Brenda’s Banter & Balm

COMING SOON ANOTHER STORY IN

THE TOWN OF SUN VALLEY SERIES

Sun Valley Someone

Single and thirty, Kelly McCartney slings beer and serves tasty eats in her hometown bar. Unseen and underappreciated, she dreams of becoming someone people will notice and respect. She’s delighted when a quiet and unassuming newcomer to Sun Valley befriends her. But after they agree to an innocent deception, Preston throws her life into unexpected chaos.

Preston Brown arrives in Sun Valley hoping for a second chance in life, but a pretty server in Jokers Wild Bar creates havoc with his plans and his heart. Even after he confesses that he was recently released from prison, Kelly agrees to a dinner date. And then he receives a typed, one-page message in the mail… ‘I know you didn’t do it… I did’.

Would showing the note to the police put their lives in danger? Will the deception backfire and sideline his plans for a fresh start? Despite being perfect for each other, will their hopes for a future together be crushed, once Kelly learns everything about Preston’s past? 

Hello, readers. So far, 2025 has been a productive year for me. I started writing a new small town romance series and the first book is available now. The second book will be published in May. 

Here’s Sun Valley Valentine…

Workaholic accountant, Eve Foster reluctantly agrees to step away from the office when her boss issues the ultimatum… take three weeks’ vacation, or I’ll fire you. She arranges to spend time with her best friend from university, even if it means dealing with Lisa’s brother, Josh. Shortly after arriving in Sun Valley, Eve learns something about her old crush she never imagined. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, her friend’s ulterior motive throws Eve and Josh together in a renewed battle of wills. Until circumstances worsen in a way Eve doesn’t see coming.

Since inheriting the family legacy, Josh Olsen has been struggling to keep his nursery and tree farm in business, and his sister’s meddling in company affairs has been causing a rift between them. Lisa stops asking questions and takes her concerns to an unexpected level, involving her friend whom he long ago lost interest in. Soon, Josh fears he’s losing control of his business and his personal life.

Does Lisa feel cheated that Josh inherited the business while she only received the family home? Is Eve secretly working with Lisa to undermine Josh’s efforts and take control of his business? Or does Eve have his best interests in mind and simply intends to steal his heart?

AVAILABLE NOW AT AMAZON https://shorturl.at/7NH4B 

I cannot believe 2024 is coming to a close. The year has flown by, but I have accomplished a few things. Looking back, I realize I have published three new books this year!

Eight Days In Emerald Cabin is a contemporary romance set in the beautiful Alberta resort town of Banff. If you love a second chance romance with main characters who are older, you’ll enjoy Rebecca and Gordon’s story.

Recently, I released two contemporary Christmas stories, also set in fictional towns in Alberta. Many readers enjoy an amnesia premise, and Wanted List Christmas will meet your needs. There are a few surprising twists, and of course, a happy ending. And there’s a short story bonus read, Dear Diary, in the print version.

The other book is Taking Care Of Christmas. This contemporary tale of a collection of people stranded in a semi-remote resort during a winter storm power outage has a few surprises and a fun cast of characters. From the grouchy senior to an adorable pre-teen, a take-charge hero and a heroine harboring a secret or two, the story is certain to entertain readers.

On a personal note, I spent the spring and summer working in my little garden plot, enjoying the tasty fruits of my labors. You cannot beat the flavor of fresh veggies right from the garden. A few relishes and jellies, sauces and homemade soups were made to enjoy as a treat during the long cold winter. And afternoon wine-time on the veranda served to help the muscles recover after a day of weeding! I hosted what has become an annual one-day author’s retreat at Sylvan Lake, a beautiful resort town in Alberta. We enjoyed a fun day of activities, shared a few laughs, and exchanged useful writing ideas.

I also spent my annual October writer retreat with two fellow authors, Victoria Chatham and S. L. Dickson, at Sylvan Lake. The weather was great, Netflix provided movies for evening viewing, had a blast playing a tile game called Bananas, and we met two fellow authors for lunch one day. We couldn’t have enjoyed ourselves more, and we did accomplish some writing, as well.

I am looking forward to 2025. I’m currently finishing another contemporary romance called Sun Valley Valentine which I will be publishing in February. No plans for what might follow but stay tuned.

Have a wonderful time with family and friends during the holiday season. And all the best to you and yours in 2025.

Happy reading!
Brenda

Hello, everyone…

Summer flew by and I’ve been busy. But autumn is here now (actually, we got snow once already in Alberta, so it looked like winter one day). Finally, I’m seeing the results of an enjoyable summer of writing.

Well, writing when I wasn’t busy with my garden plot: weeding, watering, weeding some more, and then enjoying fresh veggies galore. We ate so much Swiss chard, kale and beet tops, I kept checking my husband and me for a green tinge. But we were okay. For me, gardening is great exercise, and everything tastes so fresh. Not to mention, saving a ton of money. But after all the harvesting and making jellies and relishes, it was nice to say goodbye to gardening until next spring.

So… what have my laptop and I been up to these past months?

I plotted a Christmas story with the premise of a woman with amnesia and no recall of who she is or why she was found in a vehicle following a minor accident on a rural road. Then the skeptical police officer handling her case informs her she resembles a woman wanted for attempted murder. Yikes!

Wanted List Christmas is available on Amazon here… https://bit.ly/4hxWOHT

What could be worse than being on Santa’s naughty list?

RCMP Sergeant Brandon Wright interrogates a woman who was discovered at the scene of a single vehicle accident, claiming no recollection of who she is or why she was there. After checking missing persons reports, Brandon discovers something that won’t help her situation, especially if she’s playing them for fools and faking amnesia.

With the holidays closing in, the hospital staff have dubbed their amnesia patient Holly, which she hates. She realizes the handsome cop she met is doubting her inability to answer his questions about the accident or her identity. Then Brandon informs her that she resembles the description of a woman wanted for attempted murder. Could she be Carrie Huntington? She’s starting to prefer Holly. And why is she attracted to the cop who could ensure this is the worst Christmas of her life?

Forget Santa’s naughty list, is Holly the woman on the police wanted list? Can she convince the skeptical cop to team up with her in hopes of learning the truth?

Of course, the book plotting gods popped another idea for a Christmas book into my head while I was writing the first one, and I started working on Taking Care Of Christmas. This story is a delightful tale of a woman who takes her niece to a resort in the woods for a ‘real’ Christmas. But things go downhill quickly, and not just the toboggans.

Taking Care of Christmas is available on Amazon here https://bit.ly/3UA24kv

Sarah Taylor promises her family a ‘real’ Christmas away from the noise and commercialism of the city, by renting a semi-remote cabin at Vacation In The Woods Resort. When her sister isn’t able to come, Sarah accompanies her niece to the forested area in West Central Alberta anyway. The resort seems the ideal vacation spot, offering the perfect mix of modern amenities with outdoor activities for an old-fashioned Christmas. Until it’s not.

Evan Richardson survives two uneventful weeks while in charge of his mother’s resort business. With one more week to go, he’s confident he’s got this. Until he discovers his mother forgot to cancel two of the Christmas week reservations. Having only two cabins occupied and with his mom’s dog for company, how bad could it get? Evan soon discovers his grumpy male guest is the least of his worries when a raging snowstorm hits the resort area. His mother won’t be pleased when she learns he commandeered his three guests to help manage the emergency.

 Will Evan and Sarah survive the Christmas chaos by working together? Will they share the troubling issues each could face in the new year? Or will this be their most memorable Christmas, for all the wrong reasons?

 Available in e-book and print, these books will be a wonderful Christmas gift.

Happy Reading, Everyone!

Hello, everyone! And thank you for your patience! My latest book has been giving me more trouble than a two-year-old on a sugar high. I’m delighted to announce the eBook version of Eight Days In Emerald Cabin is LIVE on Amazon. The print version will be available later this month. Although a thorn in my side for so many reasons, this book is finished. I’m really pleased with it, and I love the cover! If you’re a fan of second chance, older couple romance, then this is the story for you.  Available here on Amazon

https://amzn.to/3PLvIRb

Happy Reading!

Rebecca Graham is looking forward to spending an entire week at a luxury resort in Banff with her college roommate who suddenly reached out to her in an email. They both turned sixty this year, and Rebecca plans to relax while catching up on her friend’s news. And she has an exciting revelation of her own to share.

Gordon Boyd’s early retirement hasn’t gone as planned due to his wife’s untimely passing. Now, he occupies his time assisting with property maintenance and daily operations at the Blue Spruce Luxury Resort. Gordon enjoys keeping busy and meeting resort guests, especially newly arrived Rebecca. Although, life would be more rewarding if the aloof vacationer would agree to a dinner date.

Rebecca tries everything to discourage the resort worker who is showing an interest in her. But Gordon Boyd has set his sights on the beautiful guest. Will the two secret-keeping sixty-somethings, with seemingly nothing in common, have any hope of a future together?

Tomorrow, July 29th, I’ll be selling and signing books at the Community Center in Mulhurst Bay from 11 to 3 with lots of other vendors. I’ll have my latest releases, as well as the Sons of a Gun Series and the Town of Pineview Series. Come say hello and stock up on your summer reading.

See you there!