Promo | Linda McLaughlin/Lyndi Lamont

I’m excited to report that Sweetwater Springs Christmas by Debra Holland and Friends (including me) is now available in audio format at Audible.com!

Sweetwater Springs Christmas:
A Montana Sky Short Story Anthology
by Debra Holland and Friends
Western Historical Short Story Anthology

Come celebrate the holidays in 1895 Sweetwater Springs, Montana, as ten Western romance authors join New York Times Bestselling author Debra Holland in telling short stories of love and laughter, heartbreak and healing, and most of all, Christmas joy.

Sweetwater Springs Christmas: A Montana Sky Short Story Anthology is available from Amazon for purchase or read free on Kindle Unlimited.

Now available in audio! Check it out at Audible.com.

My story in the anthology is “The Best Present”. For this story, I shed my romance persona and wrote about a ten-year-old girl having the worst Christmas of her young life. I drew on some personal experiences, including my memories of my tenth Christmas, which took place two weeks after the death of my grandmother. Allison’s story has a different ending than mine did, but it’s the most personal work I’ve ever written, and writing it was an emotional experience for me.

Ten-year-old Allison Harcourt’s life has been turned upside down since her father lost his job and her beloved grandmother died. She’s not looking forward to Christmas, especially since she can’t figure out how to finish the scarf she’s making for her mother. An unexpected stop in Sweetwater Springs brings her and her parents to the boarding house of the widow Murphy. Sometimes sweet things can be found in the most unexpected places.

Excerpt:

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.”

Allison Harcourt stared at the opening lines of her favorite book, “Little Women”, until the words blurred. Unable to read, she closed the volume.

Christmas won’t be Christmas without Grandma.

Sudden tears filled her eyes, and she turned her head to stare out the train window, blinking furiously to make the moisture go away. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry. The words pounded rhythmically in her head to the clack of the train over the tracks. Mama and Papa hated seeing her cry, but it was hard to hide the tears with Mama sitting across from her. If only her seat faced front. Then Mama wouldn’t be able to see her.

Her mother heaved a sigh. “Why do you read that book when it makes you weep?”

Allison wiped her eyes and looked at her mother. For once Little Women wasn’t the reason she was crying, but she gave the same answer she always did. “Because it’s so good.” It was a familiar refrain, one they had exchanged the second and fifth and tenth time she’d read the book. Usually, she only cried when Beth died, but now, with Christmas only a day away…

She slipped the book into her carpetbag and turned back to the window so Mama couldn’t see her face. The scenery outside sped by as the train clattered along the track, clouds of black smoke billowing back from the locomotive. Allison could barely see through her tears, but it didn’t matter. She was tired of looking at the prairie, so flat and boring, especially today with the sky a pale gray. There were supposed to be mountains ahead, but her seat faced the rear of the train. All she could see was what was behind her–not just miles of prairie, but her friends, her school, and her home back in Pittsburgh–before Grandma died and Papa said they were moving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Linda Mclaughlin

Tova’s Dragon
Steamy Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Kingdoms & Legends, Part 2
By Lyndi Lamont

Blurb:

Seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg. Only he can aid you. You must fly with the dragon.

Tova Svensdottir, an earth mage, is on a mission to save her homeland, the Kingdom of Velosia from the evil wizard Bruno of Grimmdorn. Her grandmother tells her to seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg, but the old lord is dead. In his castle, high on a mountaintop, she instead encounters his son, the Outlaw Kane.

Kane fled Velosia after a futile attempt to rescue his father and his mate from Bruno’s cruel prison, killing the head guard in the process. Now that Bruno has been banished, Kane has returned to clear his name, but his purpose changes when he meets Tova. Tova’s warmth stirs his passions and her courage touches his heart, but he dreads telling her of his true nature, certain she will recoil. But Tova is made of sterner stuff.

Together, Kane and Tova have the power to save Velosia. If they survive the coming battle. But can an earth mage find happiness with a dragonshifter?

Excerpt:

Tova awoke to find herself on a soft bed wrapped in the embrace of a very hot, very aroused man. She opened her eyes to look around the dimly lit chamber, and everything came back to her—the climb up the mountain, the lightning storm, being guided to the cave, and the fall in the tunnel.

She squirmed around to stare at the man. “Where am I? And who you are?”

He flashed a reassuring smile. “I am Kane and this is my cave. You fell and hit your head.”

She studied the face just inches from her own. He was older than she, perhaps in his third decade. Long black hair hung down to his shoulders, and his eyes were a warm shade of amber under straight black brows. Her gaze dropped to sensual lips above a cleft chin. He was handsome as sin and naked to the waist. A shiver traveled up her spine and her heartbeat increased. Why did his name sound familiar?

Around his neck he wore a heavy gold chain with a large, luminous pearl dangling from it. When she reached out to touch the pearl, she sensed power radiating from it, from him. “You guided me to the cave, did you not? I thank you.”

“You are welcome, daughter of earth.”

She smiled at the apt nickname. “I am called Tova Svensdottir.”

He nodded in acknowledgement. “How are you feeling, Mistress Tova?”

She assessed the situation. Though warmer, her head still hurt and her energy was depleted. Self-healing would take a long time in this state. “Better, but still weak.”

“I am not surprised, given your ordeal. Where were you headed in such a hurry, and what on earth brought you to my mountain? Are you lost?”

She hesitated, uncertain whether to trust him. Mutti Zee’s instructions echoed in her head and she plunged ahead. “I seek the Lord of Drakkenberg.”

Kane raised his brows. “You have come to the right place, though the old lord is dead.”

Suddenly, she realized who he was and scooted away from him. ’Twas just her luck to be rescued by the most feared outlaw in the land. “Please do not hurt me, Kane of Drakkenberg.”

With a sigh, he rose from the bed, clad only in his breeches and hose. He stared down at her, an earnest look on his face. “I would never hurt you, Mistress Tova. I am not the monster legend depicts me.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Well, not entirely.”
Available at Amazon:

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07635W1SR
AU: https://www.amazon.au/dp/B07635W1SR/
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07635W1SR/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07635W1SR/

Hope you are all having a Happy Holiday season.

Lyndi