Cupid's Coffeeshop

Introducing Ruby and Jefferson

The fourth book in the Cupid’s Coffeeshop seriesCherry Blossom Cappuccino arrives this coming Thursday, April 7th. My husband and I were married in DC at cherry blossom time so it’s a very sentimental time for me. I chose that release date because it’s my wedding anniversary. I dedicated this one to my own wonderful Prince Charming.

You still have time to pre-order!

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You’ve already met Ruby Davis. She appears in the first two chapters of the first Cupid’s Coffeeshop book, Java Frost. She’s the lawyer who explains their grandmother’s bequest to the Lockharts. Many years ago, Ruby rejected her love’s marriage proposal so she could pursue her dream of going to law school. I picture her as looking like CCH Pounder.

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Ruby’s long lost love, Jefferson Elliot, left Ashford Falls after Ruby turned down his proposal. He’s a successful reporter and on the verge of retiring to tour the country in his RV. He returns to Ashford Falls to do one last story. I imagine him looking like a slightly older Denzel Washington or a slightly younger Morgan Freeman (both very yummy men!)

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Will Ruby and Jefferson get a second chance at love? Find out in Cherry Blossom Cappuccino.

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Be sure to check out my Pinterest board for Cupid’s Coffeeshop. Lots of fun stuff there.

Cupid's Coffeeshop

Release Day!

The third story in the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series, Lucky Latte, releases today! Be sure to grab your copy now!

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To celebrate the release of Lucky Latte, the second book, Cupid’s Kiss, is FREE until 14 March 2016. If you haven’t already read Mac and Val’s story, scoop up your copy today.

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The first story, Java Frost is also available for only 99 cents.

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And you can pre-order the April, May, and June stories now too:

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Since it’s release day and I’m frantically busy, Friday Favorites will return next week (3/18). See you then! And Happy St. Patrick’s Day next Thursday for those who celebrate!

Cupid's Coffeeshop

Introducing Grayson and Claire

The third story in the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series, Lucky Latte, comes out next week. You can pre-order your copy here.

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Today, I’d like to introduce you to the hero and heroine of Lucky Latte. Readers of Cupid’s Kiss met Claire O’Shaughnessy already. Claire is an accountant and very career focused. We find out in Cupid’s Kiss that she hates her newest co-worker at her accounting firm. And in Lucky Latte we find out why. She looks like Grace Phipps in my head.

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Claire needs a date for her sister’s wedding. And her handsome co-worker–who Claire just happens to loathe–volunteers to help her out–if she’ll work with him on the firm’s biggest account. Grayson March just moved to Ashford Falls from Texas. I imagined him looking like Chris Hemsworth.

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Will Claire and Grayson be able to turn their fake romance into the real thing? Find out in Lucky Latte!

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Cupid's Coffeeshop

Meet Val and Mac from Cupid’s Kiss

Today I’d like to introduce you to the hero and heroine of Cupid’s Kiss, the second in the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series. Valentina Mahon owns Val’s Cards and Gifts, directly across the square from Cupid’s Coffeeshop. And she hates Valentine’s Day. She’s become the Valentine’s Grinch of Ashford Falls.

Many moons ago, my best friend managed a Hallmark store and I used to help her out and work there sometimes. Val’s holiday experiences are partly based on working there and also why I dedicated this book to my best friend, Lynn.

I imagine Val looking like Bonnie Wright (She played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter movies but look how lovely she is all grown up!).

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Delivery hunk Mac Romano has nursed a crush on Val for ages. Can he get her to love Valentine’s Day again? I imagine him looking like Ryan Guzman. Yum, huh?

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Find out how these two celebrate Valentine’s Day in Cupid’s Kiss.

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I also wanted to mention my Pinterest board for Cupid’s Coffeeshop. You all might enjoy visiting that to see quotes, coffeeshops, and the “cast.”

 

Bridesmaid Trilogy, Cupid's Coffeeshop, Holiday

FREE Books! Celebrate release day with THREE free reads!

So, Cupid’s Kiss, the second in the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series is available today. I hope you’ll love Mac and Val as much as I do. Please go purchase your copy today!

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To celebrate the release of Cupid’s Kiss, I’ve put three of my other novels FREE today, for a limited time (until 15 February 2016).

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The first book in the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series, Java Frost, is FREE!!

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The first book in my Always a Bridesmaid series, Forever a Bridesmaid, is FREE!!

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The second book in my Always a Bridesmaid, Once a Bridesmaid, is free!!

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The next three stories in my Cupid’s Coffeeshop series are available for pre-order. Pick up your copies today!

Lucky Latte

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Cherry Blossom Cappuccino

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Cafe Au Lait 

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Happy Valentine’s Day!! In honor of my Valentine’s promotion, Friday Favorites will return next week (19 February 2016).

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Cupid's Coffeeshop

Meet Ben and Amy from Java Frost

Many authors, myself included, “cast” their books. It’s enormously helpful to choose a person or a combination of several people to help envision what a character looks like, their mannerisms and their voice. I thought I’d share the cast of Java Frost with you today.

In Java Frost, Amy Lane is a preschool teacher. She’s just turned thirty and, though she isn’t unhappy, she’s questioning where the adventures are that she imagined in her youth. As the story opens, she’s decided to treat herself to a trip to London over summer break but needs a part-time job to earn the travel money. She’s also Zooey Lockhart’s former babysitter and knew Patrick and Joe when they were younger too, before the Lockharts left Ashford Falls.

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In my head, she looked like a combination of Amy Poehler and Amy Schumer. It’s a coincidence that she’s named Amy—I chose the name in advance of casting her (because I liked it with her identical twin sister’s name, Ava).

Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler
Amy Schumer
Amy Schumer

 

The hero of Java Frost, Ben Brooks, (who looks like a combination of a young George Clooney or Hank Azaria) is a cancer researcher, far more at home in the lab than coping with people. He is suddenly responsible for the care of his young daughter, Livvy, when her mom takes a month long research trip. While Ben is very capable of taking care of Livvy, he’s at a loss when it comes to playing and relating to the three year old.

Hank Azaria in Friends
Hank Azaria in Friends
George Clooney as Doug Ross from ER
George Clooney as Doug Ross from ER

When he meets Amy, Livvy’s preschool teacher, in Cupid’s Coffeeshop, he proposes she give him “playing lessons.” And then the real fun begins. Read the rest in Java Frost. Available here now!

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The next three stories are also available for pre-order:

Cupid’s Kiss

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Lucky Latte

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Cherry Blossom Cappuccino 

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Cupid's Coffeeshop

Cupid’s Coffeeshop is here!

Hi guys! Happy 2016! So many things going on!

First, the launch of the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series with Java Frost. Cupid’s Coffeeshop centers around Patrick, Joe, and Zooey Lockhart who stand to inherit one million dollars each, if they can successfully run their grandmother’s coffeeshop for one full year. Each month, a different couple will find their happily ever after in Cupid’s Coffeeshop because Cupid’s Coffeeshop serves up love, laughter, and happily ever after.

Java Frost focuses on preschool teacher, Amy, teaching Ben how to relate to his young daughter. It’s available here.

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And available for pre-order now:

Cupid’s Kiss is about Val, the Valentine’s Day grinch, and her perfect match, Mac, giving her a perfect Valentine’s Day.

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In Lucky Latte, also available for pre-order now, Claire desperately needs a date for her sister’s wedding. When her work rival, Grayson March, agrees to go. Will a fake romance lead to the real thing?

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And in Cherry Blossom Cappuccino, attorney Ruby Davis gets a second chance at love when her old flame returns to Ashford Falls.

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I’m working with Cafe Press right now to get some merchandise made from the amazing logo that Kim Killion of The Killion Group designed. So look for that coming up soon in 2016!

Cupid's Coffeeshop

Meet the Cast of Cupid’s Coffeeshop

Introducing my newest series for 2016…Cupid’s Coffeeshop.

Join us in the quaint and charming town of Ashford Falls, nestled in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the heartwarming Cupid’s Coffeeshop series features an entire year of couples finding their happily-ever-afters, filled to the brim with warmth, humor, and a dash of the unexpected. Step into Cupid’s Coffeeshop, where happily-ever-afters are served daily…

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The three main characters are the Lockharts–who inherited Cupid’s Coffeeshop upon their grandmother’s death. Fifty years ago, PJ and Mary Lockhart opened their coffeeshop near the train station in this tiny one stoplight town. Now, it’s a booming bedroom community for nearby Washington, DC. If the kids can successfully run the coffeeshop for one year, and make it profitable at the end, they get not only the coffeeshop but a cool million each.

Patrick Joseph Lockhart is the eldest Lockhart grandchild–at one whole week older than his cousin, Joe. Patrick is the business man, able to run spreadsheets and manage a the financial side. He is quiet and bookish and somewhat reserved. He and his cousin, Joe, were raised close as twin brothers until their family splintered ten years ago. Patrick is also rather desperately in love with the cookie supplier for the shop, Joy. Unfortunately, she’s engaged. We’ll have to see what Cupid does with that. He looks rather like John Krasinski.

Patrick Lockhart

Joseph Patrick Lockhart is younger than Patrick by one week. He’s handsome and sexy–and knows it too. His failed actress mother always claimed he was the result of a brief liaison with one of Hollywood’s leading men. Who knows if it’s true? Joe doesn’t care. He’s the wild child of the Lockhart clan. He doesn’t take well to being bossed around by his older cousin, Patrick, and challenges him at every turn. He concocts creative coffee drinks by day and enjoys spending his nights any wild way he can think of. Joe’s never been in love…and doesn’t intend to be. We’ll have to see how Cupid feels about that. Joe looks rather like a scruffy Chris Pine.

Joe Lockhart

Zooey Mary Lockhart is Patrick’s younger sister. She’s just twenty when the story starts. Though she aspires to be a visual artist and graphic designer, she failed out of college last semester–but hasn’t told anyone in the family yet. She spends most of her time playing peacemaker and voice of reason between her brother and her cousin. Like her cousin, she’s never been in love but would like to be…someday. Cupid might give her a summer romance. Zooey looks rather like Rashida Jones.

Zoe Lockhart

And overseeing all of this is their grandmother’s lifelong friend and executrix of her estate, attorney Ruby Davis. She loves the three Lockhart kids as though they are her own grandchildren. Just turning seventy, she’s still spry. She had to choose between her ambition and her love whens he was young. She chose to pass the bar but she sometimes still wonders…”What if…?” Maybe Cupid will help her find the answer this year. She looks rather like an older CCH Pounder.

WAREHOUSE 13 -- Episode 211 "Reset" -- Pictured: CCH Pounder as Mrs. Frederic -- Photo by: Ken Woroner/Syfy

Each month, a new couple will meet in Cupid’s Coffeeshop. I hope you’ll enjoy reading these stories as much as I enjoyed writing them. Cupid’s Coffeeshop brews love, laughter, and happily ever after…

Java Frost, book one in the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series is up for pre-order now. Snag it here and snuggle up for a cozy winter read.

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Cupid's Coffeeshop, Gilmore Girls

What can I say? I love the bad boys!

So, I had surgery two weeks ago. It was scheduled and will make my life better and all went well. I’m recovering as expected.

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Recovering is boring! As I usually live my life dashing about like a squirrel on speed, I’m not used to having a lot of free time at my disposal. Sadly, I haven’t really been able to write. At first, the pain meds made me too loopy and then I couldn’t sit up enough to type because of the incisions and now I think my muse went on vacation. So, instead of writing fiction, I thought I’d write you a little blog post about my new favorite TV show.

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So, how about those Gilmore Girls?
I’m halfway through season three now and I just want to curl on the sofa and watch the rest. I lurve Stars Hollow. The dialogue is blessed amazing. I love the characters, the setting, all of it. And I love it.
I love it soooooo much.
And in a weird cosmic-a-rama sort of way, I know that my muse (send me a postcard, a smoke signal, a nice fruit basket!) brought me to it at just the right moment because it’s just the vibe I want for Cupid’s Coffeeshop—that sharp, witty, funny banter, the rich family relationships and deep friendships, that small town feel…exactly what I want.

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And I don’t want to say that my streaming Gilmore Girls twenty hours of the day (YES! I am still watching, Netflix. Enough with the Judgy McJudgerson routine!) had anything to do with the announcement that there are going to be four ninety minute movies but you know, I did my part, is all I’m saying. Took one for the team, in other words.
So, there I was, laying there, watching my new show, filling the creative well and all that mystical, mumbo-jumbo stuff.
And then Jess Mariano showed up.

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And I just about lost my mind over the Rory and Jess ship (it’s Literati for those in the fandom). From the second he walked into her room and they started talking about books…that was it for me. I was just as much a goner as poor Rory. And yes, I know how it all ends in a vale of tears and what not.

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I’m just sure that Logan will be charming and wonderful when I eventually meet him. I’ll even promise to keep an open mind about him (because, right now, I kinda hate him!) For the record, I don’t even hate Dean (though I understand that I might later). And Dean is now Sam and adorable with his brother Dean Winchester on Supernatural and all (I seriously adore Jared Palalecki but that hair? Did the stylists on the Gilmore Girls hate him???) but…

Seriously? That hair? YIKES!
Seriously? That hair? YIKES!

WHO CARES ABOUT THAT when I have my love triangle and the bad boy who’s secretly really sweet and smart and loves to read and has a heart of gold and adores the girl and writes her a book (eventually!). Come on! That’s flipping catnip! Well, I’m just Team JESS! Times one million.

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Yes, I KNOW how it all ends, even though I’m only up to just past the dance marathon episode in season three because I hunted down all the spoilers on the internet (in addition to watching about 47 fanvids and reading a bunch of fanfics). I’m just saying that, in the future, they could get the timing right. Plus, they’d still be in each other’s lives, at least tangentially, because her mom is with his uncle. (I’m also Team Luke and yes, I know how all that works out too and I’d just like to shove Christopher in front of a bus). But, back to Rory and Jess. I’m just saying, it could happen.

 

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AND IT BETTER!
Because if those four ninety-minute episodes do not end with a Rory and Jess endgame, perhaps complete with a Lorelai the Fourth, well, I know how to make deviled eggs and, even if it’s more than 22.4 miles to Netflix’s HQ, who’s with me!?! Also, I’d like to request a Luke and Lorelai wedding but, failing that, I’ll take a Rory and Jess one!!

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For now though, I gotta get back to Stars Hollow…