Holiday Guest Blog SHOPPING DOWNTOWN
The first week of our school’s Christmas break my dad would take a day off and our family of four would go to downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. The cold wind would gust and blow through the canyons created by the towering skyscrapers. When we’d round a corner the frigid wind would smack us in the face and push our kid sized bodies back. Unfortunately it rarely snowed. I only remember once having a few flakes blowing around as we scurried from building to building. We’d shop for a few items that you couldn’t find in our small town.
There was one department store famous for its window displays. These windows were filled with animated, magical, tiny elves hard at work making toys or decorating trees. We would visit every window and watch spellbound. Then we’d go to the forest wonderland to see a reindeer and visit Santa.
For lunch we’d go to the best Jewish deli in the city for corned beef sandwiches. The booths were warm and cozy. No one ever had to wait long to place an order or get your food. The waitresses bustled around the busy lunch time crowd making sure everyone was taken care of, trying to keep the waiting line from getting too long.
After lunch, we’d head back to the department stores. In our town, a store would take up a slot in the downtown building and have at most only an escalator to a basement level. In Cincinnati a store would occupy the entire city block and extend up for at least six floors. There wasn’t anything more exciting than getting to ride an elevator or stopping on the mezzanine level. We rarely got the chance to shop downtown so when we did it was a major event. I still smile as I recall these happy family outings and the time we spent all together.
Magic
In The Mountains
Aspen
Glen Series
Book
One
Donna
Kunkel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: November 28,
2018
ISBN: 978-1-5092-2311-4
ASIN: B07J485BXC
Number of pages: 356
Word Count: 90658
Cover Artist: Kristian Norris
Tagline: She tries to deny her
magic, but fate has other plans.
Book Description:
Sick and tired of magical men and
mayhem, Alex a city witch, pledges to give magic a rest. Her vow is put to the
test when she finds herself snowbound with a hunky mortal. She attempts life
without magic even when faced with a demonic hen, a cow that acts like a dog,
and a dog that acts human. But when all magic breaks loose and a unicorn shows
up, it's the last straw. How will she keep her magic a secret?
Steve, a reclusive prospector,
lives alone in a remote Colorado valley because he doesn't trust himself around
humans, especially those of the female persuasion. Once he meets the feisty
Alex, breaking self-imposed rules is just the beginning. But how can he keep
her safe from what lives inside him?
Their connection grows, but the
secrets they hide keep them from confessing their feelings. Will they be able
to accept and control who and what they are in time to give their love a
chance?
This was
unbelievable. “My boss isn’t going to understand. This is just like my dog ate
my homework. I’m stuck in the snow—for a month or more.” Her mind raced through
the possible ways of traveling. “What about a snowmobile?”
“Unfortunately,
the road you came in on is the only way in or out. I wouldn’t be surprised to
find out that an avalanche blocked the valley pass last night. If so, it’ll
take a while before anyone can get through.” He watched her. “Why did you drive
out this way? Why didn’t you stop at the hotel next to the highway?”
“What hotel?”
“If you had just
driven under the highway overpass, you’d have been there. Why didn’t you follow
the detour sign?”
“Oh great.
That’s—just—great! The stupid detour sign blows away so now I’m stuck in the
middle of nothing. I could have been tucked away in a nice comfortable
hotel—with electricity and phones. But no—I’m stuck in no-man’s land. I risked
life and limb trudging through the snow for what?” She sighed. “Now what?”
About
the Author:
Donna Kunkel is a paranormal
romance author. Within the pages of her tales you can visit with witches,
wizards, shape-shifters, and other fantasy creatures. Figurines of the magic
realm surround her computer for inspiration. She lives at the edge of the
Colorado mountains with her husband of many years and her two dogs. When not
writing, you can find her browsing the fabric shops for her next quilt,
stitching Japanese embroidery, or curled up with a good book. She enjoys
spending time in the mountains, at Lake Tahoe, or relaxing on a beach in
Hawaii.
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