Hello everyone!
Chad Applegate and Robin Harmon, my great characters from THE DADDY SPELL, are getting married and you can attend their wedding. Visit my website at pattianncolt.com and read their FREE short story, Christmas Magic, and see what surprises are in store for Boo and Lindy.
Visitors to my site can sign the guestbook for a chance to win! I’m giving away two print copies and three e-book copies in your choice of format of THE DADDY SPELL to five lucky wedding guests. Winners will be announced December 24th!
Visit TheWildRosePress.com to get your copy of THE DADDY SPELL! Also on my website, I have available an additional Lindy and Boo scene and a deleted epilogue plus lots of Echo Falls extras – recipes, town news, and maps!
Here’s the blurb:
Five-year-old twins, Boo and Lindy, want a daddy and anything goes in their quest, including a cleverly-devised spell. Later, on a lonely country road, their mother, Robin Harmon and handsome pumpkin farmer, Chad Applegate, work together to rescue a wounded dog. Chad is captivated by Robin's stubborn independence and breathtaking curves, but the twins fascination with Chad's tales of pumpkin magic are what truly threaten to melt his heart.
Despite Chad's courtesy, attention and tender kisses, Robin refuses to believe in his happy-ever-after promise. Experience has proven to her those kinds of dreams don't come true. Will Robin deny the possibility of forever and refuse to see beyond her past, or will her daughters' daddy spell work its magic?
Here’s a excerpt from the book:
“What are we going to do?” Boo tossed a piece of bread crust at Lindy. “As soon as Mommy’s done with that man, we’re goin’ back to the other house.”
“I know.” Lindy pitched a potato chip Boo’s way.
“I don’t want to go away from Mr. Chad and I don’t want to leave Bessie and Rover or the puppies or Tic and Tac.”
“I don’t want to go either. I don’t get it. The magic was working so well. Then it messed up.” Lindy crunched down on an apple slice and frowned across the table.
Boo slid off her chair and took her empty plate to the sink. On her way back, she checked down the hall for their mom. She heard their muted conversation about the furniture.
“It’s time to give up on that old spell and to do something ourselves.”
“Yeah, but what?”
“Run away.”
Lindy’s mouth dropped in shock. “We can’t do that. Mommy will get real mad.”
Tears flooded Boo’s eyes. “I don’t care. I’m not leaving Mr. Chad. I’m taking a blanket and going out to make a fort in the pumpkin patch.”
“It’s cold outside, Boo.”
“We’ll wear lots of shirts and socks and a coat and take a blanket. Let’s go!”
“Oh Boo! We’re not supposed to go past the gate without Mr. Chad or Mommy.”
“Do you want to stay on the farm with Mr. Chad?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think Mommy will go home without us?”
Lindy wrinkled her nose, thinking over what Boo was saying. “Nope.”
“We need some food and some blankets. And we’ll take the wagon. But we gotta go while Mommy is busy and Mr. Chad isn’t here, because if anybody sees us it won’t work.”
Opening the refrigerator, Boo took two apples, some cheese, and some juice boxes from the shelves.
“Go put on a couple more shirts, Lindy, and some socks.”
Running to the family room, Boo shoved the extra food under the tents and started out to find some extra clothes for herself.
“Are you girls done with lunch?”
Boo froze, her eyes widening with terror. Throwing Lindy’s blankie over the pile of food, she peeked out the opening on the tent.
“Yes, Mommy. We’re getting ready for a nap. Can we sleep under here?”
Her mom wiped the table with a sponge.
“As long as you settle down and sleep. No talking.”
“Okay.”
Relieved when her mom went back down the hall, she pulled another shirt from the laundry pile on the sofa and threw it to Lindy.
“Boy, she almost caught us.” Lindy crawled in the tent, Boo behind her. She sat and pulled on another pair of socks.
“We’ll lie down and wait until Mommy checks. We’ll pretend we’re asleep. Then we’ll sneak out to the wagon and go.”
“Go where?” Lindy gave in to the need to put her thumb in her mouth.
“I don’t know exactly where, but we’ll find a place.”
“This had better work or we won’t be watching TV ever again.”
Boo lay down, tugged Lindy beside her, and covered up. A short time later, she heard her mother’s footsteps and whispered to Lindy to close her eyes. Pretending to be sound asleep was harder than Boo thought. Nerves and excitement made it hard to lay still. Mommy had to believe, though. For a moment, she felt really bad for lying, but then she remembered how much worse it would be to leave Mr. Chad. He was supposed to be their daddy and nothing was going to stop that. Not even Mommy.
