Be Nice

I grow weary of seeing the term "Islamist" placed as a modifier before the noun "terrorist," while white supremacists in our country commit more terrorist acts against Americans in the name of whatever faith they claim at the time. And the same so-called Christian blogger who wrote the article that ticked me off today also lumped "homosexuals" and "pornographers" together in the same sentence. Ignorance abounds. 

We're better than this. It's the 21st Century, people. Open your hearts, your minds and allow knowledge, science, real news and information to enlighten you to REALITY. 

Bad people do bad things. They are not all of the same faith. They are not all the same color, gender, or sexual persuasion. They are not all from the same part of the world. Terrorists share one common deneominator: Hate.

White supremacists and right wing extremists in the United States of America are gifted and talented in the Hate department. 

Be nice.

Love, Deb

#Resist #Persist #Peace #stopthehate

"There's room for everyone in this world, if everyone makes some room." 

Thanksgiving

Wishing all my readers, family, and peeps a joyous Thanksgiving! Be happy, healthy, and giving this holiday season, and may every day include a bit of magic.

I am a guest today on another blog. Please stop by to visit and comment. ::gobble::gobble::

http://lorriejuly.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-prolific-deb-stover-with-special.html

~Deb

Almost An Angel by Deb Stover

Coming Soon!

Voted Favorite Time Travel of 1997 by Romance Readers Anonymous!

Almost An Angel by Deb Stover

"Deb Stover will make you laugh and cry and laugh again. Satisfaction guaranteed." 
~ BookPage

"Deb Stover is a real original who captivates readers with her ingenious time travels. This is another delight from a real gem of the genre. It's a funny, sexy, poignant tale of falling in love -- not once, but twice -- of second chances and dreams coming true. The humor, goodness, individuality and wonder of the love in the story shine on every page and no one will want this one to end." 4 1/2  Top Pick!
~ Kathe Robin, RT Book Reviews

"The top scribe of offbeat romance is Deb Stover and her latest novel, Almost An Angel, is so good and enjoyable, it leaves the competition miles behind. The story line is thrilling and exciting, but it is the almost unflappable Zach and the huggable Hilary who turn a great story line into a colossally tremendous otherworldly romance."   Five Stars!
~ Harriet Klausner, Affaire de Coeur

"Deb Stover reminds us all of what romance can be in the hands of a true original -- fast and funny, sexy and sassy. Don't miss Almost an Angel!"   

~ Barbara Samuel, Award-winning author of Heart Of A Knight

April 15th

A question I'm often asked when interviewed is why I write Romance.  Well, I was raised by a real hero, and I married one.  Neither one of them ever let me down. 

April 15th is my birthday.  Yes, traditional income tax day, the day the TITANIC sank, and the day Abraham Lincoln died, etc.  I want to go on record that Lincoln was actually shot on the 14th, and the TITANIC struck the iceberg on the 14th.  Okay...?  Just saying...

But April 15th is D-day--the sinking, the dying, the taxes, my birthday, and--just to be consistent--also the day my late husband and I learned his cancer was definitely terminal.  No wonder I always get depressed on my birthday!

Hey, at least it's an easy date to remember.  Right? 

People always ask what I want for a gift, and I always say, "Nothing, thanks."  If they persist, I say, "Just a card."  They think I'm kidding.  I'm not. 

I'm a writer and a reader.  Words mean a lot to me.  If you're here reading my blog, they obviously mean a lot to you, too.

My mom died in 1997.  She's the one who taught me to love reading, and my dad taught me to love history and research.  Mom always went to great pains to pick out meaningful cards for family members for every special occasion. 

Dad has carried on her tradition of sending cards that really mean something, and they never fail to make me cry.  ::sigh::  In fact, I know he takes extra care since Mom died, and also--I think--since my husband lost his heroic battle with cancer in 2005.

There's no question about why my dad is still my hero.  Is there? 

This year's birthday card arrived in today's mail (the day before my infamous birthday) and reads as follows:

FRONT:

Daughter, You are always in my heart...

INSIDE:

I want you to know

that I love you

every bit as much today

as the day you were born.

And though I may not

hold you in my arms

the way I did then,

I always hold you safely

in my thoughts

and in my heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Love, Dad

#

Well, it doesn't get any better than that.  Does it?  Where are my tissues?

So, when someone tells you they want a card for their birthday, please bear in mind that they may really mean it....

Happy reading.

Love,

My 3rd birthday with my mom and little brother.

Deb

Fall in Love Like a Romance Writer

Author Amelia Grey has compiled a collection of stories shared by romance authors we all know and read, including me.  She asked us to share the story of how we met and fell in love with our spouses.  Some of the stories are inspiring, some humorous, and some heartwarming.  It's a fun collection.  I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Visit Amelia's Site

Happy reading.  Remember to join me in chat Wednesday, January 26th at 9:00 PM Eastern Time  at Mo's Book Buzz on Wednesday, January 26th at 9:00 PM Eastern time. Once the chat room loads, type in a user name (password not needed) and select Mo's Book Buzz room from the drop-down menu.

Happy reading!

~Deb

Memories

Last week, April 15th, was my birthday. It was also the 5th anniversary of the day my late husband and I learned his cancer was terminal. However, it was his birthday, six days later, that was the hardest day of my life. It was his 50th--what he called the 33rd anniversary of his 18th birthday--and I knew the entire time I prepared his favorite cherry crisp and decorated his hospital room, that it would be his very last birthday. Family came, friends sent cards and balloon bouquets. We were together, and the memories still bring tears, but they also bring the joy of almost 30 years together.

One thing I've learned over the last five years is that it's impossible to feel joy unless you also accept the pain. Memories come both ways, and to enjoy the happy ones, we have to welcome the ones that bring tears as well.

Next month, on May 22nd, the family will gather again to celebrate our granddaughter's very first birthday. Somehow, I suspect Dave will be giving Annabella a thumbs-up, and find some way to teach her some kind of mischief....

Love,
Deb



April 21st, 2005

Thanksgiving

I am thankful this and every year for my family and their continued good health. This year I give special thanks for the birth of my first granddaughter, Annabella Debra Carr.

I am thankful for good, loyal friends who have stood at my side these past years as I've mourned the death of my husband, Dave.

I am thankful to have met Marty, my wonderful gentleman friend who is a brilliant photographer and gardener.

I am thankful that my Muse has finally risen from the ashes and again allows me to fulfill my role as storyteller, and that The Gift is finally in print and available to my readers.

Finally, I am ever-so-thankful for my dear, loyal readers. What would a writer be without readers? And vice-versa...? Since all writers are readers--and I do wish I knew who first said "scratch a writer, find a reader"--I proudly wear both hats.

Books, stories, worlds beyond the one in which we live. Escape. There are no boundaries. No limits. Only our imaginations and the written word. All entertainment depends on writers--on storytellers.

Let us all remember next time we go to a movie, watch television, read a novel, a story, or even see a commercial, that a writer somewhere had to put words together to make the moment possible.

And give thanks for the miracle of Story.

Readers and Writers. We make quite a pair. Don't we?

Have a safe, joyous, healthful, and fulfilling Thanksgiving.

And happy reading!

Love,
Deb

Bella's Growing

And more beautiful every day. :)

Proud Grandma,
Deb Stover

Baby Bella Update

My new granddaughter is six weeks old now, and weighs over 10 pounds. She's a champion nurser, and her mother is following in her mother's footsteps with attachment style parenting and full-time nursing. I'm a major breastfeeding advocate, and even nursed my two adopted newborns, so I'm particularly proud of my daughter for getting Bella off to the best possible start in life. Her mother-in-law--the other proud Grandma!--is a lactation consultant, so she has lots of help. :) Neither of us are meddlers, though. At least I hope I'm not.... Ahem.

Latest photo, which was taken around July 1st, 2009 at age six weeks. She's a beauty, and her eyes are getting lighter. Mom's are blue like mine, and her dad's are gold--officially hazel, I suppose. Maybe we'll mix blue and gold and go green. :)

Here's Grandma's Little Doll:



Happy reading and writing!

~Deb

Precious Baby Girl

Annabella sweet 16 days old. Grandma isn't a bit biased. :-)

A Real Hero

David Allen Stover
Husband, Father, Hero
April 21st, 1955 - May 14th, 2005

Every person who's lost someone close has dates and anniversaries throughout the year that will always trigger memories. Some are sad, some happy. The obvious date to reflect on the loss of my husband would be the date of his death. However, for me, it's always his birthday that is most profound.

We learned six days before his 50th birthday that his cancer was terminal. That just happened to have been my birthday, but even that isn't as painful for me as his last birthday was. I'll never forget planning that birthday party, knowing the entire time there would never be another one. He was in the hospital, so we had the "party" there, and invited all the staff. My father came, and Dave's dad and step-mother flew in the following day. Friends sent balloon bouquets, flowers, gifts. I made his favorite dessert and a big birthday banner.

Our three children sang "Happy Birthday," and we all pretended. Looking back at the photos we took that day, I see the love and pride in my husband's eyes when he looked at our children and at me that day. So it is that memory I hold close, rather than the pain and sadness.

Through these years since his passing, I have learned many things. One of the most important things is that if we don't allow ourselves to remember and feel pain and grief, we can't cherish the joys either.

Impending Granny-dom

So many of you are such prolific bloggers, and I've discovered I am not. While I used to write four 100,000 + books a year, now I struggle to write one, but I am a very stubborn woman and I will finish The Gift.

My oldest daughter, Barbi, married her Prince Charming, Nathan, on December 2nd, 2006. It was a bittersweet day for our family, as her father--my Prince Charming--died from cancer in May 2005. He was definitely there in spirit, though. We were so fortunate to have both her grandfathers there to walk her down the aisle--one on each arm. Of course, a Colorado Rocky Mountain December wedding is never complete without a blizzard, so Mother Nature accommodated us there, too. :)

And now my little Barbi--okay, so she'll be 27 on Christmas Eve--is going to be a mommy in May. That means I'll become a grandma for the first time. I'm very excited about this prospect, and--as you can imagine--pretty emotional as well. She and I both first thought of her father, and what a wonderful grandpa he would have made. He would have been so well suited to this role in life. I'm sure, wherever his spirit is, he's looking down on his oldest child with his infectious grin and a thumbs-up. :)

Happy reading, all. And I really am trying to finish this long delayed book. Meanwhile, I have a story in the new anthology, Enchantment Place, released by DAW in August 2008.

Love,
Deb