Second Chance Cupid

by Karen Rock from the March 25, 2019 issue

Tagline: After her husband passed away, Joy Cade never expected to find love again...until she happens to run into an old flame, who ignites a new spark.

Observations: Unfortunately, this story didn't work for me.

I wanted to know how long it had been since Joy's husband passed away. Because the story begins with her attending a bereavement support group meeting, I'm thinking anywhere from 1 to 3 years. But I don't believe we ever find out how long she's been a widow. She didn't act like she was in mourning at all, so maybe it'd been a long time. But if it's been a long time, why is she going to the meeting at all?

Joy and Boyd end up interviewing each other, as per the counselor's instructions and Boyd asks what her favorite color is and she replies, "You know darn well what it is!" He demonstrates that he does, indeed, know it's yellow and then she says, "Can't believe you remember that." Ah...just a minute ago she accused him of knowing exactly what it was.

Their tone is very playful and flirty, which seems inappropriate for that kind of meeting. I normally wouldn't have a problem with a little giggling and harmless disobedience from characters, but the other people there are at that meeting because they are hurting inside and are seeking support. I find myself not respecting Joy and Boyd. I'd much rather have seen them talk and flirt after the meeting, not during, and I was sort of glad to see the counselor kick them out.

After I'd finished reading it, I saw the bit about reading Karen Rock's latest book, Winning the Cowboy's Heart and wondered if my problems with this story stemmed from it being an excerpt from the novel modified into a Woman's World story. After some investigation, I found out the characters in Winning the Cowboy's Heart are named Heath and Jewel, but there is a connection, because the setting Cade Ranch and there is a family feud. I will just assume that there is some sort of plot or backstory already set up about Joy and Boyd and that we ended up missing some crucial details in the story that appeared in Woman's World.

Photo credit: NOAA Photo Library via Flickr CC license

As Luck Would Have It

by Loretta Martin from the March 18, 2019 issue

Tagline: After a painful divorce, Amy's life had been one misfortune after another. But when she runs into a handsome Irishman, her luck begins to change.

Observations: What stood out to me in this story was the character of Amy. Yes, she suffered through a less than ideal marriage and subsequent divorce, but is she bitter or melancholy or hopeless? Heck no. She's out there doing things...

Since moving back to her hometown six months ago, she'd been trying to settle into her new life in the wake of her marriage going up in flames. Despite volunteering at a shelter, joining a book club and holding down her office job, she still had too much free time. And a few blind dates had been total washouts.

In the next paragraph, you find out that she also recently got "a makeover, complete with a new haircut and makeup overhaul."

This is a woman who is facing her life as a newly single woman head-on. This type of attitude is exactly what Woman's World magazine espouses in every issue. Keep this in mind when you write your stories.

Photo credit: Umberto Salvagnin via Flickr CC license

Woman in the Window

by Alyssa Symon from the March 11, 2019 issue

Tagline: After her divorce, Lucy Myers wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to love again--until a sweet delivery filled her heart with new hope.

Observations: When I read this story, I wasn't crazy about the beginning, but by the end of the story, I really enjoyed it.

First off, I thought I'd caught a spelling error - revery. I thought it was reverie. I've always spelled it reverie. But I looked it up and there it was on Dictionary.com.

Then, Lucy came off a little sadly desperate to me. Every morning, she sits and waits for this man to deliver her newspaper to the point where she's fussing with her hair before he gets there. Having read the complete story, I see that she has to be in the window every day, or else the poem wouldn't make sense.

I've been sitting here trying to figure out a way to make her not seem a little pitiful, and can't. But maybe it doesn't matter because a) it got published! LOL and b) by the end of the story, I didn't really care. I really liked 95% of the story. It was just that one paragraph that had me wrinkling my nose.

Photo credit: Jon S via Flickr CC license

Snowflake Sweethearts

by Dana Mentink from the March 4, 2019 issue

Tagline: Tammy Brisco's move to the big city left her feeling all alone, until a handsome baker offered a sweet taste of home that warmed her heart.

Observations: I enjoyed this story. I really liked the idea of a changing window display. That's a really clever marketing idea, actually. People will get curious and will want to see what is added.

I did get tripped up here:

When she arrived home, she was greeted by a flyer announcing a social in the lobby.

I got pulled out of the story because I had stop and figure out that it must be the lobby of the building she lives in. I don't remember her mentioning living in an apartment or condominium complex, but someone correct me if I missed it.

Also--and this may just be me--it felt weird to me that she invited herself to go along sledding with him. I do like it when the women are assertive in these stories, but to me, that seemed awkwardly forward. It might have worked better if Rick had included two little cookie nieces in the display.  Then it would have made sense to me that Tammy was just responding to his hint.

Photo by switthoft via Flickr CC license

Let it Snow

by Mary Ann Joyce from the February 25, 2019 issue

Tagline: When Kelly Rodgers finds herself trapped in her bookstore during the worst snowstorm of the year, it looks like she's in for a long and lonely night...until handsome shop owner Lane Bucks comes to keep her company,

Observations: I really liked the paragraph about Lane, about a fourth of the way into the story. In it, Joyce does two things--she gives a good physical description of him and manages to show that Kelly has a crush on him at the same time. Because these stories are so short, making paragraphs, or even sentences, work double duty is a good idea.

Like with last week's story, I'm loving the playful banter. It might be just me, but when the hero and heroine converse easily with wit and humor, it signals to me that they are compatible. Plus, it just makes for a fun, well-written story.

William Shakespurr??? OMG LMAO.

Shouldn't he have replied, "I'm puss-itive your cat likes your neighbor better?" Two cat play at that game.

Okay, that moment after she says yes to sharing the take-out and he breathes a sigh of relief? That is so adorable. Don't you just fall in love with him right then and there? Joyce showed us his vulnerability and makes you really root for him.

I really love, too, how Joyce really used the sporting goods store as more than window dressing. (No pun intended.) She might have just had him own a dry cleaner or a pet supply or any other kind of store. Instead, she chose a store that she could use later in the story.

The only thing that didn't really sing for me was the ending and I'll admit this is a picky thing. I've mentioned before about bringing a story full circle by pulling something from the beginning of the story for a reprise at the end. In this case it was Gus the security guy saying, "A night at the mall isn't the worst," and Kelly saying, "A night at the mall with you isn't the worst." I was trying to figure out why I wasn't crazy about this bit and it may have been because it was Gus who said this. I'm not really sure, but this ending didn't seem worthy of the rest of the story. Maybe another cat pun? "I agree. This has been just purrfect."

Photo credit: Kevin Cabral via Flickr cc License

Call for submissions

This is Alex's post from the Woman's World Facebook group.

Good afternoon, all!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the call for Mother's Day stories is officially closed—we have just e-mailed the authors of selected stories to let them know their stories have been chosen! Congratulations to all whose stories have been selected, and thank you to all who submitted such wonderful work!

Our latest call is for Memorial Day-themed romances and mini mysteries. That call will be open from today through the March 20th, so please be sure to e-mail any stories through by that date.

As always, if anyone has any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to e-mail me at apollock@bauerpublishing.com. Wishing everyone a wonderful evening and a fantastic week ahead!

Skating into Her Heart

by Tina Radcliffe from the February 18, 2019 issue

Tagline: Love is the last thing on divorcee Tracey Cole's mind when she takes her daughter skating one Saturday night...until Coach Jim breaks the ice.

Stream of Consciousness Observations: I already like the conversation between Tracey her her daughter. It sounds very realistic. Mara's horror when Tracy announces she's coming along was funny. I found myself siding with Tracey because why go out into that freezing weather twice?

Oh, oops. LOL Somehow she was looking out the kitchen window and then was eyeing the skates at the back of the closet.

"It's like riding a bike...on ice." LOL

Wait, they're outside? Okay, this Southern California girl has only been to ice rinks that are inside buildings, so that's what my brain was conjuring.

I'm totally laughing at this:

"So...come here often?"

Tracey groaned. "Is that a pickup line?"

"It will be if you fall down again."

OMG hilarious.

The rest of the story was perfect. Really romantic, with more witty banter and returning to phrases..."teen patrol" and "mom patrol" and "double axel" and "triple Lutz."

I'm also realizing that Radcliffe cleverly snuck in a character arc for the daughter, who went from recalcitrant and resentful of her mom to encouraging.

Photo credit: Billie Grace Ward via Flickr cc license

Sweet Change of Heart

by Delsora Lowe from the February 11, 2019 issue

Tagline: Brokenhearted after his divorce, Adam can barely stand the thought of Valentine's Day...until his old high school flame, Susie, helps him find joy again.

Observations: I had a bit of a rocky start when I read the first paragraph of this story--word choices, mostly. Have I mentioned that I'm super picky about word usage? You might have already noticed this. Here's one instance

"But ever since their acrimonious divorce two years before, his broken heart had changed." 

It's the word "changed" that's bugging me here. I might have said this instead: "But their acrimonious divorce two years before had broken his heart," or maybe "But ever since their acrimonious divorce two years before, he'd had a change of heart toward February fourteenth."

I had a similar reaction to "February mounted into the double digits." I think the right would would have been "entered," but I could be wrong.

However, I'm happy to say after that first paragraph, I got into this old-flame story and ended up liking it a lot. I loved the goofy Valentine's heart costume. I thought there was some witty banter too.

Photo credit: Squidish via Flickr CC license