Memorable Border Crossings: "Welcome Home"

I love traveling as much as I love writing. This is my second post in my Memorable Border Crossings and it feeds in a personal way to my new release, Kiss Me in the Rain, the first of the Tanner Family Series. The series tackles environmental, social and economical issues, but the backbone of the series is the familial dynamic of adult siblings and their divorced parents. I know not everyone has positive border crossings, but this memory shares a happy moment during a rather awkward family time.

Coming Back into the U.S.A: Semester in Scotland
When I was 18 years old I received a brochure from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire’s International Office declaring I could study abroad. I was eighteen and it was a full two weeks before I even stepped foot in any of my freshman lecture halls or classrooms. Back then, still a couple years before I would meet my now, and very much a planner, husband, I didn’t do organized.  But this, something I would have to apply a whole year in advance for, called me like a very loud, very specific bull horn. Sarah, Study Abroad!

I applied for a program in Scotland, got accepted, and waited not-so-patiently to zip off to the land of castles, kilts, scotch, really cool accents and rugby. During that year my parents also happened to start the very long, rather painful process of divorcing.
Did I mention rugby? Turns out contact sports are really good at letting go of bottled up tension. Which I found out during my AMAZING semester in that incredibly welcoming, happy, beautiful country. I was having an epic experience, in between emails and phone calls from the dividing home front.

When my semester was over and my nineteen year old self flew back home, I walked out of the tunnel from the plane and headed down the windowed corridor to customs. On the other side of those floor-to-ceiling windows was my mom and my sister . . . and a few paces away my dad and his girlfriend. I know both my parents were just really excited I was home, but, well. . . awkward!

What does this have to do with border guards? As I walked down that corridor and I saw my two rides waiting to pick me up and dreading the first of what would be many perceived “who do you chose” scenarios, I walked into U.S. Customs. I have never wanted to wait so long in a line in my life. Or hang out with people with badges and guns. But all too soon it was my turn.

The border guard had no idea the family drama I would be stepping into in just a few moments, but he looked at me, handed me back my passport, and said, “Welcome home.”
I stared at him a moment, and realized he meant it.

“Thanks.” I said, feeling fortified by the kind, no-strings-attached words of a stranger. I borrowed some of his strength, hoped the jet lag didn’t make me ask my family the obvious, and went to see who I was catching a ride with. And have always remembered that small kindness that meant more to me than that border guard would ever know.

That having been said, I have heard those two magic words, Welcome Home,  almost every time since. Still, it's pretty cool. Thanks Mr. Nice Border Guard Guy.

Happy Trails . . .

Book Release Day: Kiss Me in the Rain

Book Release Day
It's a happy day, and not just because I paddled around Bala Park Island today. After what turned out to be an extraordinary journey, my book Kiss Me in the Rain released today!
Hang on, I'm still letting that sink in.
I learned so much and worked with incredibly talented people. Shout out of thanks and awesome to my editor Adrienne Kerr, as well as to the Alberta Romance Writers' Association and my amazing cover designer Tufted Sky Cover Designs.
It's a happy day, indeed!

In the dense spruce forests of Northern Alberta, an environmentalist and an archeologist are about to uncover the wrongs of the past and the pleasures of the here and now.

Savannah McIntyre is estranged from her family, haunted by the destruction that her father's development business has visited upon the landscape that she loves. So when a family wedding calls her home, the hope of reconnecting with her dad surfaces, putting her directly in the path of Gabe Tanner, an archeologist on her father's payroll.
Gabe is estranged from his own father, and in him Savannah senses a man of immense compassion with a deep connection to the land. Navigating their mutual attraction on a remote and dangerous archaeological survey proves difficult, given their differences in ideology, but Savannah and Gabe are about to find out that love can thrive in any landscape.

Book Launch for Kiss Me in the Rain!

Pre-orders on sale now, Releases August 2, Book Launch August 15

...Happy Summer Everyone!

Monday Top Five: Running Books . . . looking for #4 and #5

I'm a random runner . . . maybe jogger is a better description. But I am interested. My running is spontaneous. I should go more often because I feel like gold after. Seriously, my whole body feels great, even achy muscles are singing yes, yes, yes. My writing flows better when I'm running more regularly, too. Running clears all the cobwebs out of my brain and body.

I don't do schedules or train, yet. Life might be easier if I did, but so far no dice. Gen X Aquarius anyone? But I have found a few running books that I have really resonated with. So for this Top Five blog entry I bring you my favorite running books and am asking for suggestions for #4 and #5.


Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book gently, but effectively, takes your hand and leads you down a whole new way of life; trusting your body, trusting yourself, and invites you to move.


View all my reviews

To add to my original review, this is the book that started me running. I don't go as often or as far as I would like, yet, but this book got me me moving. Thank you.

Honey, Do You Need a Ride?: Confessions of a Fat Runner by Jennifer  Graham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first found this book in the library rather serendipitously . The only table left to work on was next to the running books. I looked up from my laptop and saw this awesome title. I had to pull it off the shelf. The cookie on the front charmed me further and I spent more time reading that afternoon than writing. When I got  to the part that inspired the title I laughed out loud. For anyone who has been scared to try running, try this book. Happy running.

View all my reviews

Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am not an ultrarunner or a vegan. I'm more a spontaneous jogger who likes locally grown/sourced omnivore food. But I definitely enjoyed this book. It reminded me how amazing the human body is, how food is fuel and community depending how we treat it, and that life is as fulfilling and satisfying as we make it. The sport of ultrarunning sounds like a welcoming community of folks who happen to run long and hard. Cool. I'll stick to my wee runs for now, but a seed once planted can be darn inspiring.
Run on.


View all my reviews

Any suggestions for #4 and #5 of running books to read?

Happy Running, Happy Reading!

Book Release: Kiss Me in the Rain

I am delighted, giddy, crazy awesome happy to announce

Kiss Me in the Rain, Book One of the Tanner Family Series 

is out!! 

Glaciologist Savannah MacIntyre was happy with her life far away from her family. But sometimes life has a way of bringing you back home when you least expect it and most need it. When the opportunity to reconnect with her estranged dad comes up, she takes it. Then finds herself distracted from her turmoil by ex-CSIS agent turned archaeologist Gabe Tanner, who would rather get another bullet to the head than reconcile with his own father. Family betrayal has taught both Savannah and Gabe not to trust, or love, which makes navigating their mutual attraction on a remote archaeological survey beyond frustrating. But somewhere between roaring fathers and dense spruce forests, they let go of the past and learn that love doesn’t care who the extended family is.

Springtime in the Country Blog Hop

Welcome and Happy Spring Equinox! Today is the Springtime in the Country Blog Hop!

Please join me in saying a special thank you to Sara Walter Ellwood for hosting this blog hop, as well as all the readers and authors participating! Giddy-Up.

Spring in southern British Columbia

Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated with the west. Growing up in Wisconsin, I had dreams of Colorado, Montana and Alaska. Those Rocky Mountains have quite a pull. So do horses and pickup trucks and country music . . . you get the picture. I never did move to the American West, but as Love would have it, I moved to Canada (my Happily-Ever-After is Canadian) and I now call Calgary, Alberta home.

I’ve gotten to play with trucks, quads and helicopters for work, but my equine-time is limited to events like the Calgary Stampede, tournaments at Spruce Meadows, or visiting ranching friends in the foothills of the Rockies or the prairie parklands of Saskatchewan.

Or is it?! I’m starting The Tanner Series and am delighted it centers on a family who’s maternal roots are in ranching in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The siblings are all outriders, though, and have found their own careers; namely an archaeologist, a bull rider, a dude ranch owner, a police detective, and a Vancouver Island fishing guide. I get to write-in horses and helicopters, plus hot alpha men and the stunning, extraordinary women they love, and who love them back just as completely.

Sign up for my newsletter here (or look on the right side of this blog ;)) to receive release dates for the Tanner Series and other goodies.

I have included two sneak peak blurbs from The Tanner Series and from my two titles already out. My novella Claiming Love takes place in Northeastern Alberta. It is definitely in Western Canada, but a helicopter pilot instead of a cowboy. What can I say, I love the boreal forest as much as I love my mountains, and helicopters as much as horses. My short story, Duke Out at the Diner, is set in a  small-town cafe and bloomed from a hook-writing exercise at an ARWA writing workshop. Fun!

Like my Facebook Page, follow me on Twitter, and/or sign up for my newsletter for a chance to win a copy (Kindle or Kobo) of Claiming Love or Duke Out at the Diner. I'll draw three names, one from each of the new likes, follows and newsletter subscribers on Wednesday, March 26. 

Thanks for hopping by. ;) Happy Spring and Happy Reading!

Sneak Peak from The Tanner Series

The Cop Can Cook and Other Christmas Miracles - A simple hideaway holiday in the Rocky Mountains for Princess Grace was supposed to be a simply horseback adventure with nothing more stimulating than the next mountain pass and gorgeous scenery. Life had taught her to settle for staid, definitely not ignite at the touch of a man who looks as hard as the mountains they are in, and cooks like an angel.
A cop with his own reasons for hiding away, finds himself moonlighting as a gourmet camp chef for his sister, and falling for a foreign princess who fights like a guerrilla and kisses like a Goddess.
But outside forces are moving in and threaten the budding relationship. Will they succeed, or will the princess and her cop find  the greatest adventure of all, Love.

Kiss Me in the Rain - Glaciologist Savannah MacIntyre was happy with her life far away from her family. But sometimes life has a way of bringing you back home when you least expect it and most need it. When the opportunity to reconnect with her estranged dad comes up, she takes it. Then finds herself distracted from her turmoil by ex-CSIS agent turned archaeologist Gabe Tanner, who would rather get another bullet to the head than reconcile with his own father.
Their attraction is definitely mutual, but betrayal has taught them both not to trust, or love. The couple are thrown together at the machinations of her dad at a remote work camp, where together they both find a chance to heal. But will they let their pasts keep them apart or will they finally learn to love and trust again?

Available Now

Claiming Love - Isobelle Cody, or Elle as her friends call her, loves her job as an archaeologist in Canada. Working in remote landscapes suits her completely, but her irrational fear of airplanes has her beyond grounded. She decides backup is in order and asks for Divine help. As an afterthought, she throws in a request to meet her Mr. Perfect. It couldn’t hurt.
The Goddess, Gaia, assigns Bodin. He is a thousand year old warrior, now angel-in-training, who just happens to not believe in love. Grumpy and usually a divine pain, Bodin has met his match with the beautiful archaeologist and finds himself under the healing power of love for the first time. The two explore their budding attraction working in the wild northern forests. When Bodin’s past threatens their future, will love come too late or just in time for forever?

Duke Out at the Diner, A Short Story - Some napkin dispensers hold napkins, others have gorgeous heros locked inside. 

Eric is no genie, but a mistaken curse landed him in the damn thing and now he has to be the one being saved. Shay just wanted to grab a bite to eat and pretend her life was safe. She never expected to be responsible for rescuing a handsome hero. Each wary of the other, the couple must learn to trust and love before danger takes the choice out of their hands.






And as a thank you for reading this far down, tweet or leave a facebook comment with HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX 2014 in it for a chance to win both Claiming Love and Duke Out at the Diner (Kindle or Kobo). Happy Reading!

www.sarahkades.com

Thanks for stopping by and keep hopping! http://cowboycharm.blogspot.com/2014/01/springtime-in-country-blog-hop.html