March Rocks! By Mackenzie Crowne

From little candy hearts and hand-made valentines to fat flakes shimmering beyond the window on a snowy Christmas eve, if you’re like me, every month in the year holds special memories. Waving flags, parades and potato salad, jack-o-lanterns and pillowcases full of candy, each flip of the calendar page returns me to my childhood. June delivers a thrilling sense of freedom, a throw-back to that wonderful last day of school every year. September rolls in on a bittersweet wave of magnificent fall colors and chilly winds hinting at the winter to come.

But, this is March, you say, a quiet, unassuming month lacking any major points of note. Wrong, or as they say in the Irish, Micheart! March rocks! Here in Phoenix, where I hang my hat, March means wildflowers - like the beauties decorating the hills of my mountain escape - hot air balloons and the annual Renaissance Fair. For a chick who detests the cold, a month shooing off the dog days of winter to usher in the early signs of spring is a big deal.

March also means St. Patrick’s Day. For a chick from a large, loving, LOUD Irish clan, a month celebrating the streak of green running through the soul of mankind is magical. And for an Irish chick who writes romance, March inspires tales of enduring love amongst the vibrant hills of Ireland, stories seeped in things old and mystical. But more on that later.

I admit, blarney comes naturally to me, so, count yourself lucky I’m curbing my Irish gift of gab to wish you a happy spring and a very happy St. Patrick’s Day with my favorite Irish salute…

May those who love you, love you,

and those who don’t love you,

may God turn their hearts,

and if he doesn’t turn their hearts,

may he turn their ankles…

so you’ll know them by their limping.

When Mac isn’t enjoying the wildflowers decorating her mountain escape, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her characters, like Sam and V, the hero and heroine of To Win Her Back, the latest in her Players series from KensingtonBooks

Spring in the Woods by Jannine Gallant

My favorite part of the day is walking in the woods with Ginger. Right now, the wildflowers are beginning to bloom. After a winter of no snow in Tahoe, they're out early and probably won't last long, but I'm enjoying them while they're here. I hope you will, too!

This purple ground cover is super pretty, and grows like crazy. I'd love to transfer it to my yard, but I'm not a gardener by any stretch of the imagination!

More snow plants than I've ever seen before this year. Not sure why since we didn't have much snow. This one's a king-daddy, though it's hard to tell how big it is from the picture.

The lupine are just beginning to bloom.

Someone told me these bushes are service berries. They flower in white masses. Super pretty!

I'm not sure what these are. They look like big daisies. But I thought this was a neat photo.

Okay, not a flower. This little guy visited me at the boat ramp the other morning when I was working. Couldn't resist sharing him!

Ginger trying to cross the creek without getting her paws wet at the end of our walk. She fell in. Really funny, but I missed the shot!

This is the final week Every Move She Makes will be on sale for 99 cents. A lot of the action happens in the woods around Lake Tahoe. My characters also enjoy this wild scenery. You can purchase your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo.

I also updated my website. Tell me what you think!

Take a Walk on the Wild Side by Jannine Gallant

snow plants

What do you do when your brain is mush and your muse is on an extended vacation? When I'm certain every word I write is just so much drivel, or I stare at the blank computer screen and my mind is--well, blank, I get my butt out of the chair and take a hike with my dog.

lupine

I consider myself blessed because I can walk out my door and straight into the woods where I can go for miles if I want. Usually, Ginger and I do a three mile loop to the creek and back. This time of year, the woods around Lake Tahoe are bursting with color.

mule's ear

Wild flowers take my breath away and reactivate my spongy brain. First come the snow plants, poking their heads out of the ground shortly after the last of the snow melts. Next thing I know, lupine is everywhere. When the mule's ear and paintbrush bloom, I know it's truly summer.

paintbrush

Ginger and I finish our walk through the meadow. Until this year, we had to avoid the meadow until it dried out, usually late in June, but last year the California State Parks system put in raised trails. Very cool to get to stroll through the meadow while it's still green and beautiful and a host to bunches of little flowers, camas lilies, buttercups and others I can't name.

little yellow flowers (I fail as a botonist!)

So, the next time you're having a major case of writer's block, try taking a walk. I swear your muse will pack up her sunscreen and beach chair and come join you. I composed this whole blog while I was out in the woods today. Tomorrow, I'll figure out where my WIP is headed, or I won't come home until I do. So if I'm not here on the 18th, you'll know why. LOL

Ginger in the meadow

Find links and blurbs for all my books (inspired by nature's beauty) on my website. Or follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Happy summer!