Romanticizing February

Hello, dear readers! I hope you all stayed warm and dry with the recent storms across most of the US. Here in the Inland Northwest, our weather has been very un-winter-like, but we did get some snow at the beginning of January.

January 31st always surprises me. I know, for many people, January feels like its 347 days long. The post-holiday let down is real. In my family, we jump straight from Christmas into birthday month, with three of us celebrating in the second half of January. I love it, and it helps the month sail by.

So when I wrote the date at the top of my journal page yesterday morning, I was a little taken aback by the fact that 1/12 of the year is already past. We started the year with a busy schedule, and now that we’ve gotten through the birthdays, let’s just say that I’m fantasizing about a slower February.

While our schedule was busy, I’m happy to report that I did begin my yearly goals with a gentler approach than many previous years. I’m eyeball deep in edits for my novel coming out in July, which means that other goals have had to take a back seat while I press on to my deadline. It’s a learning experience, for sure, but one that I'm happy to take on, considering I get a published book at the end of it.

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Now that February is here, my attention turns to Valentine’s Day. As a romance author, how could it not? And with Valentine’s Day being the anniversary of when my amazing husband and I began dating, it’s even more romantic.

Speaking of romance, did you know I have a Valentine’s Day themed short story? It’s called Dear Miss Valentine, and it’s the perfect quick read to get you ready to celebrate.

With a name like Victoria Valentine, finding romance seems like it shouldn't be hard to find. But after a string of bad-luck dates, Tori has sworn off the holiday forever. Until she finds herself stranded in a snowstorm with the last date who ghosted her. Stuck in a snowstorm with her very own hometown hero? Will she find love after all?

Sounds fun, right? As a thank you for being a subscriber, Dear Miss Valentine is free to download all month long. Click here for your copy.

February often feels as if it comes and goes in the blink of an eye. The promise of March and all things green and good is just around the corner!

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BookFunnel Promos

Enjoy new clean romances all month long with these promotions from BookFunnel!

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The Legacy Maker’s Corner

January was a month to focus on small changes, like washing my face every night and finding my way back to weekly rhythms that bring me joy, like baking sourdough bread. I’m happy to report success on both fronts! One particularly tasty weekend, we enjoyed Italian Drip Beef open face sandwiches on homemade crusty sourdough bread. So good!

February looks to be slightly slower on the schedule end of things, which means time to tackle action steps in a bigger way. Don’t worry, though. I’m not talking extreme changes, which are proven (at least for me) to be unsustainable. I’m talking about continuity of established habits, AND the addition of small action steps in a couple of goal areas.

My plan: continue to pursue healthy routines (washing my face) and joy-filled rhythms (sourdough, yum). I’ll be adding in a commitment to make it to the gym twice a week, and working on some yarn projects in the evenings instead of endless games of sudoku on my phone.

What small habits did you start in January, and what are you hoping to continue, or add, in February? Progress builds on progress!

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In a world that is often filled with heartache, I hope February brings you love and joy.

Wishing you happily-ever-after,

xo,

Becca