My friend, Pat Trainum is visiting today. She writes as Patricia Bradley and is departing from her usual romantic suspense novels to pen two sweet Christmas romances in the Heartwarming Christmas Anthology.
Have you ever wanted to run away from your problems? I have, so it’s natural that I would write about characters who run away. In my latest story, Amy Logan lives in a Christmas Town, Maine and like most small towns, everyone knows everyone’s business. Like how Amy can’t have children, and she’s tired of seeing pity in the eyes of everyone she meets. She believes she will be happy if she can move thousands of miles away in spite of what her mom says.
Then Mark Bradford returns to Christmas Town. He broke her heart once and she’s not about to let him do it again. Except…he’s come home with his daughter who has selective mutism. And he wants Amy’s help.
How about you? Do you think you can run away from your problems? Or do you believe you just take them along with you? Or are you like my mom who always said, “I’d run away but it wouldn’t do any good—I can’t leave myself behind.”
Leave a comment telling me which thought you subscribe to for a chance to win an e-copy of the anthology!
The Gingerbread Pony is just one of the stories in A Heartwarming Christmas Anthology. Here’s the blurb:
This holiday season, warm your heart with 12 connected sweet holiday romances from 12 Harlequin Heartwarming authors who are USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors. This collection of PG-rated holiday romances are all set in Christmas Town, a location introduced in the 2014 Harlequin Heartwarming release Christmas, Actually. A Heartwarming Christmas will bring you laughter, tears, and happily-ever-afters (no cliffhangers), for more than 1200 pages. Foreword by small town lover and New York Times bestseller Kristan Higgins.
You can preorder A Heartwarming Christmas here:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TDjGEK
iTunes: http://apple.co/1OkXsV9
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1CEnSA7
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1J0Qg08
Patricia Bradley lives in North Mississippi and is a former abstinence educator and co-author
of RISE To Your Dreams, an abstinence curriculum. But her heart is tuned to suspense. Patricia’s romantic suspense books include the Logan Point series—Shadows of the Past, A Promise to Protect, and Gone Without a Trace. She has written two sweet romances for Harlequin Heartwarming, Matthew’s Choice which is available on Amazon and The Christmas Campaign, available in November. Her workshops on writing include two online courses with American Christian Fiction Writers and workshops at the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference in Collierville, TN. When she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens.
Connect with her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
Comments 30
I’m a stayer, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been times I’ve WANTed to run! Mark and Amy’s story is a great one.
Liz, I know what you mean. I’d hate for anyone to really know how many times I’d like to run away. Today is one of them. Men are pressure washing my house. My cat Suzy and I are both hiding from the noise. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I have tried to run from some of my problems. It doesn’t work and you would think I would have learned that by now, but every once in awhile I try again just to see if the results will be different. Thanks for the giveaway!
Yep Loraine, sometimes we’re slow learners. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I don’t think you can outrun problems, so you might as well stay put and face them. Thank you for the opportunity!
melback at cebridge dot net
Oh, but if only I had to courage to stay put and face them…but actually, in the end, that’s what we have to do. Thanks for stopping by Melanie!
Can’t outrun them…and why leave Christmas Town?? I love Christmas:)
I can’t wait for you to meet “Christmas Town, Maine, Susan! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I don’t think you can run away from problems, exactly, but sometimes a change of scenery or switching up your situation can be helpful! What a thought-provoking question. Good luck with the anthology. Sounds wonderful!
Cathy, thanks for the encouragement! It is a wonderful book. I’m just honored to be a part of it.
I love the idea of running away…then I’d probably get stressed out and go back home where everything’s familiar! 🙂 Great post, Patricia!
Yeah, there’s that, too, Anna! Thanks for stopping in.
I have a slight problem, and there’s no running from it. But I wouldn’t if I could; the only honour in facing death accrues from facing it with panache, style, and humour.
It an opportunity to be civilized in the face of the barbarity of terminal illness, and to be a gentleman even when one dies alone.
The thrown gauntlet of mortality simply requires an appropriate response.
I looked forward to your response, Andrew, as I wrote this post and you didn’t disappoint me. I’m not sure I believe we ever die alone. I think Jesus is there with us as we step into his world. Thanks for being you, Andrew!
And thank you, Pat.
There are times when God can seem far away, but that’s OK. It’s a great big universe He’s got to run, and I can watch over this corner of it by myself while He’s shaking the Heavens.
Even Jesus felt alone, nigh the end; it’s not the feeling that counts, but the faith.
Pat, great thoughts here. I tend to be a let’s-deal-with-the-problem kind of gal. Somehow, even when I was young, I knew I couldn’t run away from my problems. Not to say I wouldn’t want to move to Australia when I’m having a BAD day with the kids, but reality always checks me. And I get through it. 🙂
Congratulations on your novellas!! So exciting!
Jeanne, somehow I knew you were a let’s-deal-with-the-problem kind of gal. 😉 Thanks for the encouragement.
There’s really no way to run away from your problems. They’ll catch up to you sooner or later. I tend to just face them head on and deal.
Gail, you and Jeanne are definitely strong women! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Oh yes I’ve wanted to run away but alas if I decided to come back, there the problem I ran away from would still be waiting for a solution. Would love to win, thanks for the opportunity!
Linda, I know that feeling. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I think I fall into the third category. The philosophy is very similar to: “wherever I go, there I am”. Somehow we just can’t run away and leave ourselves behind,
So agree Edward. So agree. Thanks for commenting!
Sometimes a change of location works, sometimes it doesn’t. It depends on the problem and with whom it lies. Sometimes you have to get away, even if it’s for a while to clear your head and re charge and re assess. But for heaven’s sake, don’t run to Texas…it’s too hot here, the heat makes everything worse. If you’re going to run away, go some where cooler.
I tried to tell Amy that, Lisha, but you know how hard headed characters can be. Thanks for stopping by!
Pat, before I knew the Lord I was one to run away from difficulties and hurts. But now He has given me the power to stay the course for so many things. I recently read and enjoyed your Shadows of the Past book and would love to win this Christmas anthology.
Blessings ~ Wendy
Thank you, Wendy! The anthology is great–there are 11 other authors with great stories. And thanks for stopping by.
“I’d run away but it wouldn’t do any good—I can’t leave myself behind.” I find it’s easier to invite Jesus into what I’m going through. He wipes away the tears and gently leads me to where I need to go
Absolutely, Teresa. Sometimes I think we forget that. Thanks for reminding me.
No, your problems stay with you no matter what. You might as well deal with them and get it over with.