First of all, Happy Fall! There are some things about cold weather I don't miss. Snow is pretty, but it gets old really quick. Icy roads aren't any fun, either. But fall! Blessed fall. I miss the colors of the leaves. And wearing comfy sweaters and making big pots of chili. Our temperatures have "cooled" into the upper-90s, but you can still feel a difference. Early-morning breezes take the edge off the humidity and remind me that Florida's best seasons are just ahead. This is my birthday week! We celebrated this past Sunday with a pontoon ride along the Gulf with family and friends. When they asked where I wanted to eat afterward I surprised no one when I said I would prefer to cook! Roast beef with carrots and potatoes, gravy, applesauce, and freshly baked sourdough bread! My Kentucky friend, Jo, gave me a sourdough starter a few weeks ago and I'm obsessed. Jo's husband, Tom, jokes that the first rule of sourdough club is that EVERYONE talks about sourdough, so if you run into me, expect to hear all about it! You're going to love this week's newsletter. We have a special true love story from a reader that will tug on your heartstrings. You'll get your first look at my Cozy Christmas Kit. Wait until you see how much can be squeezed into one little box! Finally, we take a look back at the time we went Hallmarking. Enjoy! It's Cozy Christmas Kit Time! To help create an unforgettable holiday experience I've put together our first-ever Cozy Christmas Kit to help you take a break from your hectic holiday schedule and enjoy the season and all its wonder. I searched long and hard to find the perfect gifts. Here's the reveal video my friend Glenda and I made a few days ago. Pretty adorable, don't you think? There are only 99 kits available. The good news is, Robin Paul subscribers (you!) have the first opportunity to purchase kits for yourself or a friend before they go on sale to the public on October 15. Just click here or on the pictures below to purchase yours. You'll need to enter the password, "getcozy". The price is $69.50 plus shipping. You're going to love your kit! A Reader's Real-Life Love Story There’s nothing more gratifying than when readers reach out via email or messenger. Many write to let us know how much they enjoyed one of our books. A few ask about what they need to do to become authors. Occasionally we’ll hear from someone who didn’t like something we wrote (Sorry!) Or found a typo (we’ll fix it ASAP!). Occasionally someone shares a book suggestion (We don’t take outside ideas, so you’ll need to write it yourself, but we’ll gladly cheer you on!) Recently, though, we received a message that stopped us in our tracks. The reader’s name is Barb, and here’s her first sentence: "I read your new book in two days because it was the story of my life." Wow! The book she is referring to is Christmas Comeback . Now remember, we write fiction, not biography. How could our little story be someone else’s? We couldn’t wait to find out. "In the fall of 1994, I was a burned-out chemistry teacher who agreed to return to the classroom for one more year. That same fall the school hired a new assistant principal with plans to promote him after a couple years. As the year progressed a friendship developed. Then it became even more." You probably already see where this is heading, but we’ll leave it to Barb to carry us forward with her story. "At the start of the next school year the district’s administration told the assistant principal that he and I needed to stop seeing one another if he wanted that promised promotion." Leave it to those people at school headquarters to interfere with a burgeoning romance! They underestimated the power of love and friendship. "Over the course of the next year, friends in the know often invited us to private social gatherings. And, since his family lived a couple hours away, there were frequent out-of-town trips for visits, concerts, plays, or sporting events." Bravo Barb! Way to persevere! Now we’ll allow her to tell you the rest of the story. "I eventually took a two-year leave to lead professional development activities across the state. This eased the situation back home and he was named principal. But when I returned to the district, we were no longer free to be seen together around town. We traveled a lot during the summers and holiday breaks. He encouraged me to pursue my doctorate in education. And of course, friends and family continued to welcome us into their homes. After two (long) years I finished my coursework and moved into administration in another district. We were separated by many miles, so for six years we spoke every day and spent weekends together. It wasn’t until we retired that we could be together, free from the scrutiny of silly rules and prying eyes. We began second careers at a small midwestern university." Are you cheering for them finally being together? We were. Sadly, life’s last final chapters don’t always have the benefit of a happy ending. "The relationship continued until his death in 2015 from pancreatic cancer. It is so nice the book had a happier ending." Barb assures us, however, that there were many happy moments. She was also kind enough to include a picture from early in their relationship. The love jumps from the page, don’t you think? Barb, we love you and thank you for allowing us to share this touching love story with our readers. Aren't they adorable! That Time We Went Hallmarking If you're new around here you might not be aware that two years ago we made a movie. A genuine, real-life Hallmark extravaganza. We're feeling nostalgic for those days, so we took a look back on our blog. Find it here! And speaking of Hallmark, Christmas Class Reunion will air again on Thursday, October 24 at 10a/9c. Get out those Christmas jammies and settle in. And if you haven't read the book, which we think is pretty fantastic, find it here. That's all for now. See you soon! I would love to hear from you! Email me at
[email protected] Love, Robin
