#BookReview #ChristmasInJuly - Oklahoma Christmas Blues by Maggie Shayne

Title:  Oklahoma Christmas Blues (The McIntyre Men Book 1)
Author:  Maggie Shayne
Genre:  Romance, Holidays
Release Date:  November 10, 2016

About the Book:

Darryl is on a quest for peace. His chance at fatherhood was taken from him long ago, and an IED in Iraq ensured he’d never get another. In Big Falls, the McIntyre brothers hire him to keep an eye on their beautiful cousin Sophie in case her criminal ex shows up. He doesn’t expect to fall head over heels.

Sophie McIntyre’s life was blown apart by a drug dealing ex who cost her her job and nearly her medical license. She comes to Big Falls because she has nowhere else to go. And the minute she gets there, things start to get better.

Is it because of that letter to Santa her Aunt Vidalia convinced her to write? 

Within days she meets a beautiful man with a deeply wounded soul. And oddly, she finds herself giving him the same advice the town Santa gave to her—try believing again, and if it’s too much to believe, then just try hoping.

Love, magic, and miracles ensue.

Because this is Big Falls, Oklahoma. Miracles are an everyday occurrence around here. Especially at Christmastime.

BELIEVE AGAIN with MAGGIE SHAYNE

An expanded author’s cut edition of the story previously published in Buckles, Boots and Mistletoe.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

This was a fun, quick read, with romance that gives you tingles and plenty of Christmas magic.  The characters are delightful and lovable.  OKLAHOMA CHRISTMAS BLUES certainly put me smack dab in the Christmas spirit.. even in the middle of July!

Sophia learns from Santa that whatever has happened to her, no matter how bad it might have been, these things have caused her to now be right where she is supposed to be. Things happen for a reason.  All you need to do is believe.  And it seems that Darryl learns that same lesson as well.

This was a quick read of only 176 pages, but it was quite enjoyable.  Not a lot of depth, but very nice for a Christmas story and after reading this I will probably check out the other two books in this series. And I would love to meet this author!  She describes herself as a storyteller, and aside from her awesome writing style, she sounds like a fascinating person!

My Rating:

About the Author:

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I am Maggie Shayne and I am a Goddess. And so are you.

I am the matriarch of a clan of amazing young women, all of whom are catching up to my age, because I long ago decided to stop counting.

I have come to a place of serenity and wisdom I never dreamed I would possess back when I thought I already knew everything.

I spent years studying witchcraft, became a priestess, and then a high priestess, and then an elder, and then, by the Old Law, a Witch Queen. I’ve jumped the bonfire on Solstice Eve, and drummed the night away while witches danced. But my spell casting lately consists of deciding what I want, and it arrives. No poof of purple smoke or glitter. But I’m working on that. Magic is just an expression of the universal law of attraction, you see.

I was born a storyteller, and I will cross the other side a storyteller, and when I get there, I’ll haunt some young writer who’s still on earth by whispering my stories into her ears, because I’ll still be a story teller. I think that’s what our muses are. Storytellers gone by. I am so incredibly blessed, because I got a really good one. I love her.

For 22 years, I wrote stories that were published by major houses in New York City. I wrote soaps for a year, Guiding Light and As the World Turns. (It wasn’t anywhere near as much fun as it sounds.)

I published more than 60 novels with Harlequin, Berkley, Avon, St. Martin’s Press, Pocket Books and others. But things started to change. I started to change. I was chafing at the bit. They stopped letting me write what I wanted to write. They started axing my proposals and suggesting their own. It wasn’t fun anymore. I wasn’t happy anymore.

The signals were clear, but I’d been doing the same thing the same way for a long time, and I didn’t take the hints right away. It got a lot more unpleasant before I finally had no choice but to walk away. It was March 1st, 2014. And it was one of the most terrifying things I have ever done.
I took a leap of faith, and a net appeared. The net’s name was Jessica, one of my daughters, who said, “It’s about time, Mom. Now I’m gonna make you a million bucks.”

I set up my own business. I stepped into my own power. I convinced myself that I could learn whatever needed to be learned, and I was right about that.

My middle daughter Jessica jumped into action and taught herself ebook formatting and graphic design. (And a thousand more things since then. She is brilliant.) We started formatting my old books whose rights had reverted back to me and releasing them ourselves.

I kept writing new books, too. My firstborn, Jena, became my editor. Both girls have Masters in English and education. (I don’t have any degree at all, and I’m so proud that all 5 of my girls do!) Jena was and still is teaching full time, but she found time to edit, and not just for me, but for other authors too. Jessica used her new skills to help other authors, as well. And now they both have thriving businesses just like I do.

I have achieved more success and made more money since I left traditional publishing than I ever even dreamed. And I have never ever had more fun. And the fun is the key. The fun is why the success is flowing in. Working with my own daughters, writing what I want to write, helping to design my own covers, creating my own launch campaigns and ad campaigns and anything-I-want campaigns, connecting one-on-one with my readers, no middle man in between us. It’s FUN.

And not only are Jena’s and Jessica’s businesses thriving, but now two other daughters have jumped in, River and Miranda. They and Jessica are each writing series of their own, set in my Oklahoma Brands towns of Big Falls and Tucker Lake. Moreover, my second born, Katie, will soon be joining us, meaning all my girls will be working in the business with me. That’s a dream come true all by itself!

I am in the most blissful time of my entire life at just a little (barely a minute, I swear!) past 50. I found my spiritual partner, co-creator, soulmate Lance and we married on Valentine’s Day 2014. I am happier, more confident, healthier, wealthier, more fulfilled, and more serene than I have ever been. All my dreams are coming true. I have a waterfall in my back yard! A freakin’ waterfall. And I’m wiser than ever before. I know things now.

Above all else, I am empowered. I have become the creator and controller of my own Life. And let me tell you, girls, it’s good to be the Queen.

I am a storyteller, first and foremost. My stories are Paranormal Romances like my groundbreaking Wings in the Night vampire romance series, (the original “twilight” vampire books) and several series about Witches and other bumps in the night.

My stories are Contemporary Western Romances all about family and heart and loyalty and love, like The Texas Brands Series, the Oklahoma All-Girl Brands, and The McIntyre Men.

My stories are Romantic Thrillers like my career-best Brown & de Luca series, The Mordecai Young Series, The Secrets of Shadow Falls, Shattered Sisters, and more.

I also write and blog and teach the Law of Attraction or what I like to call Witchcraft without the props. You can find my non-fiction teachings about how you can become the Queen and Goddess of your own life and business, and create everything you want, at BlissBlog.org 

I love who I am, what I do, and everything about my life. I especially love my readers, because, let’s face it, storytelling would be pretty pointless without them. You. I love knowing you as much as possible, which is why I am available to you via email, Facebook, Twitter, my newsletter and my blogs.

So pick a story, any story, and then curl up in a comfy chair, and wrap your softest blanket around your shoulders. Fill your favorite mug with your favorite warm beverage, coffee or tea or cocoa, and fall into my world for a little while. I think you’re gonna like it here.
Hugs!
Maggie