Tanya Writes About His Christmas Angel

Well, I just have to spread my happy news. My editor at the Cactus Rose line of The Wild Rose Press asked me to think about writing a Christmas story as promo for their online reads...

So of course I took the bait. The last few days, I've worked on a 2,500 word story with a Christmas theme, using a character from my upcoming book for the Cactus Rose line, Marrying Minda.

I figured the schoolteacher Caldwell Hackett deserved a story all his own. And when I decided the heroine should be Minda's own sister...well, sparks fly and snowflakes fall.

It's a sweet tale of two broken hearts knitting up just in time for the holidays.

I'll let you know more about the release date for His Christmas Angel. I like the fact that it will be a promo both for me as an author as well as a promo for the upcoming novel. Of course, in the story there's a hint or two about Minda and the man she married to beguile you into buying the book. Which I hope you do.

So today was Merry Christmas a bit early for me this year. Happy Holidays backatcha!

Tanya Writes About the House that Ruth Built

I've got to admit it. I was stirred last night. Shaken. Shivering and teary. And all because of the festivities in New York for the All-star Game. And I even watched all 15 innings...

Why? I'm not a sports addict although three sport movies have made it into my Top Ten Favorites: Hoosiers, Rudy, and Remember The Titans. And I love Angel baseball and Trojan Football. (Fight on!)

My hero is the sports nut. And so is my brother-in-law. So when the guys heard The House That Ruth Built was meeting its maker this summer, they had to go to a game. My amazing sister-in-law Roberta (you can leave off the in-law part; I never had birth sisters because Roberta was soooo worth waiting for!) planned a jaunt for us four to New York City to celebrate my hero's recovery and to do Yankee stuff.

Oh my.

The Tour of Yankee Stadium was beyond my wildest imagination. Standing in the outfield looking toward Home. Trying to memorize every inch of Monument Park. Hearing in my head Lou Gehrig's 'I'm the Luckiest Man Alive' speech.

(I kept calling it Monument Valley to my hero's affectionate disgust.)


Press Box and Bases and Ground Crew, oh my.

It got even better the next night when we attended an actual game. I got to see Johnny Damon play. Yummo. Now, I know this is heresy to admit: I like both the Sox and the Yankees, and he's kinda a traitor back in Boston where, last October, we got to see the Sox beat our beloved Angels in the bottom of the ninth at Fenway during our leaf-peeper trip. But wow, the cheers. The Green Monstah. The "Sweet Caroline," The clam chowder...a night to remember.

Well, our seats in The House were set at a 89 degree slope, but I, pretty in my pink Yankee ballcap, didn't care a whit...And I just can't believe they're ripping The House down. Its replacement is already right next door. There were dozens of hard-hat hotties building away. But still. Nobody ever suggests ripping down the Tower of London and building a newer version.

Oh my. There just isn't anything to compare with emerging from the B Train at 161st Street and seeing It: The House that Ruth Built.

Even I got chills. Still get 'em.

So last night, watching all the Midtown celebrating, the aerial views of Central Park, the all-stars and the old-stars put me into a real Wow mode.

It just about brought down the house.

Tanya Writes about Oncology Nurses

Once I read that angels are Labradors with wings, and as the "mom" of three, I've tended to agree. Until now. Angels are nurses. And earning their wings right now are the oncology nurses who are keeping my hero comfortable while making him well. And letting me know they're concerned about me, too.

Linda and Abby are both cancer survivors. They asked for Oncology on purpose. Of course they've confided their experiences, their treatments, their recoveries. The fear, make that downright terror. The all-consuming exhaustion. A romance reader herself, Linda has visited my website and tells everybody about my book. Abby comes in every day to see which picture we've brought of our little grandson, he of the big cheeks. A mommy of two little boys, she wants to pinch those cheeks.

Keri is a ragin' Dodger fan and constantly ribs my hero, who is not LOL. Yesterday she brought him a gorgeous book on Body Worlds since my hero missed the plastination exhibition last time around, but we intend to get to it this time. Wow. And Primrose makes sure my hero always gets "the room with the view."

As we left Oncology just a bit ago, they all called out, see you tomorrow. They know it's the last day of the last prescribed, week-long BEP. Now...we have two short bleo infusions over the next couple weeks. Then scans.

Then the results.

So keep bombarding heaven we get good news. When this all started, our local mountains were covered in snow that lasted those whole seventeen days from ultrasound to chemo. Unusual in this land of sun. But they helped me focus on Psalm 121 which has become my mantra. I will lift my eyes until the hills...from whence comes my help (which is) The Lord God who created heaven and earth.

Today the hills are wearing as much green as Ireland.

Ah, how beautiful.