside and watch the sunset over the water. One of my favorite spots overlooks a marina where small sharks will come to feed while we're eating. Am I completely bonkers when I say, that is calming?  

The Question for the Readers: You can probably tell by my many family references in the questions that family is very important to me. What elements about family do you most love to see in the books you read? 

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