Where in the World Is (Was) Holly Jacobs

Last week, I was silent online because I was in Ireland!!  Branches of my family came from Ireland only a few generations back.  So in a way, it was coming home for me!

We started in Galway!  Such a beautiful city!!

One morning, I got up early and followed the river on a long walk.  The weather was cool and gray, but still lovely!!

We found a small local pub (our favorite kind), The Crane, and I had my first night of Irish music.  To be honest, we looked for small local pubs most of the trip.  James Gallagher and Joyce Redmond were my favorites!

Next was Kilmore Abbey!  

We went to the Burren. It was such a strange landscape.  The green hills butted up against the mountains of rock.  We went through the Aillwee Caves.  Tight places give me the heebie-jeebies, but this was simply breathtaking!


Next we headed to Doolan.  Here's something I loved about Ireland...there were sheep and cows everywhere.  Near our B&Bs, along the cliffs, next to the towns...

Oh, and one of the the most breathtaking sites was the Cliffs of Moher.  We walked along them for a long time and seriously, they were awe inspiring!

Can you imagine living in this tower??  The waves and the birds would lull you to sleep every night.  It seems so lonely, yet strong all at the same time.

When I think of Ireland, puffins doing necessarily come to mind, but they nest on the Cliffs.  Did I ever tell you about the time I dreamed about puffins?  I mentioned it to a friend who'd just visited Alaska.  She went very silent.  When I saw her shortly thereafter, she'd brought a puffin sweatshirt home for me.  It was a very Twilight Zone sort of moment.  

I loved seeing PA Police patches in so many of the pubs...oh, and I loved the very descriptive signs!

More of Doolin and another cave...the Doolin Cave.  

We went to Killarney! Found a very cool whiskey bar...we found some new favorites there!








The National Park there was gorgeous!

Our final stop was Dingle.  If I moved to Ireland, this is where I'd settle.  There's a small town atmosphere, the ocean with beaches, a great bay and mountains.

I got up very early one morning and walked around Dingle's bay.  It was so cool to see all the fishermen heading to their boats.  And then I watched as the sun came up...it was breathtaking!

I walked along a Dingle beach and dipped my toes in the other side of the Atlantic!

We drove the Dingle loop and way up on the mountain, we stopped to see some stone Beehive huts.  These ancient dwellings are so impressive!

Our last stop was Bunratty Castle.  The view from the tower was amazing!!  

My trip was wonderful.  I'm hoping to take you along with me in an Irish story sometime next year.  Now, I'm back and need to finish up my WIP.  

Holly

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www.HollyJacobs.com 

A Day Late and a Bride Short, 3/16

Able to Love Again, 5/16

A Simple Heart, 5/16

I Waxed My Legs for This? 6/16

Holly Jacobs' takes you on a tour of Barbara Vey's Luncheon

Take a tour of the Barbara Vey luncheon tables with me...you might see some of your favorite authors getting ready for their readers! Meet my readers! (And do check out Tonya Kappes singing for you!)

Holly

Spring Newsletter

Happy Spring!! It was a long winter here in Erie, but things are warming up now!  I have baby tomatoes in the kitchen on a warming mat.  I have to confess, I'm beyond excited about them.  This is our third year of heirloom seeds I gathered.   On a book note...well, this is going to be a crazy month for releases.  Most of you know I set most of my books in Erie...well, this month, I'm heading down to Texas for a story! I have a fun new release for Amazon Worlds, My friend, Carolyn Brown, is spearheading a new world, Blame It On Texas.  She invited me to come visit and I did! It just so happened that I had a character from this fall's The Plus Side who needed to get out of Erie quickly. Sunny and her big dog, Shep, finds themselves at the Palo Duro Canyon, Texas. There she meets a certain deputy and...well, come down and visit the canyon with me and see what happens! Today there's my second Cupid Falls story, A Simple Heart! Paisley Jones moves to Cupid Falls, Pennsylvania to start a new life for herself and for her orphaned niece. She buys Simple Treasures craft store and hires Gideon Byler to help with some renovations. Gideon's not sure what he makes of this woman who sweeps into town and starts changing everything. But slowly he begins to realize that this stranger just might have more in common with him than anyone else he knows. Can the magic of Cupid Falls help two people who are lost between worlds find common ground...and maybe love? Something you might not know is I weave baskets.  You can see a lot of them on Pinterest. Watch next month for I Waxed My Legs for This?This was my first sale to Harlequin.  I'd been trying to break into their comedy line for a couple years and I got really nice rejections, but I felt bad that I wasn't bringing more money into the house.  I mentioned maybe I should get a job.  My husband said, no...he was positive I'd sell to Harlequin soon.  That was January of 2000.  Harlequin call in March that year.  Then Silhouette Romance called and...well, I've been selling books ever since.  And yes, my husband occasionally reminds me that he told me so!   I'm off next week to Barbara Vey's Readers' Luncheon.  If you're going, please look me up and say hi!  I'll definitely be at the bingo game! Happy Spring, everyone!! Holly

Blame it on...Texas!

Blame it on Texas...
well, actually, I'm blaming today's surprise release on Texas and Carolyn Brown.  You see, Carolyn and I are friends.  And she invited me to send one of my characters down to her Palo Duro Canyon, Texas series.

To be honest, I didn't plan to say yes.  As a matter of fact, I'm so busy here I didn't think I could say yes.  And yet, I found myself thinking about Texas and a character, Sunny, from this fall's The Plus Side. (Remember the ICU nurse, Alice in These Three Words?  It's her story.)  Sunny had just a small cameo in the book, but I knew more of her story than I'd included in The Plus Side.  And I knew that Sunny needed to get out of town.  What if Sunny headed to Texas?  

Darn those two words...what-if.  Once I thought them, I couldn't unthink them.  And I certainly couldn't stop thinking about Sunny and Texas and...  Well, before I knew it, I had a story and Sunny was in the canyon.  She met a few of Carolyn's characters there and she met a certain deputy, Josh Able and...

Well, I hope you'll pick up Able to Love Again and see what happens next!

I'll confess, I didn't plan to write this story, but I'm so glad I did.  I loved Josh and Sunny, and everyone in the canyon!  Most of my books are set here in Erie.  Oh, I've set some in neighboring Ohio and New York, and my Maid in LA series is set mainly in California. It was so fun to send Sunny from Erie to Texas.And I hope after you pick up Able to Love Again, you watch next week for my Mother's Day release, A Simple Heart: A Cupid Falls Novella! (It's available for preorder!) After that, comes I Waxed My Legs for This? in June! (Also available for preorder!)  And there are more coming soon!  I'll give you details as soon as I have them!

Before I go, I want to say, "Carolyn, thank you so much for inviting me to Texas!  I had so much fun!"  I hope you all enjoy your visit, too!

Holly

 (You can read Carolyn's Palo Duro Canyon stories, Long Hot Texas Summer and Daisies in the Canyon.)

Looking for a Kindle Unlimited book??

Are you a member of Kindle Unlimited?

If so, a bunch of my books are part of the program!

Here's a list of what's out now:

A Day Late and a Bride Short
Short Stories for the Overworked and Under-Read
These Three Words
13 Weeks
There He Was
Cinderella Wore Tennis Shoes
Bosom Buddies
Labor Day
Carry Her Heart
Christmas in Cupid Falls
Maid in LA Anthology
Just One Thing
Everything But a Groom
Everything But a Bride
Everything But a Wedding
Everything But a Christmas Eve
Everything But a Mother
Everything But a Dog
Swept Up: A Maid in LA Mystery
Spruced Up: A Maid in LA Novella
Dusted: A Maid in LA Mystery
Steamed: A Maid in LA Mystery
Nothing But Luck
Nothing But Heart
Nothing But Love
Laugh Lines: WLVH Radio
Night Calls: WLVH Radio
Lovehandles: WLVH Radio
Pickup Lines: WLVH Radio

And here are a couple that will be available soon!
A Simple Heart: A Cupid Falls Novella
I Waxed My Legs for This?

I hope you give them a try.  And if you don't have Kindle Unlimited, no worries, you can buy them all, too!
And if you don't want to miss my new releases, just hit that yellow "Follow" button under my picture on Amazon and/or sign up for my newsletter!

Thanks for checking them out!  If you enjoy a book, I hope you'll tell your friends and/or write a review!

Holly

Holly Jacobs, Ask the Author #2—"Why so many series?"

It's time for another Ask the Author!!  

Today's question, "Why so many series?"

When you're done, if you'd like a list of all my series in order, you can find it at my website!

Spring into a new book!!

2016 is starting out with a bang!! In February, an anthology of my short stories came out! Short Stories for the Overworked and Under-Read!  The title is sort of a lie...there are five short stories and one novella actually!  Yeah, now you know how I am!


And this month, A Day Late and a Bride Short finally came out as an eBook! This is an award winning  story! And let's face it, finding a way to make a marriage-of-convenience work in a contemporary romance was tough...but I'm so happy with the way it all worked out for Sarah and Donovan!

Next up, in time for Mother's Day, is A Simple Heart.  It's set in Cupid Falls...if you've read Christmas in Cupid Falls you know the town.  If you haven't, that's okay.  The novella stands alone.  

And finally, coming in time for some beach reading...I Waxed My Legs for This? is finally out as an eBook!  What's a girl to do when she can stand pulling the wax off her legs herself??  Call a friend...a super hot, best friend who rides to her rescue on a regular basis.  Things will be heating up on the beach for Carrie and Jack!

Rumor has it there's a few more new books and rereleases coming this year.  I'll keep you all posted!

As always, thank you!!  Hope you're enjoying the change of seasons! I've been walking more than I manage in the winter.  I love that I'm hearing more birds and seeing our first flowers popping up all over!!

Happy Spring!

Holly

PS If you want to be sure you don't miss new releases, you can sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Amazon...they send notice when new books go up!

Enter #AmazonGiveaway for a chance to win A Day Late and a Bride Short

How cool is this???
See this #AmazonGiveaway for a chance to win: A Day Late and a Bride Short (Kindle Edition).NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
Ends the earlier of Mar 24, 2016 11:59 PM PDT, or when all prizes are claimed.
See Official Rules 


A Day Late and a Bride Short
Donovan is an attorney on the rise. He's next in line for a partnership at his law firm. There's just one item missing from his resume...a wife. 

Sarah is trying to get her fledgling business off the ground. She's looking for an attorney to help recoup the money she's owed. Money that could mean the difference between a successful business and scrapping her dream. She is absolutely NOT looking for a fiance, much less a husband. But when Donovan offers Sarah an engagement-of-convenience, she lets herself get persuaded it's just business. 

Donovan and Sarah both discover when love enters the picture, their engagement isn't convenient in the least! 

Reviews

"... a beautiful, and sweet, love story."  ~Romantic Times Bookclub 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick

"Ms. Jacobs has done it again!" ~Kelley Hartsell, Love Romances

"My favorite Holly Jacobs book yet!" ~Cheryl St.John, Author of MARRY ME...AGAIN

A More than Magic Award Winning Book!

Holly Jacobs' March Newsletter

New Release:
A Day Late and a Bride Short!

I'm so excited that A Day Late and a Bride Short is finally going to be available as an eBook!  I'm using "Holly Jacobs'Classic" just to let you know this is one of my earliest stories. Thank you everyone who's asked to have it available for their devices.

Thirteen years ago, when I sent this proposal to my editor, she sent me back a note from the Senior Editor saying that with that title, she'd expected a marriage of convenience story.  My original idea wasn't that at all, but as a very newish author, I said, "That's exactly what it will be."  My editor bought the proposal.

It wasn't quite the story I intended to tell and to be honest, I wasn't sure how to write a contemporary marriage of convenience.  As someone who's been married for many years—someone who is still wildly in love with her husband—I have to confess, marriage isn't always convenient!

I hope you enjoy Sarah and Donovan's romance! Thanks so much and happy reading!

And keep an eye out for my new Cupid Falls novella, A Simple Heart, followed by I Waxed My Legs for This?

I hope you're getting ready for spring! I've got tomatoes started on the counter and I'm binging on seed catalogs here!

Holly

A Holly Jacobs' Classic Romance
First Time as eBook. 

A More than Magic Award Winning Book!

Donovan is an attorney on the rise. He's next in line for a partnership at his law firm. There's just one item missing from his resume...a wife.

Sarah is trying to get her fledgling business off the ground. She's looking for an attorney to help recoup the money she's owed. Money that could mean the difference between a successful business and scrapping her dream. She is absolutely NOT looking for a fiance, much less a husband. But when Donovan offers Sarah an engagement-of-convenience, she lets herself get persuaded it's just business.

Donovan and Sarah both discover when love enters the picture, their engagement isn't convenient in the least!

 

Reviews:

"... a beautiful, and sweet, love story."  ~Romantic Times Bookclub 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick

"Ms. Jacobs has done it again!" ~Kelley Hartsell, Love Romances

"My favorite Holly Jacobs book yet!" ~Cheryl St.John, Author of MARRY ME...AGAIN

~~~~~

Cooks and Books #4, The Wild Baby Book

In Carry Her Heart, my heroine, Pip was the Kindergarten Story Lady.  Here's an Easter Egg...so I was I.  For years and years.  Reading to children is so important.  It's Read Across America Day! This installment of Cooks And Books isn't so much cooking as...well, booking!  In honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday, let's read one of my favorite children's books, The Wild Baby Book!


Holly

PS Watch next week for my newest release, A Day Late and a Bride Short!

Book Club Questions for Carry Her Heart

As requested, here are book club questions for my award winning, Carry Her Heart.  Thank you for picking it as a selection!

Carry Her Heart

Book Club Questions

1.  What did you think when you first saw the title, Carry Her Heart?  Did your thoughts about the title change after you’d finished the book? 

2.  Pip and Ned's relationship grew slowly throughout the course of the book.  They moved from neighbors, to friends and finally to lovers.  Do you have relationships in your life that have shifted from one thing to another over time?

3.  For Pip, her garden becomes a place of refuge.  Do you have someplace you like to go to think, or just take a break from the real world? 



4.  The idea of change is woven through Pip and Ned's book. Have you ever had an event in your life that changed your perspective about something?

5.  At what moment/event did you feel that Ned and Pip's relationship truly changed from friendship to something more?

6.  Pip has built her life around the daughter she only held for moments.  Is there someone in your life who's influenced it for the better?

7.  Ned said that loving Pip was as clear as the nose on his face.  Have you ever had something that was so obvious that you almost missed seeing it for what it was?

8.  What is your takeaway from Carry Her Heart?

Hot off the press...Siobhan has a cameo in These Three Words and she will have her own story coming out later this year.  Yes, of course, Ned and Pip will be there.  Watch Hold Onto Her Heart!  

Holly

Granola—Cooks and Books #3 with author, Holly Jacobs

Hey, it's time for the 3rd Cooks and Books video!  Today we're making Granola.  Well, I'm making granola.  But maybe after you see how easy it is, you will be, too??!!

Holly

PS. There are a few March sales still going on:

New Release: Short Stories for the Overworked and Under-Read.  And on Sale: My Award-Winning book, Carry Her Heart, is on sale for 99¢.  Also on sale...my WLVH Radio series!   Pickup Lines Lovehandles Night Calls Laugh Lines And I didn't forget my friends on the other side of the pond! In the UK NEW RELEASE:  Short Stories for the Overworked and Under-Read  ON SALE:  Just One Thing on sale for 99¢.

Coming in March, one of my early, classic romances is finally coming out as an eBook! Watch for A Day Late and a Bride Short! (It's available for pre-order now.)  It's a modern day MOC (marriage-of-convenience).