The Spring Selfie by Mackenzie Crowne

As a woman with a clear memory of the first moon landing, I consider it an accomplishment that I even know what a selfie is, never mind having mastered the art taking one. Okay, just kidding. Well, maybe not about the taking one part. I haven't quite mastered the talent and usually end up cutting off most of my head, but the truth is, while I can be old school about some things, I raised two new millennial kids and I'm hip! J I'm also a romance author. I write stories for women of all ages, therefore I must keep abreast of what today's trends are so my stories are fresh and up to date. And speaking of a breast - I've understood the concept of a selfie since long before it was named word of the year a few years back. In fact, a selfie saved my life.

Yep, you read that right. If not for a selfie, I wouldn't be here. I'm talking about the original definition of the word of course - the breast self-exam - and it's the best gift I ever gave myself. So this spring, why not share the gift of life? Remind your friends and loved ones to do those selfies. Then go ahead and be a little selfish. Give yourself a selfie too.


This spring breast care reminder is brought to you by WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR NIPPLE? A survivor’s guide to navigating the breast cancer abyss with humor and hope. Available at Mac’s Amazon page.

When Mac isn’t reminding her friends to do life-saving self-exams, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her characters, like Meggy Calhoun, the heroine of THE BILLIONAIRE’S CON, available at Amazon and wherever e-books are sold.

More Good Than Bad and Ugly by Margo Hoornstra

It’s official!

Thanks to the wonders of modern medicine, a talented surgeon, the monumental support of family and friends, and the Good Lord I’m colon cancer free! One of those in the promised 92 percent cure rate group. Hooray!

Although, through the necessary CT scan, they did discover a cyst on one ovary they want to look into. “Most likely nothing,” the doctor says. “But, we need to be sure.” It seems having this type of growth when you’re pre-menopausal is common. Post, like me, not so much. Sounds a little like age discrimination, don’t you think?

I prefer to believe I’m young at heart.

At any rate, for the next however many years, my blood and various other internal organs will be scrutinized by the medical professionals with the care and precision of a proof reader going over the final, formatted galley of a romance novel manuscript.

I can certainly, and literally, live with that.

Speaking of formatted galley proofs, I recently sent mine back to Ally Robertson, Crimson Rose editor extraordinaire at The Wild Rose Press for my to be released by summer romantic suspense On the Surface. All part of the upcoming series Brothers in Blue. 

Try this on for a blurb:

Wrongly convicted ex-con and recent parolee Jenny Reynolds wants to forget her tarnished past and focus on a brighter future. One that begins with a return to the small tourist town where she grew up. There, she hopes to find peace while she restores her family’s once proud Rest Easy Bed and Breakfast. Fleeing an ex who refuses to let her go, the last thing she needs is the complication of another man.

Then she meets handsome handyman Brad Collins, a man who seems to care as much about restoring the B and B as she does. A man who soon becomes ready, willing and able to steal her heart. A man with more than a few secrets of his own. A dropout from law enforcement, the real Brad Collins will use anyone and anything to fulfill a personal vendetta.

When two pasts collide and danger threatens, their growing love may be the first casualty.

Now an excerpt:

He walked behind the counter, alert for unwelcome company, and pushed through swinging café doors to a small hallway. Light spilled onto the linoleum from a room a ways down and to the left. He reached its doorway in long, silent strides then paused just outside. A woman sat at a cluttered desk with her head bent over a bunch of papers, her face obscured by a mass of red, curly hair.

Granny must be into dye jobs.

He advanced a few steps forward then cleared his throat. “I’m looking for the owner?”

“What?” She jerked upright then stood so fast her vacated chair hit the opposite wall with a clang. “What for?”

Flexing her knees and curling her hands to fists, she put her body into a distinct fight or flight stance.

On instinct, he scanned for a weapon. Instead, he discovered a simple sundress hugged a slim waist. The flowered material covered what looked to be some darned nice breasts, judging by the cleavage peeking out. Her shoulders were bare. Knockout legs led to trim ankles and bare toes tipped in pink polish. His hasty assessment rose to her face where he locked gazes with none other than Jenny Reynolds. Who, according to sources he trusted, wasn’t supposed to be on site for a couple of weeks. Where the heck is Grandma?

His breathing accelerated. Forget that this Reynolds chick was one whole hell of a lot better looking in the flesh than in a mug shot he’d seen. Something else hadn’t appeared in the grainy picture. Raw fear lurked in those wide green eyes. He’d witnessed that kind of deep panic before.

Regret stabbed at his gut. “Hey! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Who are you?” A slight tremor betrayed an otherwise tough voice as she retrieved the chair to position between them.

“Brad Collins.” Edging into the room, he turned slightly so his field of vision included both ends of the hallway. Just in case Donahue happened to be on premises too. He spread his hands up and open. “Look, if it’ll make you more comfortable, I’ll go back outside and knock.”

****

My days to blog here are the 11^th and 23^rd. For more about me and my stories, please visit my website

Some Good in the Bad and Ugly by Margo Hoornstra

Last Wednesday morning I received a diagnosis of colon cancer.

I won’t lie to you I’m still processing the news and desperately looking for an up-side. Caught Early, that’s good, mine’s highly curable they say. Ninety-two percent from what I’ve read.

This whole saga started ten years ago with my first colonoscopy. (Those of you who are more – ahem – mature, know what I’m talking about.) After the twenty minute procedure, I had a ‘come back in ten years’ result. Yay! I’ll take it! Especially since my husband is one of those, he calls himself a polyp farm, who gets to do this every couple of years or so.

I was luckier than that.

Fast forward a decade. During my annual physical the end of June last year, the doctor ordered a certain test for me to do at home. Those results were negative all across the board as it were. I’m home free!

She ordered a colonoscopy anyway. Whatever.

Silly me, I put off scheduling the thing.  I had reasons. I was busy. There was a month long work commitment I’d previously agreed to. In and around that, I had a book to write. After that, summer was winding down and my husband and I wanted to get some use out of our new fifth wheel. Then fellow Rose Diane Burton invited me to join her at a week end writer’s conference. Another long term, if temporary, employment opportunity came my way I couldn’t turn down. As I said busy.

In October, I finally did call the physician group I’d been referred to four months before only to learn they were closing one office and would open another one in January. (Was the universe trying to tell me something?) Should I wait until the first of the year or see about referral to another group? When I posed that question to the receptionist at my doctor’s office, I got a very polite – well duh – it’s not a good idea to wait response and a new referral.

Soon, I had an appointment for the dreaded screening procedure. Would you believe the very next day they called to push the appointment out another couple of weeks to the middle of November. Something about double booking.

At long last the day of my appointment arrived and I had the thing completed, where they discovered a rather large polyp, but could only take out part of it. For some reason, immediately after this doctor strongly suggested surgery. “Then you’re done with it and it’s gone.” That was the route I took, even after the subsequent lab results on the nasty specimen came back non-cancerous with the recommendation to simply have a repeat colonoscopy in another year.

Though I really didn’t want to, I stayed with the surgery option, at this point scheduling out another month until the holidays were over. After all, who wants to be in the hospital at Christmas? With the upcoming surgery on my mind the whole time, we got through November and December.

All along, both doctors stressed they believed this was nothing more than a benign growth with the potential to become a problem. On the off chance there was something there, I was told, the surgical technique was the same as if it were a known cancer. All of the growth would be removed along with some of my digestive tract and a number of connecting lymph nodes. This was done and all 22 of mine came back negative, that’s good! Mine was a surgical cure. No further treatment needed. Here’s hoping. Doesn’t make it any less scary. Though I regret my cavalier attitude in putting the test off initially, I am so glad, for whatever reason, I was steered to the surgery.

A writer friend had the same thing seven years ago and she’s just fine. Even though a blood test and CT scan and visit with an oncologist are in my near future, I have to believe I will be equally fine as well.

Which is good, because as I said before, I’m busy.

On the Surface, Book One in my Brothers in Blue series with The Wild Rose Press is in production and I have edits to return. On the Force, Book Two is in rewrites and due in October.

Plus, a former editor of mine asked me to be part of an upcoming box set of stories that take place in and around a casino. It just turns out I have a half finished project the will fit that bill just fine. I think I’ll call it Give Us A Chance.

Then there are two more Brothers in Blue books, yet to be written, On the Make and On the Move due in 2018 and 2019.

Again. Busy. Even so, positive thoughts and prayers are welcome and encouraged.

My days to blog here are the 11^th and 23^rd. For more about me and my stories, please visit my WEBSITE