How Sweet It Is ~ Review and Interview with Dylan Newton

5 Sugar-coated Stars for How Sweet It Is

In this post, I have a real treat for you, an interview with one of my favorite authors, Dylan Newton. She recently released a new book, How Sweet It Is, and it is fantastic! Read on for my review and the interview.

Here’s the blurb for How Sweet It Is:

What happens when the queen of romance falls for the king of horror–you get “a hilarious rom-com comp,” perfect for fans of Beach Read. (Kirkus, starred review)

Event planner Kate Sweet is famous for creating the perfect happily-ever-after moment for her clients’ dream weddings. So how is it that her best friend has roped her into planning a bestselling horror writer’s book launch extravaganza? But the second Kate meets—or rather, accidentally maims—the drop-dead-hot Drake Matthews, her well-ordered life quickly transforms into an absolute nightmare.

Drake Matthews is tired of the spotlight and tired of his reputation as the Knight of Nightmares. He’s really a nice guy! But he’s not prepared for Kate, a fearless agent of chaos in steel-tipped stilettos, or for that sweet sting of attraction he feels for her. She’s inspiring him to take his writing in a whole new direction—one that no one expects. Because now Kate and Drake are changing up the rules, and this plot twist might just surprise everyone . . . including themselves.

“Fans of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert, and Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur will adore How Sweet It Is!” –The Nerd Daily

As featured in:
PopSugar: Must-Read July Books
PopSugar: 12 Swoonworthy Romances to Read in One Sitting

Here’s my review:

In romance it’s all about the characters!

How Sweet It Is centers on the charming and memorable Kate Sweet, a buttoned-up, spreadsheet toting wedding planner with a reputation for perfection, and Drake Matthews, the Knight of Nightmares, a renowned horror writer.

Kate loves sugar, sprinkles, sweet treats and Happily Ever Afters. Drake? Not so much.

While he pens his shivery stories in a mausoleum of a mansion, a family home he occupies but can’t really call his own, she flits from town to town, creating the “Awww moments” that seal the deal for her expertly planned weddings.

When Kate oversees the next book launch for the Knight of Nightmares, things go terribly wrong. Stabbing stilettoes, creepy crypts, harrowing hijinks, and more seem to doom the launch and the couple’s relationship from the beginning.

How will Kate create an unforgettable event for Drake? Will he learn to trust again after all the betrayals from previous girlfriends? 

I loved this book from beginning to end! The characters are realistic and loveable; the juxtaposition of romance and horror is fascinating; and the plot is fast-paced and fun.

You don’t want to miss this deliciously adorable rom com.  

Here’s the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MZV7FFN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

And here’s the interview:

Tell us about How Sweet It Is. What’s the genre, premise, and setting? Who are the main characters?

Dylan: First, I’m so happy to be a guest in your newsletter—thank you so much for having me! How Sweet It Is is my debut romantic comedy set in a small town in Upstate New York. It features Kate Sweet, an event planner known as the Queen of Happily Ever Afters for her glittery, fairy-tale like weddings, who is conscripted by her BFF to help plan a book launch for a writer. It isn’t until she agrees that Kate discovers the writer is non other than Drake Matthews, who is called the Knight of Nightmares for his terrifying horror novels. What nobody knows is Drake is tired of his genre and eager to venture into something completely new…if only he dared! Chaos and hijinks ensue as the two battle their preconceived notions as the Queen of Happily Ever Afters and the Knight of Nightmares venture outside of their comfort zones.

How Sweet It Is diverges from your previous paranormal romances. Though the genre is contemporary romance, it’s unique in that the hero is a best-selling horror writer. Are there some paranormal elements in How Sweet It is? Do you think there is a connection between paranormal romance and horror?

Dylan: Yes, I think there’s a connection between paranormal and horror, as both elements exist and are amplified by our imaginations. In the book, while there are no true paranormal or horror moments…one scene does take place in a mausoleum and this tends to be among the favorite scenes, according to many readers’ reviews!

Tell us a little about your childhood and background. How did that influence your decision to become a writer?

Dylan: I started writing in middle school for two reasons: I couldn’t find books I wanted to read, and none of the YA books had heroines like me—imperfect and from an imperfect family situation. So, I decided to write my own books and found I could lose myself for hours in a world of my own making and that feeling—of drowning out reality in lieu of my imagination—is the reason I love writing today. None of those middle school novels have ever seen the light of day, by the way, but that’s how I got hooked on the joys of writing.

Do you think people are ever too young or too old to write?

Dylan: No—whatever age you are is the perfect time to write a book! I wrote several books, but my first published book wasn’t until I was 40 years old, and I was 50 when I got this contract from Forever/Grand Central Publishing/Hachette which put my books in every bookstore. Perseverance and tenacity are what you need to write books—your age is irrelevant.

How many books have you written?

Dylan: I have 3 books, 1 novella, and 2 short story collections published, and several other books written that have not yet been published. My contract with Forever Books/GCP is for 3 romantic comedies, so while How Sweet It Is has been released, book 2 is in edits and I’m finishing up book 3 right now for my publisher. I’m also working on a new YA project for my agent—stay tuned on that one!

How does your family feel about you being an author?

Dylan: My family is and has always been my rock in this process. Writing is a lonely journey and without someone cheerleading for you in the background, it’s really easy to give up on your publishing dreams. My husband and daughters are my biggest fans—they pick me up when I’m down, celebrate with me when I’ve got a win, and don’t complain about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner when I’m on deadline!

What are your favorite ways of connecting with your readers? Social media?

Dylan: I have a VIP newsletter that I use primarily as a way of gifting things to my readers, and you can join by going to my website at www.dylannewton.com. 

I’m also active on my author page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Dylan… 

and my author page on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/auth… most frequently,

but you can also find me pinning pictures of my next heroes and heroines on Pinterest here www.pinterest.com/dylannewton1

About Dylan Newton:

Author Dylan Newton was born and raised in a small town where the library was her favorite hang-out. After over a decade working in corporate America, Dylan quit to pursue her passion: writing books. When she isn’t writing her next romantic comedy, Dylan is pursuing her own happily ever after with her high school sweetheart as they split time between Florida and Upstate New York with their two much cooler daughters and a tone-deaf cockatiel.

Visit Dylan at http://www.DylanNewton.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DylanNewtonAuthor

Beach Reads Contest !!!

https://authorsxp.com/win-books/giveaway

What are you doing for July 4th? I know one of the things I’ll be doing is reading! Summer is here, and it’s time to load up on beach reads. Here’s just what you need to get some fantastic books!

Over 30 ebooks plus three paperbacks are up for grabs! Two grand prize winners will each receive all the ebooks, plus a winner will be selected for each ebook individually, and one winner will be chosen for each of the paperbacks. Your chances of winning are excellent!

Don’t wait! Contest closes July 5!

Sign up for My Newsletter!

Subscribers receive a free, exclusive short story and every edition includes news, contests, prizes, freebies, and fun! Complete a contact form and include your birthday! I’ll send you a E-card on your special day! Here’s the link:

http://katherineeddingersmits.weebly.com/

Review of 3 Minutes to Midnight by L.M. Hatchell: 4 Stars

W

Refreshing Premise with a Well-written Story

I really enjoyed this book! For a change from many books in this genre, the ancient prophecy doesn’t foretell the birth of the savior of the world, but the one who will destroy it. Phoenix knows she’s considered an abomination in the supernatural world, and she doesn’t want any part of it anyway. She loves her simple life with humans, but the paranormals are not about to let her get away. This story had plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and surprises around every corner. I liked the characters and rooted for Phoenix throughout the book. Of course, I had to buy the second book in the series, and now I can’t wait for the third. The books do end on cliff-hangers. I would have preferred that each book complete a narrative arc, but I’ll definitely buy more from this author.

Here’s the blurb:

A small Dublin pub …

… holds the key to humanity’s survival.


Who will learn its secret?

Half vampire, half fae, Phoenix is an abomination in the eyes of the supernatural community. Screw them! She’s more than happy to play human in the cosy Irish pub she calls home.

At least until an annoying werewolf comes knocking.

Because Phoenix may be done with the supernatural world, but it’s not quite done with her.

Her birth has triggered a prophecy, and now the clock is ticking. Humanity will be the first to suffer for her existence.

Everything, and everyone, she loves is in danger, and as the body count rises Phoenix must learn to embrace the darkest parts of herself.

Or lose it all.

If you like gripping urban fantasy with some serious attitude, you’ll love this debut novel from Irish author L.M. Hatchell.

Amazon Buy Link

The Treasure by Sloan McBride: Review

The Treasure is book 2 in the Time Walker Series. Although I haven’t yet read the first book in the series, this one can be read as a stand-alone. I was a bit confused by some of the details about the Time Walkers at first, but it didn’t prevent me from thoroughly enjoying this story. However, if you are a reader who wants to understand everything from the beginning, I recommend you read The Fury (Time Walker Book 1) first.

The Treasure opens with Celeste disguised as a boy working on a pirate ship as a deck hand in order to get an opportunity to kill the dread pirate Blackbeard. She has an excellent reason for her obsession: revenge.

However, Blackbeard is not what he appears to be, and throughout the story, Celeste learns much more about him, and herself, than she ever suspected.

Orion is a Time Walker, a member of an elite corps who can travel through time, and who have other powers. Their mission is to protect humans from invaders from the demon world.

When Orion saves Celeste from attacks by the demons, he realizes she is not an ordinary human and in fact, is the key to winning the war. However, while he is determined to protect her, he also battles an attraction to her that he believes is wrong, and whether he gives in to it or not, it will probably be his undoing.

The Treasure has a feisty heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, well-developed major and minor characters, and enough twists and turns for a map to hidden pirate’s booty. The romance grew with the plot and characters and though the attraction between Celeste and Orion was powerful, it was definitely not “insta-love”. Since they both had strong personalities, and at times, conflicting motivations, they often clashed, which made the relationship fascinating.

Overall, I found The Treasure entertaining, sexy, absorbing, surprising, and a lot of fun. I can’t wait to read all of Ms. McBride’s books.

For the Love of Horses and Books

Do you love horses and enjoy reading about them?

My equine partner is a sweet mare named Corrin Castle, an Irish Sport Horse enjoying retirement at a farm in Ocala, Florida. Below is a picture of us together.

I belong to a group of fantasy/romance writers called the Pen Dames who find horses inspiring, and we include them in our books. Most of us own horses now or rode in the past. Since May is Derby and Preakness month, we decided to celebrate our love of horses by holding a contest with bales of books and buckets of prizes for our readers! The horse name game is fun, the prizes are fantastic, and all the books include horses.

Want to enter? (U.S. residents only) Come on over to my facebook author page and reply to my pinned post there. Contest ends May 15th, so click on the link now: https://www.facebook.com/KatherineSmits.author

#horses #fantasyromance

A Love Letter to Libraries

Last night as I pondered what to write for my April blog, I came up with a blank, but my brain worked on it while I was sleeping. I woke this morning thinking of the perfect concept–discussing a pop-up picture book titled, What’s Happening at the Library? 

The image in my mind was so realistic, I was certain this already existed. So, I searched fifty pages of Amazon offerings containing almost everything (even a pop-up Kama Sutra!) except one about a library. Maybe paper engineers don’t consider libraries interesting enough, but I do, and I bet all the other bookworms will agree. Maybe I should create it.

This wouldn’t be just for children, but something for everyone to enjoy. With its intricately cut, detailed, three-dimensional illustrations on glossy paper, it would feature all the amazing services our libraries provide. Here’s how I envision it:

The first two pages portray rows of wooden shelves packed with intriguing hardcovers and paperbacks alongside overstuffed leather armchairs perfect for comfortable perusing. A twelve-inch, bronze, metallic, raised-relief floor globe in a cherry wood frame stands in a bay window surrounded by bright red, cushioned benches for children to sit and explore the world. Large windows leading to a high ceiling allow sunlight to suffuse the room. A smiling librarian at a circular check-out desk completes the scene.

In the next tableau, computer monitors and keyboards, each with an attached mouse, rest on high-sided metal desks with task chairs. Printers, crisp white paper, and reference materials await the eager hands of youngsters and adults.

Following are meeting rooms where groups learn new skills or discuss issues. In others, a volunteer reads to children or teaches crafts.

Authors exhibit stacks of their new releases, reading excerpts and signing copies for patrons.

Displays of local artist’s works; performances by community dancers and entertainers; mentors helping students with literacy, math, languages, and other courses are all shown.

My book would be immense! I probably won’t ever craft it, but that’s all right. We don’t need this to tell us what’s going on in these magical sanctuaries. We can walk in the door and see for ourselves.

April 4 – 10 was National Library Week. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep love for our libraries. From the small building in my hometown where I checked out stories as a child, to the large, modern structure in the county where I live now, these institutions have been, and will always be, enthralling places for me.

Over many years, I watched them evolve into true community centers that are welcoming havens for all people. Libraries opened up the universe for me, taking me to locations I never thought I would visit, and domains where I could only go in my imagination. They ignited my creativity, and I will always be grateful.

Would you tell me your favorite story of how a library has helped you? Reply to my post on the Pen Dames blog: https://pendames.blogspot.com/

I’ll collect all the responses and send them with this blog to my local library. I will also include them in posts on social media (anonymously if you wish). Feel free to share! Let’s show our library staff how much we appreciate them!

This post was originally published in the Pen Dames blog https://pendames.blogspot.com/

 

Win a “Pot Full of Gold”

March is a wonderful month! Springtime, St. Patrick’s Day, green everywhere, and we all get to be Irish for a day. To celebrate this amazing season, the Pen Dames are holding a Mega Contest for Lucky Leprechauns. We invite everyone to play, but only U.S. residents are eligible to win. Apologies to our international readers, but shipping costs are prohibitive.

To Enter the Contest: 

Go to the Pen Dames Blog https://pendames.blogspot.com/ and reply to the post there with your Lucky Leprechaun name. 

The list of prizes is below. (We don’t literally have a pot of gold to give away. If we had such a thing, we’d keep it for ourselves.) But we do have some fantastic goodies lined up. At the end of the month, we’ll draw one random winner and send the person enough gifts to fill up that mythical cauldron.

From Loretta Rogers:

  • The Witching Moon ~ Ebook
  • Isabelle and the Outlaw ~ Readable PDf on CD
  • Magnetic Refrigerator ClipSpiral Bound Note Pad

From Flossie Benton Rogers:

  • Time Singer eBook
  • Irish Connemara Marble Wishing Stone
  • $3 Amazon gift certificate to purchase audio Celtic love song

From Jennifer Taylor:

  • Heartbeat of the Moon Paperback
  • Color Street Nail Polish Strips with Hearts

From Linda Tillis:

  • A Heart for All Time Paperback
  • Handmade Necklace

From Katherine Smits:

  • 3 signed paperback books (Water Dreams, Water Desires, and the combined paperback edition of The Sea Witch and the Mage and Siren Descending)
  • Imperial Jasper Turquoise-color Bracelet
  • Rose Gold Crystal Pen

Check the Pen Dames blog every week this month for pictures of all the prizes, and please tell your friends! We love our readers and hope we’ll get lots of participation.

Valentine’s Day & the Gift of Love

  “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” ~ Sophocles

On Valentine’s Day most of us think of hearts and flowers and the giddy feeling of meeting The One. Romance is fantastic, but love is about relationships of all kinds and fundamentally involves acceptance.

I’d like to share an excerpt from Siren Descending which examines the different kinds of love. 

The main character, Athenia, is trapped in the underworld after trading herself to the devil in exchange for her lover’s freedom. Though she knows her life, her powers, and her soul are forfeit, she agrees to sing her siren song one last time for the inhabitants of Hades. At first, she only wants to delay her fate for as long as possible, but she ends up giving even the most repellent creatures the gift of love through her song.

Keeping her promise, Athenia gave everything to the song. Opening her soul, she let all her pain, fear, loneliness, and desperation suffuse her voice. At first, the notes jangled with sharp edges and discordances, evidence of her anguish. Minor chords overwhelmed the music with their overtones of alarm. When the inhabitants of the underworld came out to listen, they milled about, whispering, and glaring at one another. At a gesture from Gelion, they stilled, but tension filled the air. Eyes narrowed, Gelion started toward her.

While her deepest emotions took over, she ignored everything else. She sang of her grief for Delphie, for what might have been with Thorne, and for the soon to come loss of her identity. Next, she poured out her longing for the sea and her acceptance of kinship with the Atlantean Nerei, especially Deme, who had been a friend.

She trilled a refrain for the other mages, who would have accepted her, if she hadn’t been so secretive.

When all else drained away, she let the ballad take her back to her first time with Thorne. The moment when she’d realized how perfect he was for her played like a movie in her mind. She crooned her love for him. So long as he survives and goes on to lead a happy life, I can tolerate all this.

The pure notes echoed around them, and the denizens of the underworld stood with arms around each other, swaying in rhythm to her music, staring at her as though hypnotized. 

Three-headed Cerberus rolled on his back, whining through all his mouths. 

After the harpy landed beside him, she reached over and rubbed his belly. No one moved away from the winged creature this time, though her stench rolled through the area in an almost palpable haze.

Staring at Athenia intently, Gelion stood behind the crowd. Clear-eyed, he didn’t appear mesmerized like the others. However, the corners of his lips turned up, and he tapped his foot.

As long as I’m singing, he won’t make me have sex with him. A vision of him naked and jamming himself inside her made her stomach heave. Worse, he’ll make me enjoy being raped, long for more, and beg him not to stop. She shuddered.

Momentarily, her song shrieked into a register so high human ears probably ached. The demons clenched their claws, some digging talons into boulders, scraping long gouges out of the rock. Growling, Cerberus shook his head. Then, he snapped at the harpy, who snatched her hand out of reach of his jaws.

Can’t let my fear stop me. Must face this with as much dignity as I can summon up. With an effort, she brought her voice back to the pleasing range and added a hint of hope. Not for me since I’m doomed. For these poor creatures. Maybe this moment of solidarity will be all they ever experience, but this small amount of peace is my gift to them. For once, I can offer something to someone else without needing or wanting repayment. Besides, they aren’t the reason I’m here.

Everyone settled down. Now, her voice strained to reach the high, pure notes, and lost some clarity. I never used my siren ability so long or with so much emotion before, so I won’t last much longer. When my voice dies, Gelion will come for me, and that will be the end of me, too.

Sadness threatened again, but she refused to give in to despair. For as long as I can, I’m going to focus on joy, even in difficult circumstances. All I want now is to be fully present for every moment of my precious life while I possess free will. Though my time is almost over, I’ll make the most of every second.

At the top of her aria, her voice cut out. She lost a few notes, but not enough to end the enthrallment of the crowd. To preserve her vocal cords for as long as possible, she lowered her range. A siren with no voice. How ironic, I’m morphing into a Disney character.

Time passed. How long has it been, hours? Can’t keep on more than a few more minutes.

From the depths of her soul, Athenia poured every form of love into a haunting chorale.

Philia, the deep connection between comrades in arms, who are loyal and willing to sacrifice for each other. Though this was partly what I felt for Thorne, I realize now I care so much more for him.

Ludus, playful love or affection. Not as serious as Philia, but important to help us remember we’re not alone in our mortal condition, and we can make connections with many people, including those different from us. Like when Bathin helped me.

Philautia, or love of self. Through all this, I discovered I’m not a horrible person. Of course, I was misguided to think I needed to protect myself from everyone, even Thorne. Yet, though I did some awful things, I’m not bad. I care about myself and want to live, but it’s too late now. At least, I figured this out before the end.

Eros, or sexual passion. What I felt for Thorne all along, what I thought was the most important kind of love, but it’s not. Romance is wonderful when combined with friendship and affection, and when both lovers care about themselves, but sex isn’t everything and is empty without the other dimensions.

Pragma, or longstanding love. The pain of loss in her chest increased. This is the type of love I’ll never experience with Thorne.

Agape, the selfless love, which encompasses all people. This is what I offer you today. She sent agape to every creature assembled, even Gelion. He’s still part of the universe and needs whatever caring anyone can spare for him. Odd, to pity someone so powerful, but I do now. In these final moments, I understand so much more than I ever did before.

The rasp in her voice became huskiness. Then a whisper. Finally, she stopped. I’m done. There’s nothing left to do or say, no way to fight the inevitable any longer. Strangely at peace, she bowed her head.

Through the silent throng, Gelion marched toward her. None made a move. All of Hell’s occupants sat as if turned to stone.

Thank you for joining me. I hope you enjoyed the excerpt. This post was first published on the Pen Dames blog. Please come on over and join us for more wonderful posts from my fabulous colleagues. https://pendames.blogspot.com/

Join Me for a Choose Your Own Adventure PNR Micro-Story

Like me, many of you probably stayed home on New Year’s Eve and quietly watched 2020 exit. While I believe everyone is happy to see that dumpster fire end, we missed having a rousing party. So, I thought in this post, I’d give you a chance to stage a bash in your imagination.

I call this a Choose Your Own Adventure Paranormal Romance Micro-Story. That’s because you get to pick the characters and decide what happens and because it’s short, only one paragraph. Even so, there are lots of possible combinations you can use to create the fete of your dreams. I hope you have fun!

Let’s get this shebang started! Pick one item from each of the six categories below and insert your choice next to the corresponding number in the story. Use the prompts or just pick the one you like best. That’s it. Easy peasy and you have your unique shindig.

  1. Your favorite color: (Heroine/Hero)

Blue: Queen/King

Red: Billionaire

Green: Scottish Highlander

Purple: Motorcycle Gang Leader

Yellow: Pirate

Orange: Movie Star

Pink: Sports Star

Gold: War Hero

Silver: Famous Novelist

Other: Superhero

2. Your Favorite Beverage: (Love Interest)

Water: Griffin

Coffee: Unicorn

Tea: Ogre

Juice: Fairy

Soda: Elf

Wine: Mermaid/Merman

Beer: Werewolf

Whiskey: Kelpie

Rum: Demon

Vodka: Witch

Tequila: Vampire

Other: Centaur

 3. The first number on your street address. Includes postal code. If no number, use 5: (Villain)

0. A Rival

1. An Enemy

2. An Ex

3. A Jealous person

4. A False Friend

5. Your Boss

6. An Evil Twin

7. A Random Stranger

8. A Crazy Neighbor

9. A Drunken Co-worker

4. Your Zodiac sign: (Conflict)

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18): Picking a Fight

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20): Telling their Secret

Aries (March 21 – April 19): Stealing their Money

Taurus (April 20 – May 20):  Poisoning their Drinks

Gemini (May 21 – June 21):  Getting them arrested

Cancer (June 22 – July 22):   Kidnapping them

Leo (July 23 – August 22):    Spreading lies about them

Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Casting a spell on them

Libra (September 23 – October 23): Shooting at them

Scorpio (October 24 – November 21): Trying to break them up

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Starting a fire

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): Challenging them to a duel

5. The first letter of your pet’s name. (Action) No pet? Use a friend or family member’s pet name or select M.

A. Escape to a land in another dimension

B.   Hide in a magic trunk

C.   Change their identities

D.   Pay a fortune for ransom

E.   Find the key to an invisible lock

F.  Tame the Minotaur

G.  Outwit a rogue A.I.

H.   Sacrifice their most treasured possession

I.   Rescue a changeling from the fey world

J.   Learn a government top secret

K.   Stop a psychic killer

L.   Prevent a war between two kingdoms

M.   Discover a cure for a terrible disease

N.   Transform a frog with a kiss

O.   Acquire a rare, magical jewel

P.   Bind a demon

Q.  Develop and Drink a magic potion

R.   Spin thread into gold

S.   Make a deal with the devil

T.   Persuade a dragon to give up his hoard

U.   Pretend to be enemies

V.   Defeat an evil overlord

W.  Find and Raise Atlantis

X.   Shoot cupid with his own arrow

Y.   Swim with crocodiles

Z.   Appease a poltergeist

6. Favorite time of Day: (Resolution)

 Morning: Find the answer

Noon: Overcome the problem

Afternoon: Negotiate a compromise

Evening: Manage to get away

Night: Defeat the enemy

Here’s the template:

A (1) meets a (2) at a New Year’s Eve costume party. They are instantly attracted to one another but (3) causes a problem by (4). In order to be together, they have to (5) by the stroke of midnight. When they (6), they achieve their Happily Ever After.

To kick things off, I’ll start. Here’s my story: A (Queen) meets a (Merman) at a New Year’s Eve costume party. They are instantly attracted to one another but (an enemy) causes a problem by (challenging them to a duel). In order to be together, they have to (change their identities) by the stroke of midnight. When they (negotiate a compromise), they achieve their Happily Ever After.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts and read your stories. You can add them in the comments. 

Thank you so much for playing!

This post was first published on the Pen Dames Blog.

https://pendames.blogspot.com/

Want a longer story? Sign up for my newsletter and I’ll send you Siren of the Deep which is only available for subscribers.

http://katherineeddingersmits.weebly.com/