romance

Is Father’s Day an overlooked holiday?

/ Dora Hiers

That’s what my husband thinks anyway ~ that Father’s Day is not as vastly celebrated as Mother’s Day. Not that our family has ever made him feel that way.

His reasons? Father’s Day occurs in June, so kids don’t make homemade cards or gifts in school like they do for Mother’s Day. And the public “hype” is almost non-existent.

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Do you have any special “fathers” you want to honor? What does Father’s Day mean to you? How do you make the day special for your loved one?

Email your thoughts about Father’s Day to dora@dorahiers.com. Whatever’s on your heart. If I have five entries (under 500 words) to choose from prior to June 12, 2011, I’ll post my favorite entry on this blog on Father’s Day AND the winner will receive a free ebook of Journey’s End, written by ~ you guessed it ~ me! Here’s a tiny tidbit from Journey’s End:

“I suppose I should have been a vet.” Chelsea stroked the dog’s fur from his head all the way down his back, careful not to touch his wounded leg.
“Maybe. But I don’t think you’ve wasted your energy or your talents as a guidance counselor. Teenagers can’t seem to resist you, either.”
That produced a full-fledged smile in his direction. Way to go, Colten!
“Remember that natural charm I warned you about?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Yes. And after a few days in your presence, I’m inclined to agree with you.”
He pulled into the veterinarian’s parking lot and glanced her way, surprised to see her grinning. “What?”
“Saved by the vet.”
Her words hit him like a piano dropping ten stories. She was flirting with him.
He took his time walking around to her side of the truck. He opened the door and leaned in, planting his hand on the seat next to her shapely legs. His face hovered inches from hers while he savored the way her wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders, the lips that curved in that always graceful way, and the eyes that spoke everything his heart wanted to hear.
Her eyes closed, and her lips parted slightly.
Trey snapped out of it. He couldn’t do this.  He was on the job. She didn’t know the secrets he knew, the truth about her husband. 
Her eyes startled open. As much as he wanted to partake and enjoy, he couldn’t. He touched a silky curl framing her face and ran it through his fingers. “You need to know that right now I’m working. But there will come a time, soon, when I’m not.”

Kylie’s Kiss by Delia Latham

/ Dora Hiers / 4 Comments
On a dare, Kylie Matthews lands smack in the middle of Solomon’s Gate-Castle Creek’s new Christian dating agency-and she finds herself revealing exactly what she’s waiting for in a relationship: “The kiss that steals my breath away.”

What she doesn’t reveal is her lack of self-esteem or her irrational reaction to facial disfigurement. Neither is applicable to her quest to find the perfect match. But that seemingly superficial malady becomes all-important when her first agency-arranged date is Rick Dale-a man who is everything Kylie is searching for. He’s handsome, smart, fun. Rick has it all…including an angelic six-year-old daughter with severe scarring on one side of her face.

Hard at work founding a therapy camp for young female victims of deformity or disfigurement, Rick wants Kylie to be a part of those plans. She’d love to say yes…but how can she, when every contact with the facility’s guests-and Rick’s own daughter-will make her violently ill?

Kylie is ready to admit their relationship doesn’t stand a chance, but she’s forgotten that God makes a way where there seems no way.

About Delia:
Born and raised in a place called Weedpatch, Delia Latham moved from California to Oklahoma in 2008, making her a self-proclaimed California Okie. She loves to read and write in her simple  country home, and gets a kick out of watching her husband play Farmer John. The author enjoys multiple roles as Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. She loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her through her website or send an e-mail to delia@delialatham.net.

Daffodils by Donna B. Snow

/ Dora Hiers / 15 Comments

Margaret Ellington is not only grief stricken after her husband dies, but guilt ridden as well. Her solution—to run away. She moves away, hoping to escape the memories of her failure as a wife. She vows never to marry again unless she can love with all her heart—and she’ll never be able to do that unless she can finally get over her first love.
 
Lukas North is determined to reclaim the love he threw away ten years earlier. He’s willing to give Margaret time to recover from losing her husband—but letting her go is not an option.
 
When Lukas keeps a secret from Margaret about a major career move, she panics. After the mistakes they made in the past, can their relationship be rebuilt on anything less than complete honesty?

Excerpt:

Wandering from room to room, she doublechecked everything. Closets were empty, no boxes forgotten. The shadows on the walls outlined stark reminders of where pictures had been. The unfinished projects—a cracked floorboard, chipped molding, a small hole in the plaster, all stared at her accusingly.
 
Margaret closed her eyes as she clutched the doorframe. Oh, God, why Peter? He was the good one. I’m so sorry, Peter. A tear splashed onto the carpet.
 
Margaret took a deep breath, wiped her cheek, and stepped into what had been Peter’s sickroom. She walked to the window seat and stared out into the backyard, arms clutched around her middle. There would be no sound of children playing, no sitting on the glider growing old together. She put a hand on the window. If only I could have loved you more—
 
“Any more, Megs?” Lukas’ footsteps grew louder as he came down the hall.
 
She wiped away another tear as it dribbled down her cheek.
 
“Oh, hey, there you are.” He hesitated in the doorway, resting a hand on the frame. He lowered his voice. “You OK?”
 
She chewed on her bottom lip and nodded, afraid that if he came near her she would collapse in those arms; arms she knew were strong enough to hold her up. Arms she had missed for years. She hated herself for wanting to feel them wrap around her again.
 
About Donna B. Snow…
I’m over 45 and I’ve stopped counting, but I’ve been happily married for 17 years and hope for many more. Our teenage daughter is an absolute joy and I can only hope it will stay that way. I have two passions – music and writing, and God has blessed me in both. What a joy it is to be able to use the gifts He’s given me to honor and glorify Him in word and song. I’d love to have you join me on this journey.