#in the spirit of norooz
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Visit Tumblr Blog
Explore Tumblr blogs with no restrictions, modern design and the best experience.
Last Seen Tumblr Blogs
Fun Fact
Tumblr was the first site to host the blog for President Barack Obama in 2011.
Text
Sattar - Amoo Zanjirbaf
0 notes
Text
Holidays 3.21
Holidays
AfghanistanDay (US)
Agony of Defeat Anniversary Day
Aizu Higan Shishi (a.k.a. Sanbiki Shishimai; End of Winter Lion Dance; Japan)
Akitu (Mesopotamian spring festival, "cutting of the barley," celebrating Marduk's victory over Tiamat)
Anal Cancer Awareness Day
Ancient Babylonian New Year
Arbor Day (Portugal)
Back Badge Day (Gloucestershire, UK)
Bampflugnax Day (Guyana)
Big Bang Day
Bird Day (Iowa)
Birkebeinerrennet (Norway)
Children's Poetry Day
Cluster Headache Awareness Day
Common Courtesy Day
Credit Card Reduction Day
Education Freedom Day
Egyptian Harvest Festival
End of the World Day [Predicted by Leonardo Da Vinci for 4006]
Global Surveyors’ Day
Global Understanding Day
Harmony Day (Australia)
Hogithum (Elder Scrolls)
Human Rights Day (South Africa)
International Colour Day
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN)
International Day of Forests (UN)
Memory Day
Mother's Day (Arab nations)
Music Day
National Agriculture Day
National Beverly Day
National Countdown Day
National Day of Action on Syringe Exchange
National Flower Day
National Fragrance Day
National Indigenous Water Operator Day (Canada)
National Peter Day
National Renewable Energy Day
National Rosie the Riveter Day
National Single Parent Day
National Teenager Day
National 3D Day
National Tree Planting Day (Lesotho)
No Strings Attached Day
Nowruz (New Year) [Day 2, Around Spring Equinox] (a.k.a. ...
International Day of Nowruz (UN)
Narooz (Persian New Year; Iran, Kyrgyzstan)
Nauroz (India)
Nauruz (Afghan New Year; Afghanistan)
Nauryz Meyramy (Kazakhstan)
Navro’z Bayrami (Uzbekistan)
Navruz (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
Naw-Rúz (Baha’i)
Nevruz (Albania)
Newroz (Iran, Kurdistan, Mesopotamia)
Norooz (Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Zoroastrian)
Novruz (Azerbaijan, Tajikistan)
Nowruz (Spring Day; Iraq)
Nyepi Day (Day of Silence; Bali, Indonesia)
Oltenia Day (Romania)
Ougadi (Mauritius)
Panic! At The Disco Day
Paper Dress Day
The Purge Day
Race Relations Day (New Zealand)
Single Parents’ Day
Slytherin Pride Day
Spring Fairy Fun Day
Tea and Telphi Day (Ireland)
Telugu New Year (India)
Truant's Day (Faroe Islands, Poland)
Twitter Day
We Day
World Day of Cash Angeles (Argentina)
World Down Syndrome Day
World Forestry Day
World Freedom of Thought Day
World Home Economics Day
World Planting Day
World Poetry Day
World Puppetry Day
World Sustainable Procurement Day
World Wood Day
Yngismannadagur (Young Men’s Day; Iceland)
Youth Day (Tunisia)
Food & Drink Celebrations
California Strawberry Day
French Bread Day
Gallo Wine Day
International Tiramisu Day
National Crunchy Taco Day
National Healthy Fats Day
World Vermouth Day
3rd Tuesday in March
Tea for Two Tuesday [3rd Tuesday]
World Social Work Day [3rd Tuesday]
Independence Days
Namibia (from South Africa, 1990)
Feast Days
Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello (Christian; Saint)
Benedict, Passing of (Order of Saint Benedict, pre-1970 Calendar; Christian)
Birillus (Christian; Saint)
Dionysia (Ancient Greek Festival to Dionysus, God of Intoxication)
Enda of Aran (a.k.a. Enna of Ireland; Christian; Saint)
Festival of Salii (Jumping Priests; Ancient Rome)
French Bread Day (Pastafarian)
Jack Slade Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)
John the Evangelist (Positivist; Saint)
Music Day (Pagan)
Nicholas of Flüe (Christian; Saint)
Philosophical Day (Pastafarian)
Purification of the Trumpets (Ancient Rome)
Quinquatria, Day 3: Music Day (Pagan)
Raya & Ala (Muppetism)
Seraphim of Vyritsa (Orthodox)
Serapion of Thmuis (a.k.a. The Sindonite; Christian; Saint))
Shunki-Korei-Sai (Ancestral Spirits Rite; Shinto)
Tea and Tephi Day (Holy Day; Ireland)
Thomas Cranmer (Anglicanism)
Lucky & Unlucky Days
Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]
Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 14 of 60)
Premieres
The African Queen (Film; 1952)
Alice in the Alps (Disney Cartoon; 1927)
Deadwood (TV Series; 2004)
Divergent (Film; 2014)
Escape to Witch Mountain (Film; 1975)
The Final Cut, by Pink Floyd (Album; 1983)
First Step, by Faces (Album; 1970)
God Bless America, recorded by Kate Smith (Song; 1939)
Jodorowsky’s Dune (Documentary Film; 2014)
Liar Liar (Film; 1997)
Like a Prayer, by Madonna (Album; 1989)
Little Darlings (Film; 1980)
Mad Max (Film; 1980)
Mission to Mars (Disneyland Ride; 1975)
Muppets Most Wanted (Film; 2014)
No Strings Attached, by ’N Sync (Album; 2000)
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (Film; 1968)
Party Central (Pixar Cartoon; 2014)
Piglet’s Big Movie (Animated Film; 2003)
Rebecca (Film; 1940)
Rescue Dog (Disney Cartoon; 1947)
Rock Around the Clock (Film; 1956)
Selena (Film; 1997)
Sloop John B, by The Beach Boys (Song; 1966)
Sweet Bird of Youth (Film; 1962)
Sydney (TV Series; 1990)
Topper Returns (Film; 1941)
Two Chips and a Miss (Disney Cartoon; 1952)
View from the Top (Film; 2003)
Today’s Name Days
Alexandra, Axel, Christian, Emilia (Austria)
Kristijan, Serapion, Vesna, Vlasta (Croatia)
Radek (Czech Republic)
Benedictus (Denmark)
Küllo, Külvo, Pendo, Pent (Estonia)
Pentti (Finland)
Axelle, Clémence (France)
Axel, Christian, Emilia (Germany)
Iakovos (Greece)
Benedek (Hungary)
Benedetto, Filemone (Italy)
Benedikts, Boleslavs, Dzelme, Glezna, Una (Latvia)
Benas, Benediktas, Lingailė, Nortautas, Reda, Saulius (Lithuania)
Bendik, Bengt, Bent (Norway)
Benedykt, Filemon, Lubomira, Mikołaj (Poland)
Iacob (Romania
Blahoslav (Slovakia)
Nicolás (Spain)
Bengt (Sweden)
Arvin, Arwin, Bendix, Benedict, Benedicta, Bennett (USA)
Today is Also…
Day of Year: Day 80 of 2023; 285 days remaining in the year
ISO: Day 2 of week 12 of 2023
Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 3 of 28]
Chinese: Month 2 (Yi-Mao), Day 30 (Wu-Yin)
Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)
Hebrew: 28 Adar 5783
Islamic: 28 Sha’ban 1444
J Cal: 19 Ver; Fiveday [19 of 30]
Julian: 8 March 2023
Moon: 0%: New Moon
Positivist: 24 Aristotle (3rd Month) [John the Evangelist]
Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 11 of 15]
Season: Spring (Day 2 of 90)
Zodiac: Aries (Day 1 of 30)
Calendar Changes
Aries (The Ram) begins [Zodiac Sign 1 of 12; thru 4.19]
1 note
·
View note
Text
Holidays 3.21
Holidays
AfghanistanDay (US)
Agony of Defeat Anniversary Day
Aizu Higan Shishi (a.k.a. Sanbiki Shishimai; End of Winter Lion Dance; Japan)
Akitu (Mesopotamian spring festival, "cutting of the barley," celebrating Marduk's victory over Tiamat)
Anal Cancer Awareness Day
Ancient Babylonian New Year
Arbor Day (Portugal)
Back Badge Day (Gloucestershire, UK)
Bampflugnax Day (Guyana)
Big Bang Day
Bird Day (Iowa)
Birkebeinerrennet (Norway)
Children's Poetry Day
Cluster Headache Awareness Day
Common Courtesy Day
Credit Card Reduction Day
Education Freedom Day
Egyptian Harvest Festival
End of the World Day [Predicted by Leonardo Da Vinci for 4006]
Global Surveyors’ Day
Global Understanding Day
Harmony Day (Australia)
Hogithum (Elder Scrolls)
Human Rights Day (South Africa)
International Colour Day
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN)
International Day of Forests (UN)
Memory Day
Mother's Day (Arab nations)
Music Day
National Agriculture Day
National Beverly Day
National Countdown Day
National Day of Action on Syringe Exchange
National Flower Day
National Fragrance Day
National Indigenous Water Operator Day (Canada)
National Peter Day
National Renewable Energy Day
National Rosie the Riveter Day
National Single Parent Day
National Teenager Day
National 3D Day
National Tree Planting Day (Lesotho)
No Strings Attached Day
Nowruz (New Year) [Day 2, Around Spring Equinox] (a.k.a. ...
International Day of Nowruz (UN)
Narooz (Persian New Year; Iran, Kyrgyzstan)
Nauroz (India)
Nauruz (Afghan New Year; Afghanistan)
Nauryz Meyramy (Kazakhstan)
Navro’z Bayrami (Uzbekistan)
Navruz (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
Naw-Rúz (Baha’i)
Nevruz (Albania)
Newroz (Iran, Kurdistan, Mesopotamia)
Norooz (Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Zoroastrian)
Novruz (Azerbaijan, Tajikistan)
Nowruz (Spring Day; Iraq)
Nyepi Day (Day of Silence; Bali, Indonesia)
Oltenia Day (Romania)
Ougadi (Mauritius)
Panic! At The Disco Day
Paper Dress Day
The Purge Day
Race Relations Day (New Zealand)
Single Parents’ Day
Slytherin Pride Day
Spring Fairy Fun Day
Tea and Telphi Day (Ireland)
Telugu New Year (India)
Truant's Day (Faroe Islands, Poland)
Twitter Day
We Day
World Day of Cash Angeles (Argentina)
World Down Syndrome Day
World Forestry Day
World Freedom of Thought Day
World Home Economics Day
World Planting Day
World Poetry Day
World Puppetry Day
World Sustainable Procurement Day
World Wood Day
Yngismannadagur (Young Men’s Day; Iceland)
Youth Day (Tunisia)
Food & Drink Celebrations
California Strawberry Day
French Bread Day
Gallo Wine Day
International Tiramisu Day
National Crunchy Taco Day
National Healthy Fats Day
World Vermouth Day
3rd Tuesday in March
Tea for Two Tuesday [3rd Tuesday]
World Social Work Day [3rd Tuesday]
Independence Days
Namibia (from South Africa, 1990)
Feast Days
Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello (Christian; Saint)
Benedict, Passing of (Order of Saint Benedict, pre-1970 Calendar; Christian)
Birillus (Christian; Saint)
Dionysia (Ancient Greek Festival to Dionysus, God of Intoxication)
Enda of Aran (a.k.a. Enna of Ireland; Christian; Saint)
Festival of Salii (Jumping Priests; Ancient Rome)
French Bread Day (Pastafarian)
Jack Slade Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)
John the Evangelist (Positivist; Saint)
Music Day (Pagan)
Nicholas of Flüe (Christian; Saint)
Philosophical Day (Pastafarian)
Purification of the Trumpets (Ancient Rome)
Quinquatria, Day 3: Music Day (Pagan)
Raya & Ala (Muppetism)
Seraphim of Vyritsa (Orthodox)
Serapion of Thmuis (a.k.a. The Sindonite; Christian; Saint))
Shunki-Korei-Sai (Ancestral Spirits Rite; Shinto)
Tea and Tephi Day (Holy Day; Ireland)
Thomas Cranmer (Anglicanism)
Lucky & Unlucky Days
Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]
Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 14 of 60)
Premieres
The African Queen (Film; 1952)
Alice in the Alps (Disney Cartoon; 1927)
Deadwood (TV Series; 2004)
Divergent (Film; 2014)
Escape to Witch Mountain (Film; 1975)
The Final Cut, by Pink Floyd (Album; 1983)
First Step, by Faces (Album; 1970)
God Bless America, recorded by Kate Smith (Song; 1939)
Jodorowsky’s Dune (Documentary Film; 2014)
Liar Liar (Film; 1997)
Like a Prayer, by Madonna (Album; 1989)
Little Darlings (Film; 1980)
Mad Max (Film; 1980)
Mission to Mars (Disneyland Ride; 1975)
Muppets Most Wanted (Film; 2014)
No Strings Attached, by ’N Sync (Album; 2000)
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (Film; 1968)
Party Central (Pixar Cartoon; 2014)
Piglet’s Big Movie (Animated Film; 2003)
Rebecca (Film; 1940)
Rescue Dog (Disney Cartoon; 1947)
Rock Around the Clock (Film; 1956)
Selena (Film; 1997)
Sloop John B, by The Beach Boys (Song; 1966)
Sweet Bird of Youth (Film; 1962)
Sydney (TV Series; 1990)
Topper Returns (Film; 1941)
Two Chips and a Miss (Disney Cartoon; 1952)
View from the Top (Film; 2003)
Today’s Name Days
Alexandra, Axel, Christian, Emilia (Austria)
Kristijan, Serapion, Vesna, Vlasta (Croatia)
Radek (Czech Republic)
Benedictus (Denmark)
Küllo, Külvo, Pendo, Pent (Estonia)
Pentti (Finland)
Axelle, Clémence (France)
Axel, Christian, Emilia (Germany)
Iakovos (Greece)
Benedek (Hungary)
Benedetto, Filemone (Italy)
Benedikts, Boleslavs, Dzelme, Glezna, Una (Latvia)
Benas, Benediktas, Lingailė, Nortautas, Reda, Saulius (Lithuania)
Bendik, Bengt, Bent (Norway)
Benedykt, Filemon, Lubomira, Mikołaj (Poland)
Iacob (Romania
Blahoslav (Slovakia)
Nicolás (Spain)
Bengt (Sweden)
Arvin, Arwin, Bendix, Benedict, Benedicta, Bennett (USA)
Today is Also…
Day of Year: Day 80 of 2023; 285 days remaining in the year
ISO: Day 2 of week 12 of 2023
Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 3 of 28]
Chinese: Month 2 (Yi-Mao), Day 30 (Wu-Yin)
Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)
Hebrew: 28 Adar 5783
Islamic: 28 Sha’ban 1444
J Cal: 19 Ver; Fiveday [19 of 30]
Julian: 8 March 2023
Moon: 0%: New Moon
Positivist: 24 Aristotle (3rd Month) [John the Evangelist]
Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 11 of 15]
Season: Spring (Day 2 of 90)
Zodiac: Aries (Day 1 of 30)
Calendar Changes
Aries (The Ram) begins [Zodiac Sign 1 of 12; thru 4.19]
1 note
·
View note
Photo
i.) March 1-March 3: Arnold Sports Festival-The largest multi-sport event in the world, will grow even larger in 2019 when an estimated 20,000 athletes from 80 nations compete in a record 80 sports and events in Columbus, Ohio. Headlining the nations largest multi-sport festival are professional bodybuilding and strongman competitions with the most well built and strongest athletes in the world. These premier physique and strongman competitions are featured on four stages at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event/arnold-sports-festival/56180/ ii.) March 1-March 23: To honor the centennial of the Harlem Renaissance, local collector, Bettye Stull, curates an exhibition of artwork arising from or inspired by, thatgreat cultural awakening. Recurring weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center. https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event/i-too-sing-america%3a-new-artists-new-day/61428/ iii.) March 1: St. David of Wale’s-Celtic Christian saint known for his wisdom and missionary work. iv.) March 2: Nineteen Day Fast-Baha'i Fast to be observed by adult Baha'is in good health sunrise to sundown no food or drink. v.) March 3: Holi-Hindu spring festival dedicated to the god of pleasure. It is observed in a colorful and boisterous manner. People shower each other with colored water and smear red and green powder on each other. vi.) March 3: Meatfare Sunday-Orthodox Christian observance, two weeks before the start of the Great Lent, preparing the faithful for the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. This is the last day for eating of meat before the Great Lent. vii.) March 4-March 30: This art exhibition features an extraordinary selection of vintage photographs by Edward S. Curtis, which highlights both iconic and previously little-known images, many of which are printed in Curtis’ most compelling and rare processes. The prints are among the finest examples that exist and, in some cases, are the only known example of an image. Every style, subject matter, cultural/geographic area, and medium Curtis worked in will be included. Recurring weekly on Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at The Schumacher Gallery. https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event/edward-s-curtis%3a-beauty-heart-and-spirit/59725/ viii.) March 6: Ash Wednesday-Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. ix.)March 8: DJ Wale Presents 'HOLI 2019' Bollywood Dance Night. Holi (Color Fest) is upon us & let's celebrate with a BANG. We are hosting this free event to give back to our Community, Family & Friends. Come join us, on March 8th at Granero Lounge. https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event/holi-2019/61970/ x.) March 11: Clean Monday- Clean Monday, is considered to be one of the most important feasts all over Greece, each year commencing the 40-day period of the GreatLent for the Eastern Greek Orthodox Church, which is called “Sarakosti.” The feast begins on the first day of the 7th week before the Orthodox Easter Sunday. xi.) March 17: St. Patrick’s Day-Christian celebration of Patrick who brought Christianity to Ireland in early days of the faith. xii.) March 19: St. Joseph’s Day- Christian remembrance of Joseph, husband of Mary the mother of Jesus. xiii.) March 20: Ostara-Mabon- Wicca welcoming of spring and the goddess-as-maiden. xiv.) March 21: Norooz- Zoroastrian New Year. xv.) March 21: Naw-Ruz- Baha'i observance of the vernal equinox symbolizing spiritual growth and renewal. xvi.) 16 March 21: Hola Mohalla- also called Hola, is a one-day Sikh festival which most often falls in March and takes place on the second day of the lunar month of Chett, a day after the Hindu spring festival Holi but sometimes coincides with Holi. Hola Mohalla is a big festive event for Sikhs around the world. xvii.) March 21: Purim-Jewish celebration of the deliverance of the Jewish minority in Persia from genocide. Charity to the poor, sharing food with friends, and vigorous merrymaking mark the observance. xviii.) March 25: Annunciation of the Virgin Mary-Christian celebration of Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary the coming birth of Jesus as the Incarnation of the creator of God. xix March 28-June 15: A group exhibit of premiere African and African-American artists living in Ohio. Each artist has been working as a professional artist for at least 25 years and has exhibited their work in museums and galleries across Ohio. https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event/ohio-black-masters-exhibition/61812/ xx.) March 28: Khordad Sal-Zoroastrian remembrance of the birth of Prophet Zarathushtra.Dates of religious holidays found from: https://drexel.edu/provost/policies/religious_observances_calendar/Religious%20Calendar%202019/
0 notes
Text
Holidays Ever After: Contemporary Romance Holiday Boxed Set Publication date: December 5th 2017 Genres: Adult, Romance
Which holiday hottie will you unwrap first?
No matter the time of the year, it’s always the season for seduction!
From Spicy to Sweet and everything in between, this sizzling boxed set of TWENTY contemporary romances from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors will give you tons of holiday hunks to fall in love with.
Inside these pages you’ll find everything from sexy strangers and brooding billionaires to marines, firefighters, and the guy next door.
Whether you’re in the mood for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, or a New Year’s celebration, this limited edition Holiday Ever After anthology is packed with exclusive, full-length titles to lift your spirits. From Halloween to Kwanzaa, Valentines Day, Norooz, and the Fourth of July, these stories will give your holiday season extra spark and will be the best romantic holiday bundle to hit your ereader this year!
Get ready to heat up your holidays when you treat yourself to Holidays Ever After!
Including stories from…
Colleen Charles
Monica Corwin
Amy L. Gale
Becca Fanning
Victoria Pinder
Alexa Padgett
Tuesday Embers
Khardine Gray
Holly Dodd
Liz Gavin
Jillian Quinn
Courtney Hunt
Vivi Holt
Kristen Luciani
Astrid Arditi
Rebekah R. Ganiere
Jessica Gray
Ja’Nese Dixon
Teresa Roman
Angela Corbett
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
SNEAK PEEKS:
Holiday Kisses (Hollywood Crush Series)
by Angela Corbett
Three years ago Sutton Simon joked that if she ever ran into Kutler Cane, her celebrity crush, she’d kiss him senseless. She’s about to get that opportunity.
Prologue
The drums pounded so loudly it felt like my heart was trying to match the rhythm. The band at the front of the bar was playing a bass-heavy cover of a Christmas song with so much enthusiasm that I could barely hear myself think. Most Christmas traditions consist of family, bright lights, trees, and presents. Mine was drowning in alcohol.
“Whoa, Sutton!” My best friend, Kathy, grabbed the shot glass from my hand. “I think your hollow leg is filling up. Drink some water for a minute.” She put a glass of ice water in front of me instead.
I looked at her through slightly hazy vision. “I’m fine!”
She gave me a skeptical look.
“Thanks for being here with me,” I said, trying to keep my thoughts straight. I was having a lot of them. “It’s hard.”
“I know,” she said. “I hate that they ruined the holidays for you.”
I scowled at the memories that started flooding my mind. “Me too.”
The noise of voices, laughter, and gleeful conversations around me made me stabby. I turned my attention to the TV, a happy couple flashing across the screen.
“Why can’t I find a nice guy like that?” I said, pointing my glass at the screen.
Kathy’s eyes widened. “Like Kutler Cane?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Someone sweet. And good. Who helps people. Maybe with an accent.”
Kathy’s eyebrows rose. “And a dick the size of Texas.”
I tipped my glass toward her. “Good point. I’d like him to have excellent junk, too.”
Kathy took a swig of her beer and lifted one shoulder. “Maybe one day you’ll meet him.”
My mouth gaped. “Kutler Cane? As in, movie star Kutler Cane?” I narrowed my eyes and searched her face. “Are you drunker than I am?”
She laughed. “No, I’m just more optimistic. You never know what the universe has in store for you.” Kathy was a free spirit who loved everything to do with energy and firmly believed she could think an exotic car into existence if she wanted to. I loved that about her. Her positivity had saved me repeatedly. She had a bumper sticker that said, “I’m mostly peace, love, and light. And a little go fuck yourself.” It summed her up perfectly and I loved her for it.
“Words and intentions are powerful,” she continued. “You want to meet Kutler Cane, so ask. It could happen.”
I snorted a laugh and almost choked on the water I’d been drinking. When I got my coughing under control I said, “And flying coach could be pleasant, and people who drive slow in the fast lane will move out of my way, and I’ll be crowned a queen. Those are all things that are far more likely to occur than me meeting Kutler freaking Cane.”
She shook her head and the movement made me a little dizzy. “You just need to change your attitude and have some confidence in the universe.”
I’d lost my faith in positivity a year ago and had no desire to try and retrieve it. “If I had that, I wouldn’t be sitting in this bar drinking my emotions.”
“That’s exactly why you need to change your approach and be more positive. Your thoughts and words create your reality. You shouldn’t doubt that.”
The image on TV switched to a photo of Kutler wearing a mouth-watering black suit with a white shirt open at the collar. His lips were stretched into a wide smile that highlighted his perfect jaw and cheekbones. I stared at the photo. Hard. And decided I’d give a lot of things to be able to see that incredible bone structure in person. I didn’t believe in wishes like Kathy, but I also didn’t see any harm in making one; it was Christmas, after all. I grabbed my shot glass for courage, threw it back, and turned to Kathy. “Okay. I’ll play your game.” I threw my hands in the air and looked up at the ceiling like I could see the universe through it, then made a dramatic oath, “One day Kutler Cane will walk into my life, sweep me off my feet, and kiss me senseless.” I opened my eyes and leaned into her conspiratorially, “And when it happens, I’ll kiss him back.” It was one of the most ridiculous things I’d ever said or done—and I’d once dressed up in a squirrel costume to hide my identity while I was toilet papering an ex-boyfriend’s house.
Kathy grinned at me. “I’ll hold you to it.”
Two more shots showed up in front of us. “Cheers,” Kathy said, picking up her glass. “To new adventures, powerful affirmations, and kissing hot celebrities!”
I clinked my glass against hers. “I’ll drink to that.”
Blossoms of the Heart Excerpt
By: Khardine Gray
Phoebe secured her arms around Tai and he picked her up and took her up the stairs to his bedroom. The gentle breeze blew the curtains out either side from the long, glass windows and moonlight spilled into the room. It created that dreamlike feel she always felt with him, but more so today. Tonight.
She didn’t want to feel like the broken woman trying to make do with what she had tonight. She wanted to indulge on the godlike, beautiful man who carried her in his arms as if she were weightless. Tonight, he held her like she belonged to him.
No one had ever made her feel that. No one. The fear of that clenched her stomach and gripped her heart, but she pushed it aside. She asked him to make love to her, but she wanted to make love to him.
Violet’s Bucket List
By: Tuesday Embers
I slid into my sleeping bag on my belly, my fists stacked atop my mother’s memorial plaque, and my chin resting on my hands. The air was cold in the graveyard that night, but I was too fixated on my mother’s name to shiver. I stared down at the scripted font, recalling how many years we’d camped out in this very graveyard. I never guessed I’d be sleeping here without her – or with her in the ground like this.
My mother’s relatives were all in Mexico, so we’d scoured the graveyard for another Rodriquez we could pretend we were related to. Ana Concepcion Rodriquez didn’t have anyone else with the same last name around her, so we adopted her into our little circle, making her our own. We pretended she’d been stolen away from her wealthy parents at a young age, grew in poverty with nothing but gruel sandwiches, her morals and can-do attitude. Then when Ana was a teenager, she went in search of her family.
It was a tearful reunion when fake Ana was welcomed into the family she’d always known was out there. They showered her with love, kisses, presents, and an elephant because, well, Caty had a healthy imagination. Love, kisses and presents hadn’t seemed like enough to her.
In our rendition of Ana’s life, she’d died peacefully in her sleep as an old woman, surrounded by her family, and the gardener. Julio had admired her from afar as he’d pruned the roses at her family’s estate, but
only ever got up the courage to kiss the back of her hand. We always brought flowers for Ana’s grave from fake Julio, swooning at the romance of their unrequited love.
We’d slept on Ana’s grave every year. Now that I had my mother in the ground, I knew where I would be spending every November 1st for the rest of my life.
Brady and Caty came back forty-five minutes later, their eyes wide as they rejoined me. “What’s up with you two? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” I let out a perfunctory laugh and clapped my hands at my terrible joke. The spirits of the dead were supposed to walk around on the Dia de Los Muertos, searching for treats and their loved ones. They were granted one night a year to rise from their graves and go bonkers, reuniting with family and friends who camped out on their graves to greet them.
“Nothing happened!” they both exclaimed, looking guilty. Then Caty folded herself into the sleeping bag and set a few pieces of my mom’s least favorite candy on her plaque, next to our row of sugar skulls. “How’s Mama?”
“I think she’d be glad her traditions didn’t die with her. I’m glad you guys came tonight. It wouldn’t be the same without you. Thanks for pushing me to get out of bed. I needed this.”
“Anytime,” Caty smiled, situating the lantern next to the gravestone, so we could see each other a little better.
I smoothed away a leaf that had fallen onto my mother’s no-frills plaque, studying her name and timeline as Brady tucked in between us. It was such a simple thing, the dash between her birth year and her death. “That’s all we get,” I mused in my shifting melancholy, tracing the line that summed up her entire life. “Just a dash to the end.”
Brady’s features grew tense, his eyebrows pulling together, and his mouth in a tight line. “We need to make our dashes count, then. Vi, you’ve only got four things on the bucket list. It’s time we started crossing them off.”
“Hello, we can’t afford France yet.”
Brady shook his head. “We can’t afford not to go. We can’t afford cancer. We can’t afford getting older. Now’s the time, Vi. We’re putting something on the calendar. By this time next year, I want France crossed off Violet’s bucket list.”
I shot him an appreciative smile. “But that list belongs to all of us.”
Brady smirked at me. “Then I guess we’ll all have to go.”
Brady’s finger traced the small engraved line with mine, and then Caty added her finger to the mix. We scooted closer to each other, knowing that we might not know what our respective dashes would hold, but certain we would go through it all together.
GIVEAWAYS!
You can enter to win a box of books here as well as gift cards via the Rafflecopter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Holidays Ever After Book Blitz – Day 4 Holidays Ever After: Contemporary Romance Holiday Boxed Set Publication date: December 5th 2017 Genres: Adult, Romance…
0 notes
Text
Sale Blitz for Holiday Ever After
🎁Just in time for the Holidays🎁
🎁Grab yourself a gift🎁
For just .99￠
Holidays Ever After:
Contemporary Romance Holiday Boxed Set
Pre-Order for only $0.99
Hosted by Words Turn Me On
20 Holiday Hotties from 20 of your favorite authors
Seduction for all Seasons
Which holiday hottie will you unwrap first?
No matter the time of the year, it’s always the season for seduction!
From Spicy to Sweet and everything in between, this sizzling boxed set of TWENTY contemporary romances from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors will give you tons of holiday hunks to fall in love with.
Inside these pages you’ll find everything from sexy strangers and brooding billionaires to marines, firefighters, and the guy next door.
Whether you’re in the mood for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, or a New Year’s celebration, this limited edition Holiday Ever After anthology is packed with exclusive, full-length titles to lift your spirits. From Halloween to Kwanzaa, Valentine's Day, Norooz, and the Fourth of July, these stories will give your holiday season extra spark and will be the best romantic holiday bundle to hit your ereader this year!
Get ready to heat up your holidays when you treat yourself to Holidays Ever After!
Amazon ⧫ Barnes and Noble ⧫ iTunes ⧫ Kobo
Reader's Signed Paperback Giveaway
http://ift.tt/2i5VNxv
Including stories from…
Colleen Charles ⧫ Monica Corwin ⧫Amy L. Gale ⧫ Becca Fanning ⧫ Victoria Pinder
Tuesday Embers ⧫ Khardine Gray ⧫ Holly Dodd ⧫ Liz Gavin ⧫ Jillian Quinn ⧫ Courtney Hunt
Vivi Holt ⧫ Kristen Luciani ⧫ Astrid Arditi ⧫ Rebekah R. Ganiere ⧫ Jessica Gray
Ja’Nese Dixon ⧫ Teresa Roman ⧫Angela Corbett ⧫ Alexa Padgett
http://ift.tt/1HjwCdn
http://ift.tt/1lUfrZV
via Blogger http://ift.tt/2iPcQAW
0 notes
Photo
★•*•★ HOT NEW RELEASE! ★•*•★ The highly-anticipated HOLIDAYS EVER AFTER Boxed Set is LIVE! This special collection of 20 full-length novels will heat up your ereader this holiday season. One-click now for only 99¢…this is one incredibly hot deal you do not want to pass up! Amazon: http://amzn.to/2iqwWBz iBooks: http://apple.co/2vRPZZC Nook: http://bit.ly/2wumYqK KOBO: http://bit.ly/2xfMbSX About Holidays Ever After: Which holiday hottie will you unwrap first? No matter the time of the year, it’s always the season for seduction! From Spicy to Sweet and everything in between, this sizzling boxed set of TWENTY contemporary romances from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors will give you tons of holiday hunks to fall in love with. Inside these pages you’ll find everything from sexy strangers and brooding billionaires to marines, firefighters, and the guy next door. Whether you’re in the mood for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, or a New Year’s celebration, this limited edition Holiday Ever After anthology is packed with exclusive, full-length titles to lift your spirits. From Halloween to Kwanzaa, Valentines Day, Norooz, and the Fourth of July, these stories will give your holiday season extra spark and will be the best romantic holiday bundle to hit your ereader this year! Get ready to heat up your holidays when you treat yourself to Holidays Ever After! Including stories from… Colleen Charles Monica Corwin Amy L. Gale Becca Fanning Victoria Pinder Alexa Padgett Tuesday Embers Khardine Gray Holly Dodd Liz Gavin Jillian Quinn Courtney Hunt Vivi Holt Kristen Luciani Astrid Arditi Rebekah R. Ganiere Jessica Gray Ja’Nese Dixon Teresa Roman Angela Corbett
0 notes
Photo
🎁Just in time for the holidays🎁
🎁Grab yourself a gift🎁
For just .99￠
Holidays Ever After: Contemporary Romance Holiday Boxed Set
Hosted by Words Turn Me On #WordsTurnMeOnHEAPR
20 Holiday Hotties from 20 of your favorite authors
Seduction for all Seasons
Which holiday hottie will you unwrap first?
No matter the time of the year, it’s always the season for seduction!
From Spicy to Sweet and everything in between, this sizzling boxed set of TWENTY contemporary romances from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors will give you tons of holiday hunks to fall in love with.
Inside these pages you’ll find everything from sexy strangers and brooding billionaires to marines, firefighters, and the guy next door.
Whether you’re in the mood for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, or a New Year’s celebration, this limited edition Holiday Ever After anthology is packed with exclusive, full-length titles to lift your spirits. From Halloween to Kwanzaa, Valentine's Day, Norooz, and the Fourth of July, these stories will give your holiday season extra spark and will be the best romantic holiday bundle to hit your ereader this year!
Get ready to heat up your holidays when you treat yourself to Holidays Ever After!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074X6DWD9/
Barnes and Noble: https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/holidays-ever-after-colleen-charles/1126983693?ean=2940154744468
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/holidays-ever-after/id1272175261?mt=11
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/holidays-ever-after
Reader's Signed Paperback Giveaway
http://www.astridarditi.com/giveaways/holidays-ever-after-paperback-giveaway/
Including stories from…
Colleen Charles ⧫ Monica Corwin ⧫ Amy L. Gale ⧫ Becca Fanning ⧫ Victoria Pinder ⧫ Alexa Padgett
Tuesday Embers ⧫ Khardine Gray ⧫ Holly Dodd ⧫ Liz Gavin ⧫ Jillian Quinn ⧫ Courtney Hunt ⧫ Vivi Holt
Kristen Luciani ⧫ Astrid Arditi ⧫ Rebekah R. Ganiere ⧫ Jessica Gray ⧫Ja’Nese Dixon ⧫ Teresa Roman ⧫ Angela Corbett
#Release Blitz#Holiday Anthology#20 authors#$0.99 for a limited time#Romance#Hosted by Words Turn Me On
0 notes
Photo
TWENTY CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES BY BESTSELLING & AWARD WINNING AUTHORS Pre-Order NOW for ONLY $0.99 Cents Amazon: https://goo.gl/R32qUT Kobo: https://goo.gl/aNCQQB Nook: https://goo.gl/bc5gva iTunes: https://goo.gl/i8Agha Google Play: https://goo.gl/c2KXZ7 Website: https://www.holidayseverafter.com/ Thunderclap: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/61470-holidays-ever-after Which holiday hottie will you unwrap first? No matter the time of the year, it’s always the season for seduction! From Spicy to Sweet and everything in between, this sizzling boxed set of TWENTY contemporary romances from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors will give you tons of holiday hunks to fall in love with. Inside these pages you’ll find everything from sexy strangers and brooding billionaires to marines, firefighters, and the guy next door. Whether you’re in the mood for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, or a New Year’s celebration, this limited edition Holiday Ever After anthology is packed with exclusive, full-length titles to lift your spirits. From Halloween to Kwanzaa, Valentine’s Day, Norooz, and the Fourth of July, these stories will give your holiday season extra spark and will be the best romantic holiday bundle to hit your ereader this year! Get ready to heat up your holidays when you treat yourself to Holidays Ever After! Including stories from… Colleen Charles | Monica Corwin | Amy L. Gale | Becca Fanning | Victoria Pinder | Alexa Padgett | Tuesday Embers | Khardine Gray | Allyson Lindt | Liz Gavin | Jillian Quinn | Courtney Hunt | Vivi Holt | Kristen Luciani | Astrid Arditi | Rebekah R. Ganiere | Jessica Gray | Ja’Nese Dixon | Teresa Roman | Angela Corbett PRE-ORDER AND CLAIM YOUR FREE COOKBOOK AND COLORING BOOK HERE: Giveaways: https://www.holidayseverafter.com/giveaway Chance Promotions
0 notes
Text
I devoured these Persian shirini with my eyes on my way to Alborz High School
Hello lovely folks! Here I am on a rainy Friday in Tehran tending to my blogging duties. I’m forsaking you not, so forsake me not! The world is going coocoo
Let’s dive in. I didn’t make any new year resolutions for 2017 but with Norooz (the Persian new year) looming oh so close, I do feel the pull of “shaking the house” tradition of spring cleaning and clearing and creating closures for loose ends. A “house” can have many literal and figurative meanings (not just our abode but our mind, our spirit, our thoughts, our relationships and all the places we store things and memories dear to us) and for me the strongest pull of organizing and cleaning up the clutter is to share long overdue stories and photos of my second epic visit to sojourn in Iran here with you. I am determined to pull this off and to avoid perfectionist traps that lead to paralysis, I’ll forego a clever or thematic structure of postings and stick to a loosey goosey photo essay format and start at the top of my iPhone album with whatever lies in wait for us there (never mind the season or relevance) and start sharing and purging away. Thus, it so happens that we commence with a photo-story of my encounter with Alborz High School.
The street sign for the high school is also called “Alborz”
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Alborz is the name of a glorious mountain range in Iran and it is also the name of one of the oldest and most illustrious high schools in Tehran. I wasn’t very familiar with Alborz High School, but in the course of Zeerak Media (the digital company I told you in an earlier post that started here in Tehran) working on a crowdfunding project on behalf of some Alborz alumni, I got to visit the school and get quite familiar with its past and current story and history. I can’t possibly articulate the full account here, it’ll be too long and tedious, and there are many things that I’d love to articulate that for one reason or another must remain unsaid. Let’s let the pictures tell a thousand words.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Speaking of pictures, the team and crew of the prominent Iranian documentary filmmakers Mehrdad Oskoyee shot a poignant film about Alborz High School and I got to witness a bit part of it on one of my visits.
This is a snapshot of 2 adorable boys leaving the gymnasium.
Fig & Quince goes to Alborz HighSchool Hello lovely folks! Here I am on a rainy Friday in Tehran tending to my blogging duties.
#Alborz#Alborz High School#alburz#azita houshiar#epic trip#Food blogger#Persian#Tehran Iran#travel in iran
0 notes
Text
Holidays 3.21
Holidays
Act Happy Day [3rd Monday]
Aizu Higan Shishi (a.k.a. Sanbiki Shishimai; End of Winter Lion Dance; Japan)
Akitu (Mesopotamian spring festival, "cutting of the barley," celebrating Marduk's victory over Tiamat)
Ancient Babylonian New Year
Arbor Day (Portugal)
Back Badge Day (Gloucestershire, UK)
Bampflugnax Day (Guyana)
Benito Juarez Fiestas Patrias (Mexico) [3rd Monday]
Big Bang Day
Bird Day (Iowa)
Birkebeinerrennet (Norway)
Children's Poetry Day
Common Courtesy Day
Dangerous Dan's Annual Coffee Cup Washing Day [3rd Monday]
Dribble to Work Day [3rd Monday]
Education Freedom Day
Egyptian Harvest Festival
End of the World Day [Predicted by Leonardo Da Vinci for 4006]
Global Understanding Day
Harmony Day (Australia)
Hogithum (Elder Scrolls)
Human Rights Day (South Africa)
Independence Day (Namibia; from South Africa, 1990)
International Colour Day
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN)
International Day of Forests (UN)
Memory Day
Mother's Day (Arab nations)
Music Day
National Countdown Day
National Day of Action on Syringe Exchange
National Flower Day
National Fragrance Day
National Healthy Fats Day
National Rosie the Riveter Day
National Single Parent Day
National Teenager Day
National Tree Planting Day (Lesotho)
Nowruz (New Year) [Day 2, Around Spring Equinox] (a.k.a. ...
International Day of Nowruz (UN)
Narooz (Persian New Year; Iran, Kyrgyzstan)
Nauroz (India)
Nauruz (Afghan New Year; Afghanistan)
Nauryz Meyramy (Kazakhstan)
Navro’z Bayrami (Uzbekistan)
Navruz (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
Naw-Rúz (Baha’i)
Nevruz (Albania)
Newroz (Iran, Kurdistan, Mesopotamia)
Norooz (Iram, Kyrgyzstan, Zoroastrian)
Novruz (Azerbaijan, Tajikistan)
Nowruz (Spring Day; Iraq)
Nyepi Day (Day of Silence; Bali, Indonesia)
Oberon Day
Oltenia Day (Romania)
Ougadi (Mauritius)
Paper Dress Day
Race Relations Day
Single Parents’ Day
Slytherin Pride Day
Spring Fairy Fun Day
Tea and Telphi Day (Ireland)
Telugu New Year (India)
Truant's Day (Faroe Islands, Poland)
Twitter Day
Wellderly Day [3rd Monday]
World Down Syndrome Day
World Folk Tale and Fable Day [3rd Monday]
World Forestry Day
World Poetry Day
World Puppetry Day
Yngismannadagur (Young Men’s Day; Iceland)
Youth Day (Tunisia)
Food & Drink Celebrations
California Strawberry Day
French Bread Day
Gallo Wine Day
National Crunchy Taco Day
World Vermouth Day
Feast Days
Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello (Christian; Saint)
Benedict, Passing of (Order of Saint Benedict, pre-1970 Calendar; Christian)
Birillus (Christian; Saint)
Dionysia (Ancient Greek Festival to Dionysus, God of Intoxication)
Enda of Aran (a.k.a. Enna of Ireland; Christian; Saint)
Festival of Salii (Jumping Priests; Ancient Rome)
John the Evangelist (Positivist; Saint)
Nicholas of Flüe (Christian; Saint)
Purification of the Trumpets (Ancient Rome)
Serapion of Thmuis (a.k.a. The Sindonite; Christian; Saint))
Shunki-Korei-Sai (Ancestral Spirits Rite; Shinto)
Thomas Cranmer (Anglicanism)
Xena Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)
Lucky & Unlucky Days
Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]
Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 14 of 60)
Today is Also…
Day of Year: Day 80 of 2022; 285 days remaining in the year
ISO: Day 1 of week 12 of 2022
Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 4 of 28]
Chinese: Month 2 (Xìngyuè), Day 19 (Gui-You)
Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)
Hebrew: 18 Adar II 5782
Islamic: 17 Sha-ban 1443
J Cal: 20 Ver; Fiveday [20 of 30]
Julian: 8 March 2022
Moon: 86% Waning Gibbous
Positivist: 24 Aristotle (3rd Month) [John the Evangelist]
Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 8 of 15]
Season: Spring (Day 2 of 90)
Zodiac: Aries (Day 1 of 30)
Calendar Changes
Aries (The Ram) begins [Zodiac Sign 1; thru 4.19]
1 note
·
View note
Text
Holidays 3.21
Holidays
Aizu Higan Shishi (a.k.a. Sanbiki Shishimai; End of Winter Lion Dance; Japan)
Akitu (Mesopotamian spring festival, "cutting of the barley," celebrating Marduk's victory over Tiamat)
American Chocolate Week begins [3rd Sunday]
Ancient Babylonian New Year
Arbor Day (Portugal)
Back Badge Day (Gloucestershire, UK)
Bampflugnax Day (Guyana)
Benito Juárez Fiestas Patrias (Mexico)
Big Bang Day
Bird Day (Iowa)
Birkebeinerrennet (Norway)
Buzzard Sunday (a.k.a. National Buzzard Day) [Sunday after 15th]
California Strawberry Day
Children's Poetry Day
Common Courtesy Day
Dionysia (Ancient Greek Festival to Dionysus, God of Intoxication)
Education Freedom Day
Egyptian Harvest Festival
End of the World Day [Predicted by Leonardo Da Vinci in 4006]
Feast of Orthodoxy (Greek Orthodox) [1st Sunday in Great Lent; 2021]
Fifth Sunday in Lent (Western Christianity) (a.k.a. ...
Care Sunday
Carling Sunday
Passion Sunday
Passiontide begins [lasts 2 weeks]
Solidarity Sunday
French Bread Day
Global Understanding Day
Harmony Day (Australia)
Hogithum (Elder Scrolls)
Human Rights Day (South Africa)
Independence Day (Namibia; from South Africa, 1990)
International Colour Day
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN)
International Day of Forests
International Day of Nowruz (UN)
Memory Day
Mother's Day (Arab nations)
National Buzzard Day [Sunday after 3.15]
National Countdown Day
National Crunchy Taco Day
National Day of Action on Syringe Exchange
National Flower Day
National Fragrance Day
National Healthy Fats Day
National Single Parent Day
National Teenager Day
National Tree Planting Day (Lesotho)
Narooz (Persian New Year; Iran, Kyrgyzstan)
Nauroz (India)
Nauruz (Afghan New Year; Afghanistan)
Nauryz Meyramy (Persian New Year; Kazakhstan)
Navro’z Bayrami (Persian New Year; Uzbekistan)
Naw-Rúz (Baha’i)
Norooz (Zoroastrian)
Novruz (Azerbaijan, Tajikistan)
Newroz (Iran, Kurdistan, Mesopotamia)
Nowruz (Spring Day; Iraq)
Nyepi Day (Day of Silence; Bali, Indonesia)
Oberon Day
Oltenia Day (Romania)
Orthodox Sunday (Orthodox Christian)
Ougadi (Mauritius)
Paper Dress Day
Race Relations Day
Root Canal Awareness Week begins [3rd Sunday]
Shunki-Korei-Sai (Ancestral Spirits Rite; Shinto)
Silly Sunday [3rd Sunday]
Single Parents’ Day
Slytherin Pride Day
Telugu New Year (India)
Truant's Day (Faroe Islands, Poland)
Twitter Day
World Down Syndrome Day
World Forestry Day
World Poetry Day
World Puppetry Day
Yngismannadagur (Young Men’s Day; Iceland)
Youth Day (Tunisia)
Christian Feast Days
Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello
Benedict, Passing of (Order of Saint Benedict, pre-1970 Calendar)
Birillus
Enda of Aran (a.k.a. Enna of Ireland)
Nicholas of Flüe
Serapion of Thmuis (a.k.a. The Sindonite)
Thomas Cranmer (Anglicanism)
0 notes
Text
Holidays Ever After: Contemporary Romance Holiday Boxed Set Publication date: December 5th 2017 Genres: Adult, Romance
Which holiday hottie will you unwrap first?
No matter the time of the year, it’s always the season for seduction!
From Spicy to Sweet and everything in between, this sizzling boxed set of TWENTY contemporary romances from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors will give you tons of holiday hunks to fall in love with.
Inside these pages you’ll find everything from sexy strangers and brooding billionaires to marines, firefighters, and the guy next door.
Whether you’re in the mood for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, or a New Year’s celebration, this limited edition Holiday Ever After anthology is packed with exclusive, full-length titles to lift your spirits. From Halloween to Kwanzaa, Valentines Day, Norooz, and the Fourth of July, these stories will give your holiday season extra spark and will be the best romantic holiday bundle to hit your ereader this year!
Get ready to heat up your holidays when you treat yourself to Holidays Ever After!
Including stories from…
Colleen Charles
Monica Corwin
Amy L. Gale
Becca Fanning
Victoria Pinder
Alexa Padgett
Tuesday Embers
Khardine Gray
Holly Dodd
Liz Gavin
Jillian Quinn
Courtney Hunt
Vivi Holt
Kristen Luciani
Astrid Arditi
Rebekah R. Ganiere
Jessica Gray
Ja’Nese Dixon
Teresa Roman
Angela Corbett
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
SNEAK PEEKS:
A Moonlight Serenade
By: Alexa Padgett
Playlist for this book:
I have to say, I adore music and I really try to listen to a wide range of it.
My favorite song, that I listened to often while writing this book, is Reason Why by Ron Pope. Other songs include:
Closer by the Chain Smokers, featuring Halsey
Not Easy by Alex da Kid, X Ambassadors, and Elle King
If We Were Vampires by Jason Isbell
Animals by Alex & Sierra
Million Reasons by Lady Gaga
Wild Irish Rose by George Jones
The Long and Winding Road by the Beatles
Patience by Guns N Roses
The question my ARC readers asked most often is how I came up with the idea to make Ryn an early child music teacher. Well…I spent ten years taking my girls to these classes. We’re a musical family, and I wanted to make sure each of my kids had a strong foundation–and the ability to sing to pitch. It’s paying off, too! (Though, if I ever hear that hello song again, I might curl up in a ball. Did you not read I did this for a DECADE? Every week…ten years…that song gets OLD.)
But I digress…My oldest daughter learned “Hallelujah” on the piano last week and she and my middle daughter put on an impromptu concert. I love hearing them make a song their own. Yeah, kind of like Ryn (but I have WAY less music talent).
Excerpt:
“I have a surprise for you, Mercer Island. One of my favorite female singers is here, just waiting to sing you my favorite carol.”
I stiffened, but it was nothing compared to the tenseness radiating from Ryn. Mila’s face lost its smile. She touched Ryn’s arm.
“He didn’t tell me. I would’ve told him not to.”
“He doesn’t mean me,” Ryn said, voice faint.
“You know why it’s my favorite?” Murphy winked. “Because she’s singing it.”
The crowd hooted and howled. Small children screamed and clapped. Probably the best tree lighting concert they’d ever have.
“Join me, Ryn Hudson. The folks here need some more Christmas spirit.”
Ryn turned to me, wide-eyed. Murphy boxed her in, and I wasn’t happy about it. And by the pulse beating in her throat, she wasn’t either.
“I don’t perform in front of crowds,” she whispered, her voice as desperate as her eyes.
Murphy beckoned her up, beaming like he’d just handed her a huge cash check. The areswipe! I might just bloody his face for this.
“It’ll be all right,” I said, keeping my voice soothing. “It’s just like performing for your babies. You’re so good with them.”
“Because they’re babies! And they don’t care, really.”
The crowd began to grow impatient, craning to see who Murphy was waving to. The smile slid from his face as he caught a glimpse of mine, then Mila’s. Ryn’s was buried in my chest, as she shuddered through another breath.
“I’ll come up with you. You can do this.”
She tipped her head back and met my eyes. “What if I suck?”
I smiled as I swiped her cheek with the pad of my thumb. “You won’t because you can’t. That voice of yours is mesmerizing.”
She sucked in a breath and nodded. “Okay. But don’t leave me.”
I turned her toward the stage and clasped her hand. “Promise.”
She climbed the steps to the stage, her hand gripping mine. The crowd clapped politely but they already shifted, unsure of the newcomer who took too long to respond. My heart rose into my throat. The crowd needed to accept her, love her, like they had Murphy.
“Whatcha gonna sing for us, love?” Murphy asked.
She looked out over the audience, gauging their reaction to her. “Well, I didn’t really have anything planned.”
Murphy raised his eyebrow, as if his douchery finally settling over him. “Jake here says you like ‘Jingle Bells.’” Murphy smiled for the crowd, who hadn’t heard Ryn’s response, but this time his grin was strained.
Ryn took a deep breath and let go of my hand. She removed her mitten and held out her hand for the mic. Murphy handed it to her as trepidation built in his eyes. If Ryn bombed, Mila and I would ream his arse.
Before any of us could say anything, Ryn started singing. Those first few notes were midrange but powerful. “The First Noel…” As she continued to sing, Ryn closed her eyes and let the lyrics take her. I’d heard multiple stars sing this song. None gave me goosebumps like Ryn had when she hit the pure, high note in “Israel.”
The woman sang. And she did it without any accompaniment, without earplugs. Her talent overwhelmed me, and I stood as enraptured as the crowd as she finished the second verse.
She lowered the mic from her mouth and glanced back at me, where I stood in the shadows. “How was that?” she asked.
I stepped forward and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her close enough to whisper in her ear, “Amazing.”
She smiled and did a small wave before handing the microphone back to Murphy.
Murphy grinned and bowed.
She turned to leave, but the crowd booed, then began chanting, “More, more!”
I hissed out a breath, thankful and a bit overwhelmed by their reaction.
“How about one more song?” Murphy asked, wiggling his eyebrows. His piercing caught and flashed in the lights. “Give us a mo’ to confer. We’ve not sung together before.”
He turned off the mic and walked over to us. His face morphed onto the pained look I knew well. “I’m a bloody arse.”
“I don’t really like to sing for crowds.”
“Why not?” Murphy’s surprise built. “Bloody fucking Christ! With pipes like those, I’d sing my way through life. And make some fine quid doing so.”
“She doesn’t, and that’s all that matters,” I growled, stepping closer to my brother.
Murphy met my gaze, his features austere in the lights. “Got it. Won’t happen again.” He blew out a breath. “Any song we all know so the crowd doesn’t riot?”
“‘Jingle Bells,’” Ryn and I said in unison. I grinned down at her, excited that we were already sync—excited to share my love of music with her.
Murphy turned on and raised the mic. “We need two more microphones and a stand,” he said, buying us a few more seconds. He dropped the mic back to his side.
I smiled down at Ryn. “We can ask the kids to sing, which the parents will like.”
“Smart, mate,” Murphy said. “But I haven’t played that one in years. A bit rusty on the chords.”
“I’ll play it,” Ryn said. “That is if you don’t mind me taking your instrument.”
“No worries.” Murphy handed it to her, and she took off her other glove, shoving it into her left pocket. Once the microphones were in place, we turned toward the audience, almost in perfect synchronization, and smiled.
“We’ve got a classic for ya,” Murphy crowed. The crowd hollered.
Ryn strummed the notes and all movement in the audience stopped. “All right, boys. Let’s jingle some bells.”
Murphy and I joined her, letting Ryn’s guitar chords set the pace. I went to stand next to her while Murphy hammed it up with the crowd.
“Remember how I did it with the kids?” she asked.
I nodded.
“Okay, that’s how we’re playing this audience.”
She began to play and Murphy stepped back, letting her own the limelight. Once again, Ryn’s voice was killer—precise yet meltingly sweet. Murphy kept time on his thigh, joining in for the chorus. I added some deeper bass as Ryn worked her way up to harmonize with Murphy. He grinned at her as she met him note for note. By the last verse, we owned the song. The crowd clapped and sang along. This was one of the best highs I’d ever gotten while performing.
“Your turn!” Murphy called to the crowd. “Jingle Bells…”
Their voices filled the cold night air, the festive mood building with each note.
“Fair dinkum!” Murphy yelled when it ended. “What did I tell ya? Ryn Hudson, everyone.”
We took our bows and headed off the stage. As the crowd surged forward, no doubt wanting our autographs, Claude and the rest of the security team stepped in front of us, a human line just behind the metal barricade.
Mila latched on to Murphy’s arm and from the set of her lips, I doubted Murphy would like her next comments. He hung his head and nodded as Mila led him away.
“You ready to be off?” I asked.
“She does have him in hand, huh?” Ryn said, her gaze lingering on Murphy and Mila, who was still giving him an earful.
“I’ll make sure he apologizes for putting you on the spot like that.”
Ryn laughed, and I realized she was still on the high from a great performance. “It’s fine. Mila’s dealing with him, and I had fun. Lots of it.”
I brushed her hair back and pulled out her mittens from her pockets, holding them up so she could slide her reddened fingers back inside. “I’m glad.”
“Ryn!” The voice was female, urgent. We both turned to see the sheila from her flat. Sam, Ryn had said. Her dead husband’s twin. Not bloody likely this would go well.
Sam plowed forward, chest heaving and cheeks stained with tears. “What were you thinking? You never perform for crowds!”
“I didn’t plan to, Sam. Murphy blindsided me. If he’d asked, I would’ve said no.”
“Please.” Sam’s voice dripped with scorn. “Clearly the limelight suits you.” She looked me over, her face crumpling. “Why are you here—with him?” Sam pointed at me. “What about Dez?”
The Virgin and the Kingpin
By: Allyson Lindt
The December cold bit into Andrew’s face when he stepped into the evening. It was a nice change from the hot air blowing inside. The salt on the sidewalk crunched beneath his shoes, sounding louder than it should in the still night. He wandered the frozen path, past iced-over bushes and pine trees.
Susan stood near a balcony overlooking the mountainside. She didn’t look up as he approached, but when he reached her, she spun in the other direction and brushed past him. “I’ll leave you alone.”
He grabbed her arm harder than he intended, and she let out a half-groan, half-hiss. It wasn’t an irritated noise. She liked it? He dropped his hand away quickly. “You wanted to talk?”
“Don’t worry about it.” Her tone was dismissive. “You’ll enjoy your evening more if you find someone who doesn’t rattle whatever skeletons you and Mercy have, to keep you company.”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s not what you think—I almost guarantee it—but you don’t want to hang out with a guy like me.”
“Because…?”
“I’m a bad influence.” That was as close to the truth as he cared to get. He didn’t mind weaving a tale, but he wasn’t fond of the one where he almost lost Mercy’s friendship.
“‘Kay. ’Cause I’ve never heard that before. I wanted to talk for a few minutes. It wasn’t like I was proposing we set up our gift registry.” A gust sliced through the night, and she shivered and rubbed her arms.
He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. And now she was a petite miss in an oversized coat, and that was more tempting. Damn it. He needed to remind himself why this fascination was unhealthy, prove to her she should be disgusted by him, and abide by Mercy’s request. “You’re not offering the kind of company I prefer.”
“And yet, you haven’t left.”
Good point. Why didn’t he let her walk away? Better question—why were they having this conversation outside? “You’ve got me curious as to what this is about.”
“You said you’ve helped people deal with performance issues.” She cringed and bit her bottom lip. “You know what I mean.”
Because sometimes he didn’t know when to shut his mouth and walk away. This time he’d do it consciously, though. He’d deter her once and for all. “I do know. And I was talking specifically about fucking on camera.”
She didn’t flinch. “You also said there was more to it. How does it work?”
“You don’t want details, Suzie-Q. It’s all about debauchery and fetish and getting off in public.” This way he could convince himself he’d warned her. It was hard to tell if the pink on her cheeks was embarrassment or from the cold. Either way, she’d ask for more information, then realize her mistake, and the discussion would be over.
“And there’s got to be a universal principal in there somewhere. Something I can use. I’ll filter out the screwing and process the rest,” she said.
Title: Candles and You
Author: Ja’Nese Dixon
Website: www.janesedixon.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ja’Nese Dixon writes tales of romance laced with strong women and stronger men. My happily ever afters are meant to inspire. So, if you’re looking for a page turner that will leave you blushing, with your heart racing, and lying to yourself about reading “just one more chapter” then grab a book.
Get four free short stories and access to early copies of my books. Sign up here: http://www.janesedixon.com/subscribe.
EXCERPT
“Stop staring at the man and say something?”
Imani found working with Adrianna at the bar was worse than working at the studio. At least at the studio she could pull rank and kick her out the office.
“What man?” She let out a long audible breath.
“The man that has you spilling drinks and stepping on my toes.”
“Ouch!” She stomped on Imani’s foot and wiggled out of reach.
Imani had been preoccupied with trying to see the features of his face. The booth he selected was tucked away off to the side. The overhead lights barely illuminated the table top. It was the table repeat customers chose when they wanted to partake of the live music and robust menu and have privacy.
It was public yet private. So private they’d witnessed more than one heated exchange going on in that booth over the length of her employment. It wasn’t called the make-out booth for nothing.
Imani stole glances at him for most of the afternoon. She could see the top of his arm covered in a white dress shirt and the swirled tattoo on his forearm. That must be his girlfriend. She reasoned as the olive-skinned brunette took her seat across from him.
“You think that’s his girlfriend?” Imani whispered. Adrianna topped off the customer’s soft drink and walked over to stand beside her.
“If she’s not, she wanna be.” She dried her hands on her apron.
Imani faced her, “What makes you say that?”
“That man is a sexual magnet, paid with a Titanium Card, and his eyes,” she shook her head and raised her hand in the truth, “panty droppers.”
“For real?” Imani hissed. The forced air behind panty made curiosity dance through her veins.
“For. Real.” She glanced over at the table as if validating her statement. Her face twisting in agony and she nodded.
Imani glanced back over there. The last thing she needed was to stare into his panty-dropper eyes. She wanted to ask Adrianna more but a warning voice in her head warned her to leave it alone.
There was no room in her life for men. Life was hectic enough without adding sexy, magnetic, panty-dropping men to the equation and her panties needed to stay in place. The last man she’d given her heart passed her up for a bigger fish and left her without so much as a blink of an eye. Her time was better spent trying to find another job.
“Have you heard from your landlord?”
“I got a letter about a new owner. But they didn’t mention the balance and I didn’t either. I sent what I could, hoping it will hold me over.”
$1250 a month times six months left her owing the new landlord at least $7,500. It might as well have been a cool million because she didn’t have a hundred dollars to her name. She hated owing people.
She was ashamed to admit what she sent barely covered the late fees but she still had to pay the utilities at the studio on top of her own household expenses.
“How long you think that’s going to last? You can’t keep doing this to yourself. This dance studio is like a leech draining you dry.”
“Why would you say that? What’s wrong with giving my students culture?” Imani stiffened at her harsh analogy.
“Ain’t nobody got time for that!” She turned to Imani tossing a towel in the sink. “Culture won’t feed you and pay your bills.”
Tears stung her eyes. But she didn’t have time to cry or feel sorry for herself. She needed a plan.
“Is he cute?” It was better to talk about the panty dropper than her landlord.
It was Adrianna’s turn to shrug, “He’s alright for a white boy. You know I like my papi chulo sun kissed, bilingual, and Spanish in his blood. Can’t have my momma passing out on me.”
“Indeed, your mom would pass out if you brought anything but a Hispanic man home.” Imani laughed.
“That’s why I keep my business my business.” She tossed her blonde hair and headed to the other end of the bar to check on a customer.
Adrianna talked a good game but she had a man. Her traditional ways went to her core from cooking authentic Mexican food to Salsa dancing every Thursday night. Imani looked back at his exposed skin, it didn’t look white but not brown either. More like a warm beige. His head turned in her direction and she felt trapped. Unable to look away, but unable to see his face either.
The young lady returned to the table and Imani spun around, facing the mirrored wall behind the bar. She glanced up into the reflection and watched him lean forward. The light caught his profile with his thick wavy dark brown hair. He smiled up at his companion.
Imani’s stomach clinched. He had a deep dimple.
She watched the young lady leave the table carrying her purse and shoulder bag. They must be done for the afternoon. She wanted to see this mystery man for herself.
GIVEAWAYS!
You can enter to win a box of books here as well as gift cards via the Rafflecopter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Holidays Ever After Book Blitz – Day 3 Holidays Ever After: Contemporary Romance Holiday Boxed Set Publication date: December 5th 2017 Genres: Adult, Romance…
0 notes