UPDATE: The winner is…Jackie Wisherd!
*~*~*

Before I get started with the end of month rundown,
Happy Easter to all who celebrate!

March

Work-related:

1. I completed work on What Happens in Bozeman (Book #3 of We Are Dead Horse, MT) and published it!
2. I began work on Tyson’s Mission, my next Brotherhood Protectors book!
3. I continued to read short stories for inclusion in my upcoming Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology.
4. I completed 3 editing projects for other authors in March.

Health-related:

1. I haven’t done well taking care of myself this month. I ate too many salty, fatty foods and didn’t monitor my blood pressure!
2. My sleep suffered this month, likely because of diet and lack of exercise.
3. The only good thing I did was drinking one cup of Turmeric tea a day.

Happiness-related: 

1. I continued working on the #the100dayproject art challenge.
2. Here are some examples of art projects I completed in March.

April

 

1. To complete writing Tyson’s Mission, my next Brotherhood Protectors, book, which releases on April 23rd!
2. To complete 4 editing projects in March!
3. To finish reading and selecting stories from among the submissions for the upcoming collection—Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology!

For health related, I plan:

1. To start back on my Weight Watchers diet, because it’s time to get serious! I HAVE to get back in the saddle!
2. To reduce salt and processed food, and incorporate foods good for blood pressure (spinach, broccoli, bananas) and my liver (apple cider vinegar, flax seeds, sunflower seeds).
3. To begin daily workouts using my recumbent bike and some chair yoga exercises.
4. To take my BP every day and log it!

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To continue #the100daychallenge where I’ll be painting something every single day!
2. To spend time with extended family during the ECLIPSE!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in April…

Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

I’m so excited to share with you the cover reveal for my new adult hockey romance, Falling for a Star in the City. It’s the second book in the Stars in the City series, which are interconnected standalone books. This book features Paige Kramar, who was the best friend in Stars in the City. I think you’ll love this grumpy/sunshine sports romance.

Check out the blurb…

Paige thought she had it all: a job on the soap opera Charmed Lives and a boyfriend who was trying to get discovered as a pop star. However, then her part on the show is reduced to reoccurring status and her family pushes her to leave her acting dreams behind to major in journalism—what they call a “real job.” Then her relationship with her wannabe rock star boyfriend, Walker, ends only for her to find out he signed a recording contract right after their breakup. To add insult to injury, she reads online that his new album is about their relationship.

She gets an internship in the sports department at the TV station where she meets a college hockey player named Viktor who has trust issues from a past relationship. Now with Walker’s rock star dreams taking off, it leaves her questioning her own play-it-safe tendencies, her acting career aspirations, and her relationships. Everyone else seems to have it together but her.

Through her internship, she keeps running into Viktor. Paige and Viktor begin to confide in each other, which soon leaves them falling for each other, but Paige worries their worlds are too different for them to work as a couple. Plus, there’s the issue of Walker trying to back together with her, but has fame changed him?

Meanwhile, Paige has a minor accident which leaves her questioning if she ever really wanted a flashy lifestyle or if it was what she felt she was supposed to want. Now she must figure out what she really needs to be happy and fulfilled in life. Can Paige find both her purpose & true love?

You can pre-order the book here:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon Can:  https://www.amazon.ca/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208865198-falling-for-a-star-in-the-city

About the Author

Krysten Lindsay Hager is a bestselling author of YA and contemporary romance. She writes romance because she loves bringing people swoony moments and hope-filled happily ever afters. She writes about falling in love, fame, fitting in, frenemies, first loves, and finding your way in the world. She loves reading, watching movies, and lipstick.

Website: https://www.krystenlindsay.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/

UPDATE: The winner is…Jennifer Beyer!
*~*~*

Thank you to EVERYONE who already picked up their copy of What Happens in Bozeman! I appreciate your support and hope you had a great time reading it! Here are some snippets of reviews from a couple of readers who loved this visit to Dead Horse, Montana. (Thank you, Elinda and Pam!)

What follows is a series of events that will have you laughing out loud. ~ Elinda M
Loved the town of Dead Horse. Its residents and Sara and her classmates were adorable! ~ Pam B

Yeah, I know…kids in a romance? Shouldn’t that be self-exclusionary? Hey, it did not get in the way of sexiness in the story. Promise.

What you may not know is that a lot of what inspired the character of Sara and her classmates’ antics comes from the three girls who share my home. The oldest cringes when I tell the story of her trying to have a conversation with a caterpillar with her ear held as close to its head as possible. She’d seen The Bee Movie and couldn’t understand why the caterpillar was ignoring her. Of course, her grandma told her it was because their mouths are so small that the sounds they make can’t be heard by ordinary humans. So, the kittens and the princess bed thing had its true origins… You’ll have to read the story to understand what I’m talking about.

So, if you haven’t read the story yet and are looking for something fun to read this weekend, I think my book will fit the bill nicely!

What Happens in Bozeman

Get your copy here!

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me a fun story about something a child you know said or did.

My new We Are Dead Horse, MT, story is here! And it was a blast to write! I hope you all love it.

There’s a new schoolteacher in town, a handsome rancher, cattle rustling, more Nah-Nah Sisterhood dating advice, sexy times, surprises, a bit of danger, some kids with odd ideas about where babies come from… You’ll have to read it to see what happens.

If you get a chance to read the story, please consider telling someone else about it (or post a review!). Readers trust other readers for recommendations—as they should!

Anyway, without further ado…

What Happens in Bozeman

What happens in Bozeman stays in Bozeman…unless it’s a cowboy!

Stranded in Bozeman, Montana, for the night while snowplows clear a mountain pass, Kelly Willis decides to throw caution to the wind. After being jilted by her college sweetheart, she’s determined to have one no-holds-barred night, her way of seeking revenge against a lifetime of conformity, before she settles down in a new town to live a very circumspect life as an elementary schoolteacher. She chooses another stranded motorist, propositioning him with the offer of a no-strings, no-names night of pleasure.

No one is more shocked than rancher Ryan Mobley when he appears at his daughter’s parent-teacher meeting to discover the angel he’d made love to is his daughter’s new teacher. Now that she’s here, he’s going to do everything he can to convince her they have a real connection, something they can build a lifetime on.

While she wrangles the class bully and he tries to figure out who’s rustling his cattle, the two of them grow closer with the help of a classroom full of mini matchmakers.

Get your copy here!
Also available in print!
FREE in KU!

Last week, I walked outside, and my car was covered in the yellow stuff. When I arrived at work, many of my coworkers were sniffing, sneezing, and wiping tears from their eyes. Then my BFF, also had a honking nose and froggy voice. Honestly, I don’t know why he didn’t text for the shape he was in. I said, “I hear the weather has gotten you down, too.” To which he responded, “Yeah, it’s the time of year that love is in the air.” Well, that wasn’t the response I expected. And here is where I tripped and fell down the rabbit hole. I asked (as Tina would have), “What’s love got to do with it?” It was on from there.

He explained to me that spring is the time that love blooms and that his bug is “lovesickness.” Now, that all may be…true? He could be bitten by a lovebug, but…what? So, I asked another question. “What in the world are you talking about?” To be sure, his answer was less than stellar, but I asked for it. He responded with, “You’re a romance writer, you should know this.” That doesn’t have anything to do with the craters on the moon, but my bestie seemed to think it did. Then he proceeded to argue that more people fall in love in spring than in any other season.

That proclamation stopped me cold. Where was the evidence? As expected, he didn’t have it to offer; so, of course, I went searching. Duh! Did I mention rabbit hole? While there’s no empirical data, scientific evidence, or statistics indicating this to be factual, research has indicated that there may be some biological rationale to this hypothesis. The answers lie in three neurotransmitters/hormones.

A neurotransmitter, in simplistic terms, is a synthesized chemical in the brain that permits neurons to transmit and communicate with each other throughout the body. Three neurotransmitters kept popping up in this research.

1. Dopamine is commonly referred to as the “feel-good hormone” because it yields a sense of satisfaction, pleasure, and motivation. Simply put, it is part of the brain’s “reward system.”
2. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland and is a ubiquitous neurotransmitter-like compound. It is produced by darkness and sets the body’s internal clock.
3. Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter that behaves like a hormone. It influences happiness, learning, and memory. It also regulates the body’s temperature, hunger, sleep, and sexual behavior.

Because spring brings nicer (depending on who is asked—Winter people are recognized and it’s all love) weather, people tend to spend more time outside. Additionally, due to Daylight Saving, the days are longer. People get more sun. More sun means less dark. Less dark means less melatonin. With less melatonin, the effects of other neurotransmitters are felt more—dopamine and serotonin, batter up.

Spring offers an abundance of newness. Flowers and trees are in bloom, offering bursts of colors all around. Floral scents, grass, and earth saturate the air. Many times, these scents are associated with pleasant memories. People want to spend more time outside (motivation) and frequently feel that they are rejuvenated or energized.

When the weather begins to warm up, people strip off their winter gear. Thus, they begin to show more skin. Appreciating the human form with less clothes… Well, it’s easy to see where that leads. This may not be “love,” but it most certainly possibly is “lust.” Either way, people feel “good.” But so what? Well, these things can add up to cause a person to be more “susceptible” to falling in love. Hey, don’t blame me. I’m just the messenger reporting what some research has reportedly found.

So, there you have it. Now, how all of this is responsible for my BFF’s nose flowing like the Mighty Mississippi I still have no clue. If anyone figures it out, let your girl know.

That’s all I got. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button, and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Order your copy at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9
Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets. Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATE: The winner is…Deb Brown!
*~*~*

First, a reminder of what’s coming your way next Tuesday!
Have you ordered your copy?

What happens in Bozeman stays in Bozeman…unless it’s a cowboy!

Stranded in Bozeman, Montana, for the night while snowplows clear a mountain pass, Kelly Willis decides to throw caution to the wind. After being jilted by her college sweetheart, she’s determined to have one no-holds-barred night, her way of seeking revenge against a lifetime of conformity, before she settles down in a new town to live a very circumspect life as an elementary school teacher. She chooses another stranded motorist, propositioning him with the offer of a no-strings, no-names night of pleasure.

No one is more shocked than rancher Ryan Mobley when he appears at his daughter’s parent-teacher meeting to discover the angel he’d made love to is his daughter’s new teacher. Now that she’s here, he’s going to do everything he can to convince her they have a real connection, something they can build a lifetime on.

While she wrangles the class bully and he tries to figure out who’s rustling his cattle, the two of them grow closer with the help of a classroom full of mini matchmakers.

Pre-order your copy here!

Saturday Puzzle-Contest

 For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then tell me what this scenery does to you. That’s all. Happy Saturday!

Kelly Willis was a good girl by anyone’s definition. She’d never dated around, having gone steady with her star quarterback boyfriend since her sophomore year of high school. He’d been her first kiss, her first experience with sex. Her parents had adored her boyfriend and had delightedly set about planning her future so she didn’t screw up a good thing.

To make sure she was ever-present to their goal for her, she’d headed to college with him, wearing his promise ring, and had never once looked astray for attention from other men. Further, she’d gained her degree in a perfectly respectful, acceptably feminine profession.

She’d gone to church every Sunday of her life, never once doubting that God saw that she was good and would reward her for her virtue.

So, for her to be contemplating doing what she was now would’ve shocked the panties off her dear mother, her white-haired pastor, and her high school sex-ed teacher, who’d been long on abstinence and short on understanding a younger woman’s hormones. But then again, where were they all now?

Not here, stuck outside a hotel in Bozeman, Montana, while she waited for the snowplows to clear a passage through the mountains so she could get to her destination.

She hadn’t wanted to stop, and if the roads hadn’t been blocked by traffic barricades and a police officer directing vehicles to the nearest exit, she’d have kept driving—the winter storm be damned. By now, she’d had plenty of time alone with her thoughts.

Crazy, mixed-up thoughts of revenge and retribution filled her imagination with images of the fiery pit of Hell. Not for her. No, the person who deserved to be cast down into its depths wasn’t even here to feel the anger that had her fuming hot despite the chill, near-zero temperature.

While every curse word she’d never uttered aloud flitted through her mind, she felt her ire burbling like acid in her belly until it had to find its release.

“Fuck,” she whispered, then glanced around to make sure no one else standing in the parking lot had heard her. No one was looking her way.

And once she’d said it, she felt disappointed in herself. Not because she’d uttered that coarse, forbidden word but because she’d said it so softly. Was she gutless? Hadn’t she earned the right to rebel against a lifetime’s strictures? She’d been the Queen of Pristine, or so the boys at her high school had labeled her behind her back.

He had thought that title was hilarious, given what they’d done after the Friday Night Lights dimmed. He, who shall not be named. Ever again.

She sniffed back a sob, tamping it down deep.

“That fucker,” she said a little more loudly this time.

She stood straighter. No bolt of lightning had struck her. In fact, her chest felt a little lighter now. She could finally draw a deep breath.

Again, her gaze went to the man on the edge of the group, standing outside the hotel’s diner while employees were scurrying inside to open for a bunch of stranded, hungry travelers.

He’d do. Not that he’d given her so much as a glance. It didn’t matter that she’d decided for him. He was in the right place at the right time—although “right” and what she intended had nothing to do with each other. She turned up the fur-lined collar of her puffy jacket and strode in his direction. For the moment, she was filled with confidence because she’d earned this. Years of servitude to a single, hallowed goal would have their reward.

She didn’t even care if he was handsome. Good looks hid ugly flaws, or so she’d discovered. She hoped he had a big nose and was missing a tooth—just one. She’d want to kiss him after all. She was sure he’d have calluses, given he was wearing a cowboy hat that looked like it actually served a purpose, with its faint ring around the crown. His jeans were faded by actual use, not some weird fashion statement. His boots were scuffed and a plain brown. No nonsense. A working man’s footwear, not a poser’s.

The closer she drew, the more confident she felt about this plan. First, she’d insinuate herself into sharing a table with him. She’d smile and flirt, then drop her extra key card on the table when she excused herself.

She was almost there; he was turning toward her…

No, he turned and smiled at a grinning woman who was waving her keycard in her hand and rushing to his side.

Well, shit. She only just managed to keep the words inside her mouth.

The doors to the diner swung open, and she was caught in the crowd of twenty or so individuals who flowed inside the heated space.

Tables filled quickly, and she eyed an open stool at the counter, but a man whose large bottom nearly swallowed the stool laid claim before she could.

She stood with her shoulders drooping, looking for an empty table, when she heard a throat clear to her left.

Glancing sideways, she saw a man with a lop-sided smile waving a hand to the open seat across from him. “I don’t mind sharing, ma’am.”

*~*~*

What Happens in Bozeman arrives on March 19th. Pre-order your copy now!