Double the Trouble, Double the Fun! by Deb Kastner

Happy Birthday to my newest book, Texas Christmas Twins!

When the editors at Love Inspired approached me about participating in a miniseries for the Christmas season working with two very talented authors, Patricia Davids and Lee Tobin McClain, I didn’t have to give it a moment’s thought before I said yes. 

For one thing, I adore everything about the Christmas season, from the carols and Christmas spirit to the Baby in the manger. Plus, the editors handed me the perfect trifecta where my brand is concerned—Christmas, Texas (read “Broody Cowboy”) and of course, and adorable set of twins. Add to that a bright, bubbly heroine and you have the makings of a great holiday read.

Here’s the Back Cover Copy to spark your interest:

Christmas on the Ranch

Miranda Morgan’s Christmas will be twice as busy now that she’s guardian of her sister’s sweet twin babies. But the celebrity photographer is happy to trade a glamorous LA lifestyle for motherhood in her small hometown of Wildhorn, Texas. Unfortunately, the twins’ handsome godfather, Simon West, is unconvinced. The brooding rancher isn’t thrilled about letting sunny, spontaneous Miranda into his carefully managed world. Though they disagree on almost everything, Simon and Miranda discover common ground as they work to make the twins’ first country Christmas cozy and bright. Could this holiday transform Miranda and Simon’s tentative friendship into a forever love?

Want to read the first few pages? Did I hear a yes? Why, here they are…

Miranda Morgan wouldn’t even know what hit her.

He was here in front of her cabin, preparing to make certain of that. After he was through with her, the powers that be would want to name a tempest after him.

Hurricane Simon.

It didn’t matter that he hadn’t seen Miranda since high school, or even, as his best friend Mason’s kid sister, that she’d bared the occasional brunt of his pranks and mean jokes. In another situation, he might be considering how to make amends and not additional strife. He was a new man, a man of faith. The Lord had changed his heart, and now Simon’s goal was to change his life to match what had happened internally.

But try as he might, he fell short of being able to forgive Miranda for ignoring her responsibility to the sweet nine-month old twins now in her care.

If this was a spiritual test, a trial in his bumpy new Christian life, it was a doozy.

Miranda was an eminently successful celebrity photographer. But he couldn’t care less about movie stars and the la-di-da lifestyles of the rich and famous. He was a simple ranch owner and dog trainer and he liked his solitary country life.

What he didn’t like was Miranda. She couldn’t even be bothered to fly home to Texas long enough to attend her own twin niece and nephew’s christening, and she was not only Hudson and Harper’s aunt, but had also been named their godmother.

And yet she hadn’t managed to spare even one weekend for them.

Even Simon had been in church that day, though at the time he hadn’t been a churchgoing man. He remembered feeling uncomfortable, but he’d been there. Simon was the twins’ godfather, and to him, it was a big thing, a sacred duty, a promise that he’d always be there for Hudson and Harper in any way they needed.

Obviously, Miranda didn’t feel the same way. Family obligations clearly meant nothing to her.

And now, through a cruel twist of fate, Miranda had been named the twins’ permanent legal guardian.

How could that even be? The very thought of it was both confusing and infuriating.

It was painful enough that Mary, Mason’s youngest sister, and her husband John had been taken from this world prematurely by the merciless act of a drunkard who’d made the deadly choice to drive while intoxicated.

But for Mary to name self-serving, high-flying Miranda as the twins’ legal guardian, even after all she had done, or not done, for Mary and the babies—

Well, that made less sense than putting a Border collie in a room full of cats and expecting him to herd them.

What had Mary been thinking? How could she have considered her sister a worthwhile guardian, one with whom she could entrust innocent children? What kind of mother would a woman like Miranda possibly be?

Inconceivable.

Why hadn’t Mason and his wife, Charlotte, been named the twins’ guardians? They already had four children of their own with a fifth on the way. They were wonderful, experienced parents who had been there for Mary and the twins during every stage of their lives.

Mary might have sincerely believed that two more children would have been too much of a burden on Mason and Charlotte, and that they had their own family to think of and provide for.

But choosing Miranda?

Mary might have been sincere, but she’d been sincerely wrong.

However the future played out now that Miranda was the twins’ legal guardian, Simon’s determination to be a positive influence in his godchildren’s lives hadn’t changed one iota. They had always been a priority with him, but even more so now.

If Miranda was anything like Simon imagined her to be, Harper and Hudson would need all the protection and stability they could get.

He was going to step up for those two precious babies.

Unfortunately, that also meant he would, by default, be in contact with Miranda. She would have to let him into her world, whether she liked it or not. And likewise, he’d have to learn to work with her. They didn’t have to be friends, but they would have to get along.

For the twins’ sake, he reminded himself as he removed his brown Stetson, combed his fingers back through his thick blond hair and knocked on the door.

“It’s open,” he heard Miranda call from somewhere inside the cabin, her voice muffled and distant.

Feeling awkward at having to let himself into a cabin he was unfamiliar with, he opened the door and stepped inside. He didn’t immediately see Miranda, or the twins, either, for that matter.

His attention was instead captured by the insane display of Christmas decorations, red and green, silver and gold, everywhere his gaze landed.

It looked as if the North Pole had exploded in her living room. 

An enormous eight-foot Christmas tree stood in one corner, the flashing angel topper just barely clearing the ceiling. Presents wrapped in colorful aluminum paper were piled high underneath the tree.

She’d arranged a large Nativity set, complete with a stable and an angel proclaiming Peace on Earth, on the end table.

Shiny red and gold garland adorned every wall, with evergreen garland gracing the fireplace where the stockings were hung with care, as the poem went. Homemade stockings, with Hudson and Harper’s names written in flourishes of red and green glitter glue.

This woman was clearly obsessed with Christmas.

And apparently, shiny things.

It took him a moment to focus and find Miranda. He supposed he’d expected to find her changing a diaper or two, or feeding the twins their bottles—or whatever it was that nine-month-old babies ate—as the reason she couldn’t answer the door. Instead, she was right there in the middle of the living room, stretched out on her stomach underneath a card table that she’d draped with sheets, holding a flashlight she was beaming on a picture book as Harper and Hudson cuddled on either side of her.

Of all the crazy, unexpected scenarios, this one took the cake.

Or the Christmas fruit cake as the case might be.

The tent was ingenious. She’d used stacks of hardback books to fasten the edges of the sheet to the sofa on one side of them and an armchair on the other, with the card table holding up the structure in the middle.

Lying on her stomach, jammed under a table only a few feet high, couldn’t possibly be comfortable for her, with her tall, lithe frame, and yet she had an enthusiastic smile on her face and didn’t look the least bit put out by the awkward position. He suspected her feet might be protruding out the back, although he couldn't confirm that from his current vantage point.

She shined the flashlight at his face, momentarily blinding him, and he held up a hand to block the light.

“Simon?” she questioned, surprise lining her tone. “Simon West?”

He was astonished she recognized him. He’d added a few inches to his frame in the years since they’d seen each other last, not to mention a few pounds . He'd stayed at the outskirts of John and Mary's funeral and hadn't spoken to anyone but Mason and Charlotte.

“Uncle Simon,” he corrected her tersely, nodding toward the twins. “It’s an honorary title.”

Of which he was very, very proud.

“Well, Uncle Simon, you’re more than welcome to join us.” She shifted herself and the twins to the side to make room for him in the tiny, strung-up tent.

“I’m welcome to—” he repeated. He’d walked into her house out of the blue. She had no idea why he was here, and yet she’d immediately offered him the opportunity to join in their…adventure.

"What are you doing here, by the way?" she asked curiously.

"I--er--"

Her offer completely threw him off his game, and for a moment he was fairly certain he was gaping and couldn't remember his own name, much less why he had come.

Eventually, he shook his head. There was no way he was going to get his large frame under that small table, no matter how hard he squeezed. And honestly, he didn’t even really want to try.

“We can make it work,” Miranda insisted, clearly not taking no for an answer. “I’m sure the twins will love spending quality time with their uncle Simon .”

She couldn’t possibly know it, but she’d just touched on his weak spot. He hadn’t been spending as much time as he should have with his godchildren. If she’d been trying to give him a guilt trip, those words would have done it, especially given the reason he was here.

“Grab another sheet from the linen closet in the hallway, and grab a few more books from the shelf,” she instructed. “Oh, and get a chair from the kitchen. Drape the end of your sheet across the card table and onto the chair. That’ll give us all a bit more wiggle room. Believe me, these two are regular squirmy wormies.”

By the time he’d followed all her instructions and lengthened the makeshift tent, she was fully absorbed reading the twins their book. He stood before them, wondering how he was going to get where Miranda wanted him to go.

She flashed the cover of the book at Simon, as if finding out what she was reading would somehow convince him to crawl in.

“We’re reading Little Red Riding Hood. Hudson likes the wolf, don’t you, buddy?” she asked the baby, making a growling sound and tickling his tummy.

Hudson squealed and giggled happily.

“Tell Uncle Simon you want him to come on down,” she said to Harper, giving her the same affectionate tickling treatment Hudson had just received. “I think he’s being a little bit stubborn, don’t you?”

Simon balked at her words. He wasn’t being stubborn. He was being practical.

And this was definitely not how this confrontation was supposed to go. He hadn’t envisioned anything of the sort when he’d first knocked on her door, but then, how could he have? This whole scenario was mind-boggling.

He was losing his momentum by the second and he couldn’t seem to do anything to stop it.

“But this is—” he started to say.

Ridiculous.

Humiliating.

Mortifying.

She raised a jaunty, dark eyebrow. There was no question about it. She was outright daring him to make a fool of himself with the twinkle in her pretty hazel eyes.

This was nuts. He was crazy just to be thinking about it.

There was no way he was going to get out of this with his dignity intact. But he’d never been the type of man to walk away from a challenge.

Not now. Not ever.

Grumbling under his breath at the ignominy of it all, he dropped onto his belly to army crawl into the mixed-up files of Miranda’s imagination makeshift dwelling.

Does this sound fun or what? Babies, puppies and conflicts abound! 

I'm excited to share that Texas Christmas Twins is available TODAY at a store near you wherever Harlequin books are sold. 

Prefer to read on your favorite eBook reader? Preorder now for delivery December 1st.

And be certain to catch the first two books in the Christmas Twins miniseries: Amish Christmas Twins by Patricia Davids and Secret Christmas Twins by Lee Tobin McClain!

My month of meeting readers--Lenora Worth :)

Hello and happy first Friday! Hope everyone had a lovely Cinco de Mayo. April went by quickly for me since I had two major trips and a move from our townhouse to a new house and of course, deadlines. I think I might have missed spring. But I've had some good times. After I had fun at the Romantic Times Convention in Las Vegas, we traveled up to Georgia for a funeral. All of my brothers have gone to heaven and it's sad to think about that. But a week after that, Big D and I headed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Weekend. This was the fifth anniversary and we had lots of events planned. My first time there, so I had to learn the ropes, so to speak.

Winnie Griggs, that adventurous rebel, got me involved. We did a pre-conference bingo game that brought in two-hundred and fifty winners. I posted some pictures on another blog but I'm posting a few of them here, too. I attended these two back to back events because early on, I made a resolution to connect with readers more this year. I sure have done that. Our readers are so loyal and supportive and giving and lovely. I appreciate them so much. They made the lack of sleep and the constant sore muscles from smiling so worth it!

So here are some pictures for you to enjoy! Oh, and I'm excited about my May release--Truth and Consequences. I have a quote from that book for you, too. This story was challenging but I loved the characters and my K-9 officer dog Hunter. :)

Here I am with Liz Talley. She's a true southern girl and she has a new book out right now titled Charmingly Yours.

Here I am with my table guests. Standing Kathryn Seitz, Beth Sternhagen, Suzi Zimmerman, me, Renata Canino, Stacy Thoreson. Sitting: Stephanie Moran and Dee Ann Fugate.

My table had a beach theme. It was fun to decorate and then have a nice long chat with readers. We had a signing later that was fast and furious and crowded and then some more fun events. Winnie and I had breakfast with four wonderful readers on Sunday morning, too. All in all a nice weekend even if it was too cold for my southern blood.

My next reader adventure will be at the Heart of Dixie Reader Luncheon in Huntsville, Alabama in June. I'm looking forward to that one, too.

Readers, we love you and we enjoy hearing from you. Some days can be very discouraging but a cheerful word from a reader friend always brightens even the worst day! Thank you so much!

This is our goody table at the Bingo game. Winnie and Liz Talley had some cool gifts and the rest of us contributed door prizes. 

Here's a quote from my May release:

Babies on the brain

I missed the awesome giveaway weekend earlier this month, but I have a good excuse—my son was born on August 28 and we’ve still been adjusting to life going from a family of three to a family of four. Because I wasn’t able to participate then, I’d like to give away two copies of my debut book, MARRYING MISS MARSHAL from today’s commenters. I’ll choose the winners at the end of the day and post the names in the comments, so check back tomorrow to see if you’ve won!
–also just a note to say that I’ll try to check comments as often as I can today but with two little ones underfoot (one of them brand new!) I may not be here as often as I’d like.

Since this is my first post as a CRAFTIE Lady, I thought I’d share a little about myself. I’m a mom with a toddler and a newborn. I’ve been married for nine years to a wonderful man I met in college. I was born and raised in Oklahoma, spending several years of my childhood on a family farm. I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2006, which was the same year I started writing for publication. I was contracted with Love Inspired Historical in 2010 and my first book with them was published just over a month ago, in August.

I wrote most of MARRYING MISS MARSHAL while trying to get pregnant with my daughter (although some of it was written/rewritten after she came along). My second book, THE HOMESTEADER’S SWEETHEART (May 2012), was written while I was pregnant with my son. I think because I had babies on the brain, that’s why both books feature babies in different ways.

In MARRYING MISS MARSHAL, the heroine (a town marshal) really wants a family of her own. During the story, she has to help deliver her best friend’s baby and it is a very poignant moment for both women. In THE HOMESTEADER’S SWEETHEART, hero Jonas White was forced to leave Philadelphia to care for his infant daughter. The book is focused on the hero and his family five years after that fact, but Jonas’s past is important to the story.

I think one reason I like writing babies into my stories is because most people have a reaction to them. As parents, we keep memories of our kids close to our hearts and can relate to what the characters we’re reading about are feeling and experiencing—like staying up late with a colicky baby or that scary moment when they seem to choke on their bottle. Aunts, uncles, friends, grandparents… most of us have a collection of moments stored up in our memory banks and when we read about something similar in a good book, that memory surfaces.

I’m sure you can tell I’ve still got babies on the brain—and probably will for awhile! I wouldn’t trade these precious moments with my little ones for anything. So tell me, what’s your favorite memory involving a baby or toddler?

BUY MARRYING MISS MARSHAL IN PAPERBACK
BUY MARRYING MISS MARSHAL FOR YOUR KINDLE

Ask Elnora--Who's that lady?? Lenora Worth

Hello, my darlings! We’re having all sorts of fun around here! We have bunches of prizes, games to play and books to give away. I’m sure by now you’re heard of the Big Merge. Our Love Inspired, Love Inspired Suspense and Love Inspired Historical blogs have become one big Happy Blog. No grumpy people allowed! But lots of chatter and book talk always.

So yesterday, in our infinite confusion and chaos—this is what happens when you put three or more women in charge—we announced the Big Prize—a $135 gift card—perfect for books, boots, bags, or groceries, gadgets and a good BoGo! Or chocolate! Or cheesecake!!! But there is an itty-bitty catch. You see at one time, we were all babies. And if you scroll around or down—somewhere on our fabulous new blog, we have baby pictures. And young girl pictures. We thought it would be such fun if you could try guessing which baby goes with which author. (It sounded like a brilliant idea at the time!) Still is. But we realized it’s really hard. I couldn’t even find myself on there, but I am on there. I’ll give you a hint about my picture. It was taken in Georgia! There, that ought to clue you in!
Anyway, we’re hoping someone will guess and get one or two right. The posters who guess one or more right will get their names entered into a big basket and we will draw for the grand prize winner—SOON!!! Hopefully this weekend or early next week. We want to give everyone a chance to work hard on this! We were so excited about our merge and a contest, we didn’t bother with figuring out all the other stuff! (Personally, I wanted to give away a Louis Vuitton handbag and a matching sportscar but for some strange reason, that idea got shot down.)


Okay, so now that we’re all confused, I’ll give you another hint about one of the pictures—let’s start with # 3. This author covertly whispered in my ear “I’m not the oldest and I’m not the youngest in my photo.” Another hint—she’s wearing yellow. And I know who she is! I also know that she is smart and has gorgeous children just like her. And her husband is adorable. Another hint--There ought to be a law---!
Oh, and this just in. This cutie grew up on her granddad’s farm in Oklahoma. I wonder if she had lacy curtains in her bedroom??? Can you guess which baby she is?? I’ll give you her number later. And more to come---.
We will have a book giveaway at noon. And again at 6 PM. So come by and say hello during those times. I’ll try to have more baby hints for you, too. Elnora just loves a good guessing game!

Twelve Days of Christmas--Part Four by Missy Tippens

Dear Daniel,

I have a confession. I'm feeling blue today--disappointed. I've been thinking so much about our first twelve days together that today, when I heard a bird calling, I thought maybe, just maybe, you'd come home to surprise me and were making bird calls outside the window.

I know, silly of me. And actually, I have to admit it ended up being a good day. Since the Mayor declared the village Christmas theme in your honor, everyone in town has been so sweet. Today, the Lipscomb family surprised me by bringing lunch. And yes, they had remembered the story of our fourth date and were outside making the bird calls. We ate together and talked about you all afternoon. Were your ears burning?

Do you remember how you embarrassed me on that date by blowing that silly bird whistle each time the audience applauded at the concert? Then as soon as people would start looking around to see where the noise was coming from, you'd hide the whistle? I know people thought I had done it because my face had to have been beet red. You were so funny and made me laugh again.

Oh, I miss your humor so much. I miss the silly things you always do. And yes, I even miss those embarrassing moments, because I know you were stepping outside your comfort zone, trying to win me over.

You had won me over for sure by that night. And even though I was already falling in love with you, I couldn't resist teasing you, telling you that birds--such as partridges and French hens and turtle doves and calling birds-- were not the way to a woman's heart. That jewelry would be much more effective. And you looked into my eyes, so serious, took hold of my hand, and told me you couldn't possibly consider such an intimate gift until the fifth date. I don't think I've ever told you how your touch made my heart stutter. Daniel, dear, you'll always take my breath away. Even when we're old and gray and Seth is grown with his own children, you'll be the one who makes my heart beat faster.

Oh, Daniel, I'm so proud of you, but please stay safe. I can't wait until we can be together again. I know it's going to be difficult to deliver Seth while you're so far away. But I pray for the moment I can see you with our baby in your arms.

All my love,
Joy

The Twelve Days of Christmas--
Part One--Lenora Worth

Dear Daniel,

I can't believe it's almost Christmas. Just twelve days before the big day. And we should have our own new arrival any day now. I can't wait for little Seth to be born so I can tell him all about his wonderful daddy. This is already a special time where we celebrate the birth of Christ. But to you and me, darling, this is also the time when we fell in love. Remember the first day we met in the park. I was watching the ice skaters swirling around on the lake and I turned to leave. There you stood grinning at me, your smile as bright as the twinkling lights on all the trees around the park. You actually started singing about the twelve days of Christmas. (A bit off-key, of course.) You were so adorable with your dark blue eyes and spiky brown hair. And your red ears. It was so cold that day. Everyone in the park started giggling at the way you sang about a partridge in a pear tree. Then you asked me if I wanted to see a real partridge in a pear tree. I giggled, too, but before I could shake my head and say "No, thanks", you grabbed me by the hand and practically dragged me onto the walking trail around the park. And you found a tree--not a real pear tree, but a big lovely untouched Christmas tree. And there in that tree was a fake bird!!! It took me years to get the truth out of you. I was so touched that you'd been watching me come to the park every day... and that you'd seen my tears. You told me you had decided to make me fall in love with you by Christmas and the idea of the twelve days of Christmas theme popped into your head. It also took me years to tell you that I came to the park every day because I had a broken heart. Christmas was never a joyous time for me until you came along, my love. I want you to know that our "partridge" is sitting on the Christmas tree and I'm wearing the beautiful "pear" diamond necklace you gave me for our second Christmas together and our anniversary--Christmas Eve. Daniel, please stay safe over there. I am so proud of you for fighting for our country. The whole village is proud of you. I wanted you to know that the mayor declared our Christmas theme for this season as "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in your honor. Each day, we will celebrate all the gifts you managed to give me five years ago when you "forced" me to fall in love with you. Your twelve days were a bit eclectic and interesting, but I still smile when I think about your efforts. I am so blessed to have you as my husband. And our son will be blessed to have you as his father. I wish you could be here for his arrival but I know you are working toward the greater good for our country. I love you, Daniel. Stay safe and ... even if you can't be home for Christmas, come home soon, please.

Your loving wife, Joy

Strapping in the Babies

My granddaughter is the subject of many conversations that I have these days. My husband and I just finished watching her for nearly two weeks while her mom and dad went on a vacation. What a fun time!

But things are different today than they were when my kids were babies and toddlers. Everything has multiple straps that must be buckled and tightened. Every one of them is different, and sometimes, I feel as though I ought to have an instruction manual in order to figure out how they work.

The high chair we have is easy. There are just two side straps that buckle into the one the goes between the legs. It is much easier than the one she has at home, since it also has arm straps. Then we had the stroller. Once Grandpa and I figured out how to unfold it, we had arm straps, that hooked together with the one in the center. It was like putting together a puzzle to get all the parts in the right places. Thirdly, we had to figure out how to buckle all of the parts of the car seat. The little silver things that went into the center piece were hiding from us, but I knew they all had to connect. Finally, the topper came on Sunday morning when we couldn't figure out how to get the car seat out of my car and transfer it to a larger car for our trip to church. We wound up taking two cars because we were going to be very late for church if we wasted any more time trying to figure it out. Next time, I will watch while they install the seat, so I'll know how to take it out.

At least when I took her to the beach, the only thing that required a strap was her hat.





Do you have any interesting stories about keeping kids strapped into various chairs, car seats or strollers?

Lyn Cote & How I Made God Laugh

Lyn's dh and daughter & Lyn

Lyn Cote here! When my dh and I decided it was time to start our family, I said that the only month I didn't want to have a child was December. I often imagine God hearing this and giving a big belly laugh. (I believe God has a great sense of humor.) Because of course he knew that I was going to have both my son and my daughter in December!

However, I discovered that having December babies had many special touches. On both delivery mornings, the hospital practically cleared out the maternity ward. As I had already demonstrated, most women don't want to have babies at Christmas. So soon it was just me, a few other lucky moms and the nurses. I got a lot of care and watched the nurses decorate the maternity ward for Christmas.

When I took my newborn home, I found that night feedings were very cozy, sitting near the Christmas tree and listening to Christmas carols. And Christmas morning was never so special than with my new little son and then 3 years later my daughter.

I'll never forget on the mornings after my deliveries, I lay in my bed and watched the light snow drift down onto the pine grove around the hospital. Lovely. Perfect. Just how God had planned it!

Here are my two children at our son's Halloween wedding hall.

If you're a mother, did you have a Christmas baby? Or were you a Christmas baby? Our best man was born on Christmas.