Love's Christmas Promise: Book 3 in the Ken & Rileigh Trilogy!!!

 Dear Readers,

As you know, every November, it's NaNoWriMo (or better known as National Novel Writing Month)here, and this author devotes herself to penning a 50k word novel in the span of 30 days. There's roughly 600,000 of us who commit to this quest; it's mainly a benchmark for writers who want to challenge themselves to getting at least ONE novel completed every year. It's so much fun!!!! Oh, the insomnia, oh the coffee marathons, oh the THRILL OF IT ALL!!!!

This year, I've decided to add Book Three

to my Ken & Rileigh series. It's called "Love's Christmas Promise."

I will be updating this blog with the progress of the book as it is written.

I am STOKED for this TRILOGY!!!

May you all enjoy this beautiful Autumn that is currently upon us.

With SO MUCH love and laughter,

RR xo

LOVE ENDURING: THE SEQUEL TO LOVE WALKED IN

 Dear Readers,

As you know, this summer, I launched the beautiful romantic novel "Love Walked In," which was based on a true story.

The unforgettable love affair between Ken and Rileigh, it moved me so deeply, that I couldn't put my characters to bed (pardon the pun) and just close them off forever. I needed to experience them again. Over and over. So I decided to write a TRILOGY!!

Book 2 is called "LOVE ENDURING." It takes place one year after LOVE WALKED IN.

Rileigh is home at her luxury cabin by the river in Mission, B.C., the home she shares with her loving husband, Ken, when she receives a letter in the mail. It's an invite to a wedding in Ontario for her friend Sarah Morgan, who up until now, has kept her nuptials under wraps. Hurt, Rileigh vies to understand why someone close to her would keep such a secret.

What ensues is a trip to Ontario, an adventure of the heart, between lovebirds Ken and Rileigh; he wants her to reunite with her residents at the seniors home, to celebrate their belated one year wedding anniversary at a Victorian bed & breakfast, and to patch up the misunderstanding between besties Sarah and Rileigh. But returning to her native land proves so much more to Rileigh. She will discover truths about her former hometown and the people she loved, she will witness things she never imagined happening, and even more, her love for Ken will deepen.

When the unthinkable happens, Rileigh has to face a truth that could forever alter her life with Ken and shift their relationship, for better or worse. Can she reveal the secret to her beloved? Or will she hold back and endure this on her own?

LOVE ENDURING is the magical story of a timeless love between two souls who were meant to meet no matter how impossible the odds. 

I hope you enjoy this passionate, humorous, and heartfelt love story.

With so much love and gratitude,

RR xo

It's HERE!!!! LOVE WALKED IN ~ THE LOVE STORY OF THE SUMMER!!

DEAR READERS,

Finally, my sizzling summer love story is launched! July 14th was the lucky day!

I just know you're gonna love this comical, heart-warming story of a man and woman who meet in the most unexpected way. 

LOVE WALKED IN ~ a story of hope, of passion, of heart's renewal after loss and abandonment.

After the tragic loss of her husband, Rileigh Rhodes thought she was done loving people. She could not be more wrong. The sweetest elderly couple, George and Maggie Winslow move into her retirement home at Amberlea Gardens, and she falls madly in love.

Ken Winslow never forgot the burn of his wife walking out on him years ago, leaving him with three kids. When he returns to Ontario for the funeral of his mother Maggie, he finds a surprising connection with the big-hearted housekeeper Rileigh, who is both lovely and down to earth.

Neither of them saw it coming, but life somehow brings miracles when you least expect them.

Come along for an adventure of the heart, where life is far from boring at a senior's home, and two broken hearts find a reason to be happy again. From the beauty of  Ontario's cottage country with its sultry summer air, to the vast, stunning mountains and landscape of beautiful British Columbia, this love story is sure to steal your heart.

LOVE WALKED IN. The sizzling summer love story of 2021. 

Available on Amazon in e-book and paperback!!https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B099C8R119/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Happy reading!!!

Love,

RR xo

100 Day Gratitude Challenge -- Day #24 -- Give Thanks for Your Meal and The Company You're With

Dear Readers,

It's Day #24 of the 100 Day Gratitude Challenge. Obviously, I haven't posted EVERY SINGLE DAY of the challenge on this blog, because quite frankly, some of the posts were not as applicable to me, and I'm working a full time job and writing another novel. It's all about JUGGLING and making a good balance of things.

But I HAVE been doing the challenge everyday, personally, and taking note of each point.

Today's is "Give Thanks For Your Meal and the Company You're With." This one is easy.

Yesterday, I took part in the annual family Thanksgiving dinner. It's Mom, Dad, sister and brother and of course, my daughter.

Oh my God! The food!! Pumpkin pie, apple pie, and ice cream!!! Turkey -- massive!! Leftovers too! Vegetables of every kind!! Cranberry sauce, the works!!

Went home feeling stuffed. Had more turkey later that night. I might be "all turkey'd out."

Today, I am thankful for the food I enjoyed and the company was fun.

Now it's a holiday Monday and I'm resting, relaxing and working on the new novel.

Wherever you are, this Canadian Thanksgiving...I hope you  Give Thanks for Your Meal and Thank the Company You're With."

Life is to be cherished -- people are to be loved. Don't let a single day go by without showing and telling "your people" how much they are truly LOVED by you!!

Stay Passionate,

xx RR xx

GRIEFWORK AND WHY IT'S NEVER DONE AND OVER WITH

Dear Readers,

Today I feel called to write about grief work and the repercussions of losing a loved one. This post is not meant to celebrate sorrow at all, but rather, to highlight what might encompass the work we need to do in our grief journey.

If you think there's a timeline on your grief, then you are absolutely DEAD WRONG. Grief has no timeline, no COMPLETION DATE, no FINALLY-I-PASSED-THE-FINISH LINE.

YOUR GRIEF IS FOREVER. YOUR LOSS DEEPLY PERSONAL. YOU WILL GRIEVE YOUR LOVED ONE'S DEPARTURE TIL YOU TAKE YOUR LAST BREATH.

I'm not trying to scare you or be melodramatic. I am only speaking truth. Let's be as transparent as possible, shall we?

To say your loved one has passed on and met the pearly gates and poof, they are gone forever is dismissive and rather dull, don't you think? While they walked this earth, they were vibrant, BOLD and celebrated life in all their TECHNICOLOR SPLENDOR, so now tell me...how do you expect them to just be a tiny wisp of vapor in the grand scheme of things? Ancient history in the broad spectrum of the silver screen of life that is pulsing with action and excitement. Please. Spare me.

Let me tell you what I think about this grief work. It's called WORK for a reason. We shift and stumble in our grief journey, we have valleys and peaks, we will crest the highest mountain with joy one moment and be down in death valley the next. One sunny day, we'll think we are "FINALLY PAST IT"and whoopeee!!! I feel so much better!!! I'll never shed another tear again. WRONG. DEAD WRONG. Your grief journey, I am sorry to say, follows you like your own shadow. It's everywhere and down every avenue and alley way.

It's the scent of perfume on a lady passing by or the hint of aftershave on a man who crosses your path and sends your senses reeling back to that moment in time when they were in your arms or closeby in a warm conversation...it's the song that randomly comes on in Safeway as you bag your Granny Smith apples or choose your favorite cereal. Grief work is the random name a passing person calls out in a crowd..."come here Zach" a mother calls out to her tousled haired boy....and you freeze on the spot and feel numb all over, just like the day you found out they'd breathed their last breath and they were never coming back. Or perhaps it's the woman who calls out "Trent" in the midst of your deep thoughts while fulfilling an important errand. It could also be the license plate on a car in front of you that says SANDY22 that suddenly makes the dam bust open and the last 15 years you lost with Sandy come rushing back and you suddenly recall that you've lost many years with your loved one and the kids that she should've raised with you have all grown up right before your eyes and gone off to college! Oh the heartbreak! Oh the sensations! Now the dam has busted and you're trying to wipe your eyes and see the road ahead as you drive. See how real this grief thing is?

Sorry to make the floodgates open all over again. It's just that tonight I've felt convicted to share the feelings in my heart and how my own loss has altered, broken and molded me into the woman that I am today. I have no one else to thank but my Loving Trent who took his life on a sunny Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m. Pacific time on June 11, 2016 in Vacaville, California with a gun in his mouth in his own front yard. Trent Rigel Gardner, the musical mastermind, the poet, the unassuming rock star, the private man with paranoia who suffered in silence, the brilliant, courageous cop, the loving father, the caring soulmate, the provider and protector who fought his demons till the bitter end. He loved me so hard and deeply, was my best friend and confidante, and he loved me JUST AS I AM, the way no one else ever could. Never made me change, never criticized or belittled me, or expected anything other than my own magnificent self.  I celebrate him today and always. For, meeting him has made me a better woman. I've grown, I've cried, I've sobbed like a baby, become a hot mess, was confused and lost, and found my way (gratefully) through my grief journey, and 3 years later, I'm here to tell my story of victory. Trent I love you forever. I'm proud of who I've become through this process and what I've learned. I wouldn't change a single thing and I don't regret loving you.

So you see, this "grief work" is eternal. It never changes and it never goes away. Our loved one(s) walk beside us daily. We learn as we go, pick ourselves up off the ground and straighten ourselves out. We chide ourselves for not being "over it yet" and how dare we cry silently in secret corners or private rooms when we've certainly had "long enough" to process and get over this thing called loss.

Don't beat yourself up and don't you dare chastise yourself for not wiping the slate clean. Your memories, feelings, emotions, love and passion are all VERY REAL AND VALID parts of the grief journey. Embrace who you are, always remember your loved one, and learn to welcome the flood of tears when they come. Because as they say, where there was GREAT LOVE there is also DEEP GRIEF. For sorrow is the price you must pay for loving someone so completely.

Finally, I'm here to commend and salute you for the courage you've shown in your grief work. Bravo!!! Round of applause! Keep going!!! It never ends, but it does get better, I promise you.

Cheering for you always,

RR xo

REST IN PEACE SHILOH: WE WILL MISS YOU

On August 13, 2018 my beloved family pet was euthanized. Trust me. This was not an easy decision to make. Shiloh, our beautiful white haired Schnoodle, was 12 and aging badly. He'd not been eating properly for five weeks. It had gotten to the point where I was hand feeding him morsels from a can of chicken flakes. Poor thing refused to eat any kind of dog food. He knew he was on his last days. Animals try to speed up the death process by deliberately foregoing meals in hopes to end their pain.

The choice to put him to sleep was excruciating for me. To watch him in pain day after day, week after week, was so painful. I felt selfish, because I wanted him alive, to be near as he always had, the faithful companion and the buddy who greeted me at the door as I came in from work. But seeing him deteriorate was more than enough to bear.

When my time comes and it's someone's choice to pull the plug, it won't be easy for them to make that call. We love those close to us and we beg God for "just one more day" in hopes of cherishing those 24 hours forever. Or praying for a miracle.

Shiloh was in my arms, so frail, in that vet office, when they came to take him away. I opted not to watch as they injected him. Instead, I stayed in a side room, sobbing hard. The tears fell like Niagara Falls and I felt so ashamed. What was my problem?He was going to be pain free, finally, and cross that rainbow bridge to doggie heaven to join the other loving souls. He would be at peace and his pain finally gone. But here i was...bawling like a baby. It was for the best, the vet assistant told me, trying to reassure. Yet we love our pets and we linger...hoping for one more hug, one more doggie kiss or wag of the tail that reminds us we are our loved and that we mattered to them.

My Shiloh is resting with angels now. Perhaps he has been greeted by Mr. Lou, our other Schnoodle who passed in October 2012. Or maybe he met with Lady, our beloved Springer Spaniel who died Dec.12, 2000. It's a nice thought to relish. At any rate, he is better off. Me? It took some time to adjust. I would lie in bed after his passing and swore I heard more than a few times his small whimper at my bedroom door to alert me that he wanted in. And I would wake in the morning before work to see his doggie bed was empty. How truly depressing that was. No more 6:00 a.m walks before I hurried off to work.

Now, though, there's a void where Shiloh inhabited my heart. I caught myself on kijiji the other day, perusing ads for puppies. One known breeder of CKC registered English Springer Spaniels had a litter of gorgeous pups born June 11th. Another slap in the face for me. The anniversary of my soulmate Trent passing.  It's like the Universe just grabbed my heart and mocked me with a rollicking laugh that echoed off the walls. I cringed at the irony.

I know one day I'll own another dog. Because dogs love you like no one else. Humans leave you, betray you, mock you, deceive you...but dogs...they love you UNCONDITIONALLY. All they ask for in return is for a scratch behind the ears, a full food dish, walk to the park and some water. Not much at all.

My heart is heavy tonight. I miss you Shiloh. You were a good boy and faithful friend. Rest in peace. Till we meet again. Adios.

RR

FAMILY ISN'T BLOOD: FAMILY IS YOUR SOUL TRIBE

Contemplating a major move here as one big era of my life is ending. It's a huge concept, not one to be taken lightly. I have the courage of a lion, and it's true that I can survive anything. That's just how I roll.

Thoughts of leaving my sleepy bedroom town behind have me very reflective these days. I built a life here, three decades ago. Life blossomed. I rode my first horse here, had my first kiss, gave birth to my only child, not to mention, wrote all my novels here also. Life in this small town shaped my identity and forged my all-encompassing sense of Self.

Bittersweet memories linger. Many photographs have been taken. I find it important to keep a time capsule or some other commemorative ritual. Time is of the essence. Nothing should be lost.

This period of reflection has reminded me that family members have not always supported me. It's unfortunate, but in the constraints of a family dynamic, there is a sense of conformity where most members follow the lead of the dominant parent. Myself? I do not fall into this dynamic. I am the proverbial Black Sheep. Think outside the box? What box?? I like to think of myself as a trailblazer, misfit or rebel. Somehow, following the crowd just doesn't work for me.

People have come into my life who blew any preconceived notions out of my head of what "family" was known to be. Thankfully, they also lit the path for me, with a candle of hope. I grew into who I was meant to be, with a little help from a couple of great mentors.

These days, family is anyone who belongs to my soul tribe. Those who resonate deeply with me, finish my sentences, think and feel like me, accept me the way that I am. The ones who judge, condemn, slander, or put me down --though blood related -- are demoted to a dark corner. They don't get any more precedence. The only legit ones who matter are those who make me FEEL nothing but good vibes and support me--AS I AM.

This year, I started "cleaning house." People whom I had known for a good span of time (say, five years or so) were cut off. No, it's not a question of me being disloyal or anything. On the contrary, it was THEIR choice to not be loyal. To me, anyone who didn't serve me anymore or was not contributing to my greater spiritual growth was hindering me. These people were not even supporting my career or path. It's crucial to take stock of your friend list from time to time, and see who is deducting from your value. Do they make you feel like trash? Then it's high time you gave them the boot.

It's unfortunate, but some family members have no desire to support me or give edifying words that uplift me. If someone is bringing me down, I pull the plug. Really, I have no time or patience for this nonsense.

Family is simply those who love me and build me up. Family is the friend who calls up to take me to lunch "just because" or the person who calls to brighten my day, prompting me to feel like a million bucks. Or just to hear my voice and tell me how much I mean to him.

I want to thank a special man in my life who daily inspires me, supports me, and affirms that I am not only important to him, but I am the key to HIS happiness and abundant future as well. He is determined to profess, provide and protect. His presence is consistent, day after day. I'm proud to put him on my list of those whom I call FAMILY.

I love you T.G.

Finally, to those out there wondering where they stand or if they matter to someone, check the mirror. See the phenomenal person staring back at you. Check your inner compass. It will never steer you wrong. It knows the way. Ditch those toxic family members and "frenemies" who pose as comrades. Seriously. You deserve far better. I mean it.

Cheering for you always,

xo RR xo

GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD, GET INTO YOUR HEART

The world is run on digits, facts and figures. People are constantly thinking, mulling around in their head space, over analyzing this and that. Money, quotas, capital, salaries, contracts, stock markets. Seems fine, considering the world is run on money.

But it also seems we've forgotten we are human. Our gentle hearts tick behind those hard rib cages. The blood coursing through our veins, the oxygen in our lungs, our hearts pulsing to remind us we are ALIVE.

My point? Well, when was the last time you enjoyed the company of those who matter to you? I mean, REALLY ENJOYED, were fully present, turned off the cell phone. Looked at the stars or a blazing sunset splashed across a mauve sky muted in orange and magenta. Were you busy texting, scrolling, and emailing, while your daughter lost her first tooth or son took his first steps? Did you ignore the proud declaration of your teenager when they told you they made the Honor Roll?

People, let's get real with ourselves. The world will always be running. The money will always come rolling in, the dollars in plentiful supply. But here and now, THE PRESENT, it will be gone. You will have missed it all. Because you were in your HEAD and not your heart.

It's no secret I've been accused of being too fluffy, too sentimental, sensitive, REAL. But guess what? I like it here in the land of cherries and rainbows. Because, frankly, right here, is HOME. I can feel every nuance of emotion, sadness, confusion, fear, wonder, triumph and mystery. The reason? I allow myself to be authentic. No one runs me. Those "friends" who scoff and call me a dreamer or lone wolf? Tough luck. Because I like to be a weirdo. Sure, maybe I'm stuck with my jukebox oldies channel and Bobby Vinton records. So what, if I love poodle skirts and saddle shoes on Halloween instead of the typical zombie makeup? Better yet, I'm basking here in the foolish glow of what a Connie Francis record sounds like on my retro stereo. Something about that little "crackle" of the needle on a big LP. Yeah, that's REAL to me. I like it here, in the realm of weirdness. Cause I am living in my HEART, not my head.

You, too, should try it sometime. Allow yourself the luxury of simplicity. Get away from the madness. Park at a lake, dip your feet in the cool waters, listen to the cry of the loons. Throw a rock in and watch it ripple. Watch the baby blue of the crisp September sky. BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT. Remind yourself that you're HUMAN. Yes, you. I'm not talking about Robocop or the tin man. You, my friend, are a human being. Let yourself feel every wave of emotion, every loss, every victory, every great moment of this abundant life. Drink in the fresh autumn air, watch your kids laugh, hug your spouse, call up a friend for lunch. Reminisce about old times and plan some new memories, while you're at it.

That is why, everyday and always, I will be cheering you on.

Passionately,

xo RR xo