Interview D.K. Deters Author of Christmas Once Again
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to D.K. Deters, author of Christmas Once Again. Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets find out a little about D.K. and see what Christmas Once Again is all about. Thanks for joining us!
Hi Tena. Thanks for having me.
What inspired this particular story?
I was watching a news broadcast about ordinary people pitching together to save a stranger’s life. It got me to thinking about how one selfless act could be life-changing. Since I always get sentimental around the holidays, a Christmas romance felt right.
What makes you laugh out loud?
By far, those hilarious everyday events that we couldn’t have orchestrated even if we tried. Check out my favorite holiday memory below.
What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
It’s hard to pick just one, but we love it when our children and their families can make it home for Christmas.
Why did you choose the cover concept you did?
The cover artist asked me to pick two significant elements from the story. I chose a missing painting, which may or may not have special powers and a cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Favorite holiday memory?
When my son was in kindergarten, he played Santa in a grade school holiday program. Classmates took on the roles of the reindeer, all decked out with cute little pipe cleaner antlers and connected with holiday garland.
At the back of the auditorium, they waited for their cue. My son held on to the reins (the garland) while standing inside Santa’s sleigh (a big box with a shoulder harness.) The eight tiny reindeer took off at a run with their sites on the stage. As Santa hustled along at top speed, his beard and pointy hat bouncing, the sleigh slid forward and tilted up as if could fly. Now Santa couldn’t see ahead, and he had to rely on his reindeer to get him past the audience. In a flurry, the children arrived center stage to laughter and applause.
I still chuckle when I think about it. (And thank goodness, no one was injured.)
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite Christmas movie: Serendipity
Favorite Christmas book: Elf
Last Christmas or holiday book read: Elf
Favorite color: Red
Stilettos or flipflops or elf shoes: Flipflops
Coffee or tea or hot chocolate: Coffee
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: Ebook
Pencil or pen or candy cane: Pen
Favorite Christmas Carole or song: Mistletoe
All-time favorite Christmas present: Ring
Favorite dessert: Pie
Christmas Candy or Cake: Candy
Favorite thing to do to relax during the holidays Read
Champagne or gin or eggnog: Champagne
Paranormal or Historical: Historical
Wonder Woman or Top Model or Tinkerbell: Wonder Woman
Favorite Christmas or holiday TV show: Disney
Hot or cold: Hot
POV: Third
I’d die if I don’t have: Coffee
Review or Not: Review
Click on the cover to read more or purchase!
Tell us a little about Christmas Once Again.
She’s dead broke. And eviction looms. On Christmas Eve antique consultant Madison Knight takes a phone call from local rancher Zach Murdock. Through a mix-up at an estate sale, Madison’s company purchased his grandmother’s beloved painting. He offers double the money for its return.
Madison risks her job to track down the artwork, but success falls short when she’s stuck in a blizzard. Stranded, she seeks help from a frontier family. Are they living off the grid, or did she somehow travel through time?
Zach’s the only person who knows her plan. He also knows a secret about his gran’s painting. It’s up to him to rescue Madison, but maybe he’s not cut out to be a hero.
How about a sneak peek between the pages of Christmas Once Again?
“My grandmother had an estate sale last week, and she didn’t want it sold, unfortu—”
“Oh?” She should’ve kept quiet. Run-ins with greedy family members happened in the antique business, and a judging attitude didn’t increase revenues.
“It wasn’t on purpose,” he said. “The day was chaotic, and someone had shuffled around the artwork. We didn’t realize it was missing until a couple of days ago, and it took this long to sort out the mix-up and discover your shop bought it.”
She felt guilty for jumping to the wrong conclusion. “I see how that could happen. It’s obvious the piece is treasured by your grandmother. If it becomes necessary, we have the resources to find a similar style. Is there a specific artist or significance?”
Held hostage by the slow computer response and trying not to rush him, she picked up one of the hand weights, intending to fit in a few curls.
“Keep in mind Gran’s ninety-two, and she thinks…”
“Uh-huh.” With her free hand, she grabbed the latte and took a sip.
“Gran thinks it holds a special power.”
Madison chose that moment to swallow, and the creamy espresso went down the wrong pipe. A dry, hacking cough followed, and she dropped her hand weight, which thudded on the carpet. For heaven’s sake, he didn’t hear her, did he?
You can purchase Christmas Once Again at: Amazon The Wild Rose Press Barnes & Noble
About the Author:
D.K. Deters credits her parents, who grew up in southeastern Kansas, for inspiration to write about the Old West. From an early age, the likes of Jesse James and the Dalton Gang were often included in family lore. To this day, she’s not sure how much is true.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Business, D. K. followed a profession in the telecommunications industry before turning to a writing career. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her adult children and their families.
D.K. loves to hear from readers and other authors!
Email: dkdetersauthor@hotmail.com
Social Media:
Website: www.dkdeters.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dk_deters
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/dkdeterscom
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/d-k-deters
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18486948.D_K_Deters
Thank you for having me on your blog. Happy Holidays!
It was wonderful having you with us today. Enjoy your holidays and don’t drink too much egg nog. LOL Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Christmas Once Again!
Visits: 409
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Christmas, Christmas Once Again, Contemporary, D.K. Deters, fantasy, Holiday, Paranormal, Time travel, Western by Tena Stetler with 20 comments.
Interview Lea Ryan Author of Wild Spirits of the Hollow
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Lea and her Wild Spirits of the Hollow.
What secret do you use to blast through writer’s block?
I plot my stories out pretty meticulously, so I don’t get much writer’s block. If I do get stuck, I find that it’s because I didn’t think that scene through in enough detail to begin with. I step back, reassess the notes, and figure out where to go from there. When it does happen, it’s usually a matter of figuring out how to get from one point to another in a way that flows. Staying in that document, staring at the blinking cursor does not help!
What inspired you to write?
My love of books is definitely what inspired me to write. I was a huge bookworm as a kid. I tend to want to imitate what I love. I love fantasy and paranormal fiction, any story that removes me from the real world. And that’s what I write. I love that anything can happen in those kinds of stories. Those worlds are way more exciting than my office job, for sure!
Where do your story ideas come from? If they come to you in the middle of the night, do you get up and write them all down?
My ideas come from many places. I keep notes on things that I think are cool or interesting. They might come from television, movies, random tidbits I see on the internet. Sometimes, I might be driving and see something that gives me an idea that connects to another idea. A book or a story usually isn’t one idea; it’s more like a bunch of ideas strung together in some (hopefully) coherent form.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
When I’m not writing or hanging out with the fam, I spend way too much time on the PlayStation. My game of the moment is Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). Earlier this year it was Destiny 2 and a little bit of Uncharted 4, which I still need to finish. My primary on ESO is a Khajiit, and I’m currently at level 460ish. Oh, and Fallout 4. I’m still picking that one up on and off. My son plays that one as well. We are both looking forward to Fallout 76.
How about a sneak peek between the pages of Wild Spirits of the Hollow?I stood at the edge of the trees, staring at the light deep within the forest. Between it and me, a sea of shadow concealed the underbrush and all that lurked there. This forest, like many other forests, would have its insects, snakes, tangles of who-knew-what, maybe wildcats or some other thing ready to pounce on and maim me.After hours of walking along a secluded, mountain highway, my brain was thoroughly scrambled. I knew enough to know that, and I knew enough to not fully trust what I was seeing.
It might be a lie, the light, a mirage conjured by some desperate part of my mind. I’d told enough lies to others, why not myself?
A fantasy of stumbling upon a cabin with friendly occupants swam through my mind. They’d have food left over from dinner, a plate they’d be happy to hand over to someone who really needed it, and I did really need it. Lunch was a distant memory, as well as the Skittles from my backpack, my bottle of water. If I made it anywhere alive, I would really have to reevaluate my packing priorities.
I sighed. Unless I wanted to sleep next to the highway, that light was my only hope. I adjusted my backpack straps and stepped into the trees.
I plodded through the darkness in high tops that weren’t made for terrain any more intense than a mall floor. I also regretted wearing shorts and a t-shirt because there was no trail, only weeds and trees and rustling sounds made by small animals nearby.
All the while, the light in the distance remained bright, burning my eyes, but I kept my sights on it because that was hope, even if it never seemed to get any closer.
I kept my mind off my creepy surroundings by considering who I would be for the people who awaited me. Had someone picked me up as I attempted to hitchhike, that lucky individual would’ve had the opportunity to hang out with a model, who was on her way to Miami.
Everybody likes to hang out with famous people and people who are about to be famous. I’ve noticed this before. When I tell them whatever version of the story I’d concocted for the evening, their eyes would light up as if I had offered to take them along to fame and fortune.
The model story was my go-to. I was lanky and odd looking in a way that some people found attractive or interesting, at the very least, plausible model material. This was not the person I would be in the cabin. I didn’t have the energy to keep up the behaviors that went along with that lie.
Models didn’t eat substantial food. Models ate iceberg lettuce and drank lemon, cucumber water. My model did, anyway.
There in the woods with possible food ahead of me, there was no way I could keep that up. I didn’t care what food someone shoved under my nose. The idea of grilled opossum made my mouth water. Boiled weeds? Fine. I’d eat anything.
I tried to come up with another story, but the most compelling at that moment was my own. Broken car. Girl wandering the woods in hope of finding food and shelter. I was filthy and growing filthier by the minute. If I had scissors in my backpack, I would’ve chopped off at least half of my long, brown hair just to get rid of the tangles. That evening, I wouldn’t have to fake a look of utter desperation. So I let the story be what it was.
Visits: 547
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Contemporary, fantasy, fiction, Lea Ryan, Supernatural, Wild Spirits of the Hollow by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Interview Sophia Karlson Author of Perfect Mistake
Give a warm welcome to Sophia Karlson author of Perfect Mistake released today, June 6, 2018. Happy book birthday!
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Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Sophia Karlson and her Perfect Mistake.
What inspired this particular story?
Perfect Mistake was inspired by a lot of little things. We lived in Tanzania for a couple of years, and this time, paired with working in the luxury safari industry, got my mind going. When, on one flight with a small aircraft – the DHC in the book – I saw how the two pilots actually had to push the throttle together, hand on hand, I was like…yikes, that’s some awkward handholding for you…and then, hmm, could be kinda hot and really intimate if you have to do that with a colleague you have feelings for. Spark…sizzle and BAMM… book in the making!
Why did you choose the cover concept you did?
The couple on the cover have this perfect mix of love, intimacy, and hesitation in their bearing. This is a second chance romance, and on the cover it looks as if the man is trying to coax something out of the woman…which he is. He just doesn’t quite know that it is his secret baby! The story centers around poaching of elephant tusks, and therefore the elephants in the front.
Why should we read this book/series and what sets you apart from the rest and makes your book/series unique?
One thing that sets me apart must be the location. There aren’t a lot of romances floating around that has East Africa as setting. The theme of conservation and how to conserve wildlife is important to me and I love to create awareness – this is my contribution. Every little helps!
What secret do you use to blast through writer’s block? Telling myself there is no such thing as writer’s block! I find that if I hit writer’s block, something isn’t quite right in the earlier parts of the book. I used to be a pantser, now I’ve become an outline plotter. I think that helps with writer’s block. Or let’s just say, this theory is going to be put to the test in my next writing attempt.
What inspired you to write? And how long have you been writing.
I’ve wanted to write since I was thirteen and first started reading romances. Ever since I’ve always been writing, it’s a great escape from a boring job. I took my first writing course in 2009, but only got seriously involved in 2013.
Did you tell friends and family that you were writing a book? Or did it take a while to come out and tell friends and family you were a writer?
Ha! It took me ages to ‘come out’. I only started telling people when a Canadian friend of mine, who is a life coach, told me she is going to help me come out if I don’t do so myself. Nothing like a bit of pressure!
Do you see yourself in your characters?
I think all writers reveal some of their inner self in their characters. Hopefully we hide it well enough in our books so that those who know us well can’t pick up on it.
What do you want your readers to take away from your books?
I love taking readers on a journey to a place they might never be able to visit. The best gift ever, to me as writer, would be to inspire a reader to travel to a far off destination, just because she’d read one of my books with that location as a setting. I’ve done this myself – I’ve been to Madeira because of a romance I read when I was only fifteen, and made a point of visiting Strassbourg because of Goethe (I studied German literature way back when).
Where do your story ideas come from? If they come to you in the middle of the night, do you get up and write them all down?
I’m prone to get into bed and being unable to sleep as characters just start taking over in my head. Sometimes I write things down, but I’ve noticed that what Stephen King said is true: if it is a really good idea you will remember it in the morning.
Okay, you’re casting the movie version of your novel – who would you choose for the main characters? We’re talking dream cast. Richard Armitage would definitely be the lead male. I’d have Charlize Theron for the female lead, she’s South African too! She won’t need to work on her accent J
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite movie: The English Patient
Favorite book: Anything Georgette Heyer
Last book read: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Favorite color: Blue
Stilettos or flipflops: Flipflops
Coffee or tea: Tea
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: Ebook
Pencil or pen: pen
Favorite song: Chasing Cars by Snowpatrol
Streak or not: Streak!
Favorite dessert: Ice cream
Favorite junk food: Burger and chips
Favorite thing to do to relax: Read!
Champagne or gin: Both, but not mixed in the same glass 😉
Paranormal or Historical: Historical
Wonder Woman or Top Model: Wonder Woman
Favorite TV show: Masterchef (UK or Australia!)
Hot or cold: hot
POV: Third person (is this what you are asking 😉
I’d die if I don’t have: Books
Review or Not: Not, but lately more.
Tell us a bit about Perfect Mistake.
Simone Levin had a dream job as a safari pilot until an unexpected pregnancy clipped her wings. Tired of juggling motherhood with her demanding flight schedule, Simone applies for an office job, unaware that her new boss is Carlo Carlevaro, the man who’d ditched her before finding out he’d knocked her up. Carlo returns to East Africa only to kill another fire—Ivory trafficking from his lodges threatens to destroy his company. Finding Simone back on the payroll comes as a pleasant surprise. As his employee, Simone is off-limits, but she is the only one he trusts to help with his undercover investigation. With time running out, Simone and Carlo strive to expose the trafficking ring, but working together rekindles their mutual desire. When Simone is implicated as a trafficker, revealing her daughter’s existence to Carlo seems inevitable. Acting on her instincts might come too late as the syndicate retaliate and hone in their threat. Will they survive to give their love a chance?
How about a sneak peak between the pages of Perfect Mistake?
Simone went to stand next to him. “Why am I here?”
He turned to her. The dark shadows under his eyes were somehow more accentuated in the play of lamplight than in the bright sunshine. “Let’s talk somewhere else.”
“Where do you suggest? The guests are bound to arrive soon and you know we can’t walk around by ourselves after dark.”
“Come to my room.”
She inhaled sharply, her hands clenching into fists. “Is that why I’m here? Do you really think–”
With a soft groan, Carlo curled his fingers around her arm and pulled her onto the deck, away from the other people sitting in the lounge. “To your room then,” he whispered, “although I much prefer mine. And no scenes, if you please.” His hand was a ring of fire around her arm, propelling her to the wooden walkway.
He walked next to her but let go of her arm.
A few steps from her tent she stopped. “I don’t care who hears this. If you think we’re going to carry on where we left off four years ago you are very much mistaken.”
He didn’t blink an eye. “You seem to be singularly one-track-minded, Simone.”
Heat rose to her cheeks; it spread down her chest to her treacherous heart, which pounded at the thought of him. Why was he still able to do this to her? Being alone with him was the worst possible idea.
“Well, if not for that, why march me to my tent as if you would have your way–”
“You may still be devilishly tempting, Simone, but now that I’m your boss you’re completely off limits.”
About the author:
Sophia Karlson has lived in France, Germany, Tanzania, Madagascar (not the movie, the country!) and now finds herself back on home ground in South Africa. As a teenager, she devoured romances with far flung settings, loving to travel through books. After school her itchy feet took her around the world, but now she doesn’t get much further than the school run and the daily walk with her very demanding beagle, Phoebe. She writes contemporary and erotic romance, wanting to take readers on a journey of their own. She loves hearing from readers, follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.karlson.5, Twitter: @SophiaKarlson, on the web at www.sophiakarlson.com.
Social Media Links:
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SophiaKarlson
FB: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.karlson.5
Website: www.sophiakarlson.com
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Perfect Mistake!
Visits: 29
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Contemporary, East Africa, Ivory trafficking, Perfect Mistake, romantic suspense, Sophia Karlson by Tena Stetler with 9 comments.
Lost on the Road to Love with Kay Harris!
Give a warm welcome to the talented and prolific Kay Harris, author of Lost on the Road to Love, released yesterday, March 14, 2018!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about how you were Lost on the Road to Love. Thanks for being here Kay, I see you brought guests.
Yes, Henry Rushton and Chelsea Morrison from Lost on the Road to Love.
Wonderful, the more the merrier, I always say. Why don’t you tell us about writing Lost on the Road to Love? Was it fun or difficult? Do your characters always act as you expect? Are you a plotter, or fly (write) by the seat of your pants?
Writing Chelsea and Henry’s story was like getting to give all your favorite clothes and toys to your little sister and brother. Chelsea became important to me when I was writing “Don’t Let Him Go.” Like Jack, I came to see her as this adorable little sister with a fierce will. I wanted all the best for her.
Henry first came into my life in the Love on Tour series when he was just a baby. Henry is the son of the couple in the very first book I ever wrote. He and his parents hold a very special place in my heart. So getting to write about them again was a special treat for me.
I am a pantser, not a plotter. When I wrote this story Chelsea and Henry grabbed me by the nose and dragged me along for the ride. This may be the most character-driven story I’ve ever written. I wasn’t sure where it was headed until we got there. It was a very enjoyable journey!
Oh, I know exactly what you mean, I too am a pantser and my characters control the story. Okay, who wants to go first?
The gorgeous hunk setting next to me cleared his throat.
I guess I will, since I need to leave in a few minutes for an appointment.
Gee don’t sound so enthused. I don’t bite you know, well maybe just a little in fun. LOL
Tells us about the real you— What event in your past has left the most indelible impression on you?
My father is a rock star – like an actual rock star. I grew up loved and privileged. I’m not complaining about any of that. My dad was stable, didn’t have a drug problem, didn’t sleep around. He’s as normal as they get – except for the whole rock star thing. Anyway, when I was growing up girls flocked to me, not because they like me for me, but because I was the son of a rock star. It made me a little…leery of women.
What do you most value?
I value honesty above all things. I try to live a life true to myself and I try to always tell the truth to others. I want the same thing in return.
What is the type of woman you want to spend the rest of your life with?
This is going to sound so awful…so awful…but…someone like my mom. I don’t mean that in the ‘I want her to take care of me’ way. I mean that my mother is honest, genuine and never fails to be truly always herself. I want a woman like that.
What do you consider most important in life?
Family comes first for me. Then my career – not this stupid show I am doing just for some cash, my career as a writer. I want to make it. And I want to make it on my own, which is why I use a pen name. We’ll see how that goes…
What is your biggest secret?
Right now my biggest secret is that I have it bad for my best friend.
Thank you Henry. I see you looking at your watch, gotta go, huh? Thanks so much for being here. Chelsea you’re up next. Who are you really?
Geez…don’t start off easy or anything! I am a filmmaker, a sister, daughter, friend. I am a geek, and proud of it. I am a person who stands up what I believe in. And I am a hopeless romantic, though I hide that down deep.
Who were the biggest role models in your life?
My brother, Jack, who will go to great lengths to do what is right and my sister-in-law, Candace, who is one fierce woman.
What kind of man do you want to spend the rest of your life with?
I don’t know. I feel like that’s not really in the cards for me. I like men. I like to be with them. I am especially good at being friends with them. But I have a hard time picturing a forever situation. If I did find that guy he would be a lot like my best friend Henry. Oops. I probably shouldn’t have admitted to that.
What kind of man would you never choose?
An arrogant chauvinist, like my boss. Yuck.
What is most important to you in life?
My family for sure. I have great parents, two awesome brothers and one incredible sister-in-law. I am super lucky. After that, it’s my career. I live to make movies!
What is your biggest fear?
That my best friend is going to figure out I’m madly in love with him and take off.
I glanced toward the door Henry left through, and back to Chelsea and wink. Your secrets safe with me.
Kay, tell us a little about Lost on the Road to Love.
Take two best friends, add some benefits, and it may take a map to find their way to love.
On the road for eight months as part of the crew for a travel show, Chelsea Morrison expects to work hard, endure long nights, and enjoy some wicked adventures. But she doesn’t expect to fall head over heels for the show’s star.
Henry Rush, son of a legendary rock star, is leery of women. He learned early they only want him for the fame that rightly belongs to his father. But when an intense friendship with Chelsea leads to so much more, he has to confront the one thing he’s avoided all his life.
Can these two friends navigate their way to a happy ending?
How about a peek between the pages of Lost on the Road to Love?
“Let’s get out of here,” I suggested, scooting out of my side of the booth.
“Good idea.” Henry threw a few bills on the table, got up quickly and, to my great surprise, grabbed my hand and pulled me to the door.
We were moving fast as we approached the reporter and photographer. It wasn’t until we were squeezing past them in the doorway that the reporter spoke. “Hey, aren’t you—”
Henry ignored him and moved his large body so the photographer didn’t stand a chance of getting a good shot. Then, still holding onto my hand, he ushered me through the door and out onto the sidewalk. We moved swiftly away from the café, not looking back until we were almost a block away.
“Well done,” I said, slowly easing my hand out of Henry’s grasp.
Henry held on, giving my fingers a gentle squeeze. “I learned young how to evade the press.”
“I bet.”
“Where do you want to go?”
I looked at the buildings of Manhattan in the gray hours of early evening. The temperature was starting to drop, but it was still over seventy degrees, and for once, I was quite comfortable in my tank top and light cardigan. I had no qualms about making a long journey. “There,” I said, pointing at the Empire State Building.
Buy Links:
AMAZON, B&N, AMAZON CA, AMAZON UK, AMAZON AU, and THE WILD ROSE PRESS.
About the Author:
Kay Harris has had a diverse career with jobs ranging from college professor to park ranger. Now she adds author to her repertoire. Kay writes romance novels that contain a little bit of sweet, a dash of sexy, a touch of heartbreak, and a whole lot of fun!
Kay grew up in the Midwest and has since lived all over the western United States including Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. She loves to hike, is obsessed with museums, and enjoys taking her extremely tall and very handsome husband on adventures.
You can find her at:
WEBSITE: http://www.kayharrisauthor.com
BLOG: https://www.kayharrisauthor.com/blog/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KayHarrisAuthor
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayHarris/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15060640.Kay_Harris
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kay-harris
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Lost on the Road to Love!
Visits: 17
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Contemporary, I Want Morrise, Lost on the Road to Love, Romance, Romantic Comedy by Tena Stetler with 20 comments.
