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Karen Foley, Author

Come home to romance...The way love should be

Karen Foley, Author
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Again, Ireland

Posted on October 21, 2020 by KarenNovember 2, 2020

Hello friends! Where did October go? However you spent it, I hope you were able to get outside and enjoy.  After careful consideration, we made the decision to travel to Ireland to visit our girl. We were COVID tested before … Continue reading →

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Changing Seasons

Another beautiful sunset on the river!

Hello, my friends! How did we get to September already? This past spring and summer were challenging, with so many plans waylaid by COVID-19. I hope you are all well and that you were able to get outside and be with friends and family in a safe way. We had planned to visit our girl in Ireland in May, and then travel to France in August to spend a week with her and her Irish beau, but both trips were canceled and my heart aches from missing her. This is the longest I have gone without seeing her since she was born. But I know so many other people are suffering and sacrificing, so I won’t complain (too much). I am grateful for Zoom and FaceTime and all the other magical ways we are able to connect with one another, when we can’t physically be together.

My Riverrun Ranch series came out in the spring, and I couldn’t be more excited about these books! I love the fictional town of Last Stand, TX and the quirky, fun people who live there. Thank you to all my READERS for the wonderful Amazon and Goodreads reviews for these books! I am both humbled and delighted by the positive reception these books have received! If you haven’t had a chance to take a peek, here are the links to the three books that feature the Claiborne family. I am working on a proposal for Evan, the last Claiborne brother, and hope to have his story out next year.

 

Swipe Right for a Cowboy – https://amzn.to/32jAmgX

Counting on the Cowboy – https://amzn.to/2DPF1xN

How to Catch a Cowboy – https://amzn.to/3inu6dV

In addition to writing, I also explored some new hobbies! I tried my hand at watercolor and painted these two lighthouses.

I also rescued a sweet little dresser from an old barn in New Hampshire and refinished it. After cleaning the brass handles and applying a fresh coat of paint, it looks brand new!  My daughter recently left us to pursue grad school, so we turned her bedroom into a real guest room, and this dresser looks perfect in there.

 

Transformation!

My husband and I also spent much of the summer boating on the river behind our house and taking leisurely drives along the coast to places like Ipswich, Essex and Gloucester, Massachusetts and north to Rye and Newcastle, New Hampshire and beyond to York and Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, Maine. All beautiful places with breathtaking scenery and the air was tinged with sea-salt and the fragrance of lilacs and beach roses.

York, Maine

But I am looking forward to the change of season, the cooler nights and the crisp scent of leaves and wood smoke from campfires, and the return of pumpkin spice lattes! I adore cozy socks and sweaters and walks in the woods when the trees are turning red and gold. This is my favorite writing season, when the nights are longer and I am most productive. I’m looking forward to sharing more news with you about a new series in the coming months! Meanwhile, thank you for your continued support; I never forget that you have endless  books to choose from and I am grateful each and every time you choose to take a chance on my books. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until next time (and I am committed to posting at least once each month), be well and keep safe!!

September 12, 2020 by Karen Posted in Uncategorized Reply

Hope Springs!

Posted on April 6, 2020 by KarenApril 6, 2020

I hope everyone is staying safe and well! New England winters are long enough without the need to stay indoors for an additional 1-2 months! But I hope you are still managing to get outside, breathe in some fresh air and stretch your legs–maintaining safe social distance, of course. If you are unable to do that, I hope you can curl up inside with a good book. Here at the river house, we have been working from home (my husband, my daughter, and myself) since early March. We have a routine where we retreat to our respective corners of the house during the work day, and come together for meals and to spend the evenings watching television or reading. Or in my case–writing! And I’ve been writing so much.

Here is my view on this sunny–but cold–April day!

My little bird figurine is admiring the view!

Inside, I am warm and cozy and taking a much-needed break to read A Fine Romance, by Susan Branch. The perfect antidote for cabin fever! Also, watching my kitty, Pippin, play with the ribbon bookmark has been very entertaining!

He reminds of a Beatrix Potter figurine when he stands on his hind legs like this!

The first book in The Riverrun Ranch series, Swipe Right for a Cowboy, came out on March 19th…have you read it yet? The second book comes out in May and I just turned in the third book, which will be released in June! The series follows the Claiborne brothers of Last Stand, TX. Here is a peek at the covers:

Cort, Luke, and Holt…aren’t they swoon-worthy?

Writing has been challenging these past few months, as I’ve found it difficult to focus with everything going on in the world right now. But now the books are safely in the hands of my wonderful publisher, Tule Publishing I can take a little break and recharge my batteries. But not for too long–I have so many more stories to tell! And I am hopeful that Spring will bring an end to our confinement and soon we can all come outdoors again and life will resume some normalcy!

Stay safe, take care of yourself, and be well!!

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Summer’s End

Posted on September 2, 2019 by KarenSeptember 2, 2019

So many things have happened since I last updated this blog! Least surprising, we returned to Ireland to see our girl, and spent three days on charming Achill Island, on the west coast. We stayed in a sweet little B&B overlooking Achill Bay, just a short walk from both the beach and a cozy little pub! We took a short drive to Keem Bay, best seen from the towering cliffs that protect it, and spent hours walking the beach. Here, there were no beach chairs or umbrellas, no people throwing footballs or lolling about on beach towels. There were, however, lots of people in wetsuits, braving the churning surf. There were wind-surfers and body-surfers, and lots of walkers like ourselves, undeterred by the wind or sporadic rain.

The view from our B&B, Achill Island

It was a wonderful visit–just what my spirit needed!

I also signed a new contract with Tule Publishing for three cowboy books, as part of the Last Stand, TX series! Very exciting stuff, and the first book is already completed and in the editing process. Best of all, I am working with Brenda Chin, the amazing editor who “discovered” me back in 2005, and bought my very first book! Working with her again feels like everything is right with the world. All three books will be out next year.

I also got the rights back to several books on my Harlequin backlist, and after a little polishing, self-published them with shiny new covers as the All-American Alphas series! The first book, Anything You Want, is available on Amazon now. The next two books will be available this month!

Meet the All-American Alphas!

We made several trips to the coast of Maine, visiting Portland Head Light and the Harpswell peninsula. This is one of my favorite areas, and maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to have a small cottage overlooking the rocky coast. What could be more inspiring to a romance author?

Portland Head Lighthouse
Orr’s Island, Maine

This Labor Day weekend, we also visited good friends in Bethel, Maine. The days were lovely and the nights were cool and crisp. Here is the sun, just setting over the mountains and reminding us that summer is coming to an end, and Autumn (my favorite season) is just around the corner! I can’t wait to see what it will bring!

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Welcome, 2019 and whatever it may bring!

Posted on January 13, 2019 by KarenJanuary 14, 2019

Wow, looks like it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and how I’ve missed you! I’d love to catch you up on everything that has happened since last summer, but that would take way too long. Suffice to say, summertime saw our Irish girl come home for two weeks and then John and I flew to Ireland and visited her and HER John, whom we call JD, in Sligo for two weeks in September!

John (aka JD) and Caitlin on our walk to Benbulbin, near Sligo.

Then my younger daughter, Brenna, graduated from the University of Vermont, with a perfect 4.0 for her final semester! We spent the afternoon Christmas shopping on Church Street and watching the street performers, who did not seem perturbed by the cold!

Impromptu caroling on Church Street, Burlington, VT
Brenna and I, having a celebratory lunch at Luenig’s Bistro in downtown Burlington.

Finally, John and I were so happy to have Caitlin and JD join us for Christmas this year! My heart was so happy, and our Christmas couldn’t have been merrier. JD’s parents, Caroline and Gerry, joined us two days later, and our house was filled with beautiful, lilting words like grand and lovely and notions and we drank lots of tea!

Caitlin, baking gingerbread cookies.
Celebrating New Year’s Eve at Loretta Restaurant in Newburyport. L-R: Me, JD, Caitlin, Gerry, Caroline, and Brenna.
Some final pictures…JD badly sprained his ankle while rock-climbing, so you see him icing it here.

There were so many wonderful fun-filled moments that it would be impossible to capture them all. We spent two nights in Bethel, Maine, eating delicious food and playing dominos and laughing and learning Irish insults, and why “your man” isn’t actually your man!

A snowy walk in Bethel, ME

I was so sad to see these LOVELY people return to Ireland, but that just means I get to plan our next trip! I can’t wait to see what other wonderful things await us in 2019!

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Summer Fun and a Giveaway!

Posted on July 13, 2018 by KarenJuly 13, 2018

I’ll admit it…I’m not much of a summer person as I don’t like heat or humidity. Autumn is my favorite time of year in New England, when the days turn cooler, the beaches empty out, and the trees turn brilliant shades of red and gold. But this summer has been an exception. My older daughter came home from Ireland for a visit, and my younger daughter came home from college to do an internship in a nearby city.  Having my entire family under one roof means everything to me. We hosted a fun Fourth of July party at our house for friends and family, since the local fireworks display is literally in our back yard, over the water. Dozens of boats travel upriver and drop anchor to watch the display, and we have front row seating every year.

We have a small boat, and we spent a couple of days out by the ocean, on a tidal sandbar, enjoying the sun and water. When the temperatures soared into the upper 90’s, we drove to the White Mountains and hiked through the Flume Gorge, where the temps were 20 degrees cooler.We took several scenic drives along the coast, and stopped for local seafood. But more than the great scenery and great eats, are the memories we made that I’ll hold onto and replay, over and over.

Leave a comment, below, about your own summer, and I’ll select two random winners to receive a complete set of my Glacier Creek novels!

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your summer!






























































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The Montana Born Glacier Creek Series

Posted on April 18, 2018 by KarenJuly 6, 2020

I love the fictional town of Glacier Creek, Montana, first revealed in the Firefighters of Montana series, as part of Tule Publishing’s Montana Born imprint. Back then, the town consisted of little more than the Glacier Creek Smokejumpers and Firefighting base, and a local pub called The Drop Zone.  Since then, this sweet little mountain town, nestled on the shores of Flathead Lake, has really expanded. There’s Main Street, with its collection of boutique shops, restaurants, and businesses–like Adrenaline Adventures, owned and operated by three devil-may-care childhood friends: Jamie, Dylan, and Lucas.

Within the town of Glacier Creek, there’s Red’s Diner, where the locals go for home-cooked, comfort food, and The Ginger Snap Bakery, where Dana Marshall whips up decadent desserts. The town dock extends out over the lake, and is a popular destination for lovers to watch the sun set over the mountains. The Snapdragon Inn, situated on a knoll overlooking the lake, is a Gilded Age mansion lovingly restored to a gracious bed and breakfast.  The owner, Mia Davies, has hosted more than her share of weddings here, because of the Inn’s romantic setting.  Here are some of the local businesses and tourist attractions you’ll see in town:

I hope you’ll choose to visit Glacier Creek soon! A Hummingbird Christmas features the town during its annual holiday festival, while A Hot Montana Summer introduces you to some of the summer attractions.

Come home to romance… Come home to Glacier Creek!

Thanks for stopping by!






























































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A Hot Montana Summer

Posted on March 22, 2018 by KarenMarch 22, 2018

 

 

 

I’m so excited to let you know that A Hot Montana Summer, the first book in the new Glacier Creek series, will be released April 3rd! This is Jamie and Rachel’s story, and I love this book so much. I hope you will, too!






























































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A New Series for 2018!

Posted on January 13, 2018 by KarenJuly 6, 2020

Happy New Year!

I am so excited to share the projects I am working on for 2018 with my readers! If you’ve read the Firefighters of Montana series, or A Hummingbird Christmas, then you already know about the sweet little town of Glacier Creek, Montana.  Not only is this quaint town, nestled on the edge of Flathead Lake and surrounded by mountains, home to some of the hottest firefighters around, but it’s also home to three very good friends who own and operate an extreme adventure company.

There’s Jamie, the Marine who is back home, recuperating from a combat injury and who has always had a thing for the girl across the street.  There’s Dylan, a former smokejumper and  adrenaline junkie, who must help a woman and her two young nephews escape a wildfire…even when he suspects they may be the cause of the blaze. Then there’s Lucas…an Army Ranger and multi-millionaire, whose return to Glacier Creek may have more to do with a woman who betrayed his family, than it does with the extreme adventure business.

Book 1:

A Hot Montana Summer

Jamie Colter is a combat-hardened Marine who’s back in Glacier Creek recuperating from a mortar attack that left him with a busted leg and a serious case of cabin fever.  He just wants to get back on his feet and rejoin his unit, until the one woman he’s never been able to forget walks back into his life.  The last time she saw him, he was a scrawny teenager.  Now he has just two weeks to make her see him as the only man who is perfect for her.

With her marriage in ruins, Rachel McCafferty returns to Glacier Creek to nurse her wounds and make a fresh start—one that doesn’t involve someone who will eventually abandon her, the way her ex-husband did. When Rachel catches sight of Jamie, she’s dumbstruck by his good looks and brash confidence. He’s no longer a boy—he’s a man, and when he makes it clear he’s hers for the taking, she finds herself rethinking all her rules about younger guys.

I’m so excited about this book, and I love the hero–he’s such an interesting blend of confident swagger and tenderness!

This book is an April 2018 release, followed by Books 2 and 3 in (I think) May and June 2018.  I’ll post more details about Dylan and Lucas’ stories as I get more information.

Thanks for stopping by!






























































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A Holiday Giveaway!

Posted on November 28, 2017 by KarenNovember 29, 2017

To celebrate the holiday season, I’m giving away five signed copies of A Hummingbird Christmas.  If you love the Hallmark Channel, and can’t get your fill of romance and happy endings, you don’t want to miss this sweet story!  All you need to do to enter is leave a comment, and tell me what your favorite part of the holiday season is.  For me, it’s being surrounded by the people I love most.

I’ll select five random winners on Dec 10th, and announce the names here, so be sure to check back. And if you haven’t already signed up to receive emails about upcoming releases and events, go ahead and do that, too.  I’ll send you a beautiful hummingbird bracelet as a thank you!

Read below for an excerpt from A Hummingbird Christmas…

EXCERPT:

Joy Holliday’s knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel of the Honda CR-V she’d rented at Glacier Park International Airport just two hours earlier. What insanity had made her decide to drive to her in-laws’ house tonight, instead of booking a hotel near the airport and making the drive in the morning, as she’d told them she would do?

The flight from Los Angeles had been delayed several hours due to high winds and snow in the Glacier Park region of Montana, but, by the time they’d landed, the snow had stopped coming down. The little town of Glacier Creek was only fifty miles or so south of the airport, and Joy had been sure it would be a quick, easy drive.

She glanced in the rearview mirror at her small daughter, Piper, who sat buckled into a car seat, bundled up in a brand new winter coat and hat. Beneath the hem of the coat, the tulle skirt of her pink ballet tutu frothed around her legs. She’d insisted on wearing it, and Joy given up on trying to convince her that it wasn’t practical. She’d finally agreed, as long as Piper also wore a long-sleeved jersey and a pair of thick leggings beneath the insubstantial outfit.

Now the little girl stared out the car window, mesmerized by the falling snow. Joy had promised her five-year-old daughter a white Christmas, and she’d sure managed to deliver on the white part. But what had initially been beautiful, light flurries when they’d picked up the rental car had swiftly become a thick, swirling whiteout, making visibility poor, if not impossible. The lines on the road had disappeared about an hour back, and Joy drove at a snail’s pace, terrified she would drive off the road.

She had no idea how much farther it was to the town of Glacier Creek, where her in-laws lived, because she was too nervous to take her hands off the steering wheel long enough to pick up her phone, which lay on the seat next to her. She hadn’t passed a road sign in several miles, and gusty winds whipped off the lake to her right, billowing across the road, all but obscuring her vision.

“Are we almost there, Mommy?”

The little voice sounded anxious, and Joy recognized the warning signs of a child who desperately needed to be fed, and then tucked into bed.

“Almost, sweetie. How’s your snack-pack? Have you eaten everything?”

“I don’t want no more Cheerios.” A note of petulance had crept into Piper’s voice.

“I don’t want any more Cheerios.” Joy corrected her. “What about the apple slices? Have you eaten those?”

Piper gave a dramatic sigh, and pulled her knit hat off. Long, bright orange curls zigzagged out from her head in all directions. She plucked at the pom-pom on the top of the hat. “Yes. But I’m hot, and I have to go to the bathroom.”

Joy frowned. There was no place to safely pull off the road and, even if there was, her daughter would never agree to relieve herself on the side of the road, even if the weather had allowed it.

“Just a little longer, and we’ll be at Grammy and Grampy’s house, and then we can have a snack and hot chocolate. Doesn’t that sound good?”

Another long, dramatic sigh. “I guess so. If we ever get there.”

Then Joy saw it—the road sign that indicated they had just entered the town of Glacier Creek. Thank goodness.

“We’re almost there,” she said, infusing her voice with cheerfulness. “Just a few more miles.”

She’d studied the map so hard before they’d left the airport she’d almost memorized the directions to her in-laws’ house, and knew the turnoff to their road was less than a mile from the town limits, on the left. If she reached the town center, then she’d gone too far. But with the snow coming down so fast, she couldn’t see any landmarks, and she almost missed her turn. Worse, darkness had fallen and her headlights did little to penetrate the whiteout.

She turned the small SUV onto the road that led to her in-laws’ house, and then reset her odometer. This was a private road, owned by the Holliday family. There was one more turn she needed to make, and it was exactly three-quarters of a mile from the main road. If she missed this next turn, the road continued into the heavily timbered foothills of the Mission Mountains, where her father-in-law owned a sawmill and lumber company.

She drove slowly up the steady incline, giving the car a little more gas in order to avoid getting stuck on the snow-covered road. Evergreen trees pressed in on both sides, heavily laden with white snow. At any other time, Joy might have found the winter scene breathtaking, but not now. She would be grateful when she made the next turn, and the large timber frame house came into view.

“Just a few more minutes,” she said to her daughter. “And then we’ll be able to see Grammy’s Christmas tree. I’ll bet Grampy strung lots of pretty lights on the house.”

This made Piper sit up higher, and she strained to see out the window. “Does Grampy have a chimney? Will Santa Claus know I’m here, and not at home?”

“Grampy has a huge chimney,” Joy said, smiling at her daughter in the rearview mirror. “In fact, I’ll bet it’s the biggest fireplace you’ve ever seen!”

“Mommy, look out!”

In the split-second that Joy had taken her eyes off the road, an enormous pickup truck with a plow on the front appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, directly in their path. The oncoming headlights were blinding and Joy had only an instant to react, slamming on the brakes and yanking the wheel hard to the right in order to avoid a head-on collision. The car fishtailed violently, and then they were sliding off the road as Piper screamed in terror. There was a jarring impact and the terrifying sound of crunching metal, and then it was over.

They had come to rest in a ditch, up against a tree, and the car had pitched sideways at a steep angle so that only the seatbelt prevented Joy from sliding into the passenger seat. Frantically, she twisted around to see Piper, still strapped in her car seat, eyes wide with terror.

“Are you alright, baby?” Her voice was frantic, but the fear of something terrible happening to her child was almost paralyzing. “Are you hurt?”

Piper shook her head, mute, and Joy went weak with relief and the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush. Her headlights were still on, and the wipers still swept the falling snow from the windshield in a steady, rhythmic motion, but everything was otherwise silent.

Where the hell had that truck come from? This was a private road, owned by her in-laws, but she couldn’t see her father-in-law driving in this weather. And what was she going to do now?

As if in answer to her unspoken question, there was a knock on her window, and she looked around to see a man peering through the glass at them, motioning for her to unlock her door. With the car settled almost on its side, he seemed to loom above her. The headlights from his truck were bright, and all she could make out was a dark silhouette. Knowing she didn’t have much choice, she hit the unlock button.






























































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