{"id":5276,"date":"2025-11-10T09:04:40","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T14:04:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/?p=5276"},"modified":"2025-11-10T09:04:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T14:04:41","slug":"11-10-2025-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/2025\/11\/11-10-2025-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"11-10-2025 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Hello lovely readers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Later-in-Life Couples<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/caramel-kisses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-12.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5277\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I need your help.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m starting to plan my next series. I would like the setting to be a retirement community. So, my couples would be later-in-life &#8211; over fifty. I came up with this idea because my novella,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/48hvhehm6wwzg2ux\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL2NhcmFtZWwta2lzc2VzLw==\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Caramel Kisses<\/a>, is a later-in-life romance. It&#8217;s one of my most popular titles. One of the reasons why people like it so much is because the hero and heroine are seventy years old! I&#8217;ve spoken at events at retirement communities. When I sell&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/48hvhehm6wwzg2ux\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL2NhcmFtZWwta2lzc2VzLw==\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Caramel Kisses<\/a>&nbsp;at these events, I always sell out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another reason I&#8217;m thinking of using a retirement community is because of the brochures that I&#8217;ve been receiving in the mail over the past ten years. Some of those communities look lovely! It&#8217;s almost as if you are on a constant vacation. They can be pricey, too! When I looked at what they were charging, I figured that people may sell their homes so that they can move into these lavish communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>So, I must know, would you be interested in seeing a series set in a retirement community? Do you live in a retirement community or know somebody who does? If so, do you enjoy living there? Email me your responses!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cookies!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every week I check the Crumbl cookie flavors. I purchased the Martha Stewart cookies last Saturday. This is second time that I&#8217;ve purchased their cookies. The box was yellow instead of pink since it was a special flavor week. We only sampled two of the treats so far. The lemon pie was delicious. I thought the chocolate chip cookies were okay. I liked the salt on them, but, felt that I could have baked a better cookie!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Blacksmith&#8217;s Bride<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-13.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1299\" height=\"719\" src=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-13.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5278\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-14.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1060\" height=\"869\" src=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-14.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5279\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m so excited about the release of my latest book&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/reh8hohmwkk9x0f2\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL3RoZS1ibGFja3NtaXRocy1icmlkZS8=\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Blacksmith&#8217;s Bride<\/a>! Both the e-Book and paperback are now available. The Blacksmith&#8217;s Bride was #2 on Amazon&#8217;s Black and African American Christian Fiction Bestseller&#8217;s List. It was #1 for Hot New Releases for Black and African American Christian fiction!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Thanks so much to all of you for your encouragement and support!&nbsp;<\/strong>If you&#8217;ve read, and enjoyed, The Blacksmith&#8217;s Bride then I highly encourage you to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads &#8211; or wherever you wish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This book has taken a bit of time for me to write. Historicals are harder for me because of the research involved. I must be sure that the situations are handled in a plausible manner since the story takes place in the 1800s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/the-blacksmiths-bride\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-15.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5280\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When you read The Blacksmith&#8217;s Bride you will reconnect with the main characters from&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/8ghqhohoqwwe9qak\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL3JvbWFuY2UtYnJpZGUtc2VyaWVzLw==\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Baker&#8217;s Bride<\/a>. Francine is the heroine in The Blacksmith&#8217;s Bride. She was also a secondary character in The Baker&#8217;s Bride. You will also see Ruth and Joseph from The Baker&#8217;s Bride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>A mute twelve-year-old girl, a former socialite, and a troubled blacksmith\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>When Francine\u2019s husband is unexpectedly killed, she loses her wealth. A former socialite, she\u2019s now alone and impoverished. She must find a way to make a living when she\u2019s never worked in her entire life. When she collides with the new handsome blacksmith, her entire world changes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Twelve-year-old Esther witnessed a double murder. She\u2019s been unable to speak since that painful day. Will she ever find the courage to speak again?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Benjamin Jackson has been plagued with guilt since his wife was murdered. He hopes that a new environment might help him and his daughter Esther to deal with their pain. When they relocate to Philadelphia, his life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters beautiful Francine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>When a traumatic attack occurs, friends must band together and trust in God as they try to overcome evil.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Blacksmith\u2019s Bride is a suspenseful story filled with faith, love and courage! Order&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/vqh3hrhoemm2ggbg\/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9CbGFja3NtaXRocy1CcmlkZS1IaXN0b3JpY2FsLVdob2xlc29tZS1JbnNwaXJhdGlvbmFsLWVib29rL2RwL0IwRExMSkNEUTQv\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Blacksmith\u2019s Bride<\/em><\/a><em>&nbsp;now!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Blind Date With A Book!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you, or a friend, ever wanted to sample one of my novels, but, was unsure about which one to read? Try&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/l2hehmhl6qq5rwh6\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL2JsaW5kLWRhdGUtd2l0aC1hLWJvb2sv\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Blind Date With a Book<\/a>! You order and I&#8217;ll choose!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blind-date-with-a-book\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"382\" height=\"634\" src=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5281\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Enjoy Autumn!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/products\/bakery-romance-series-book-bundle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-17.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5282\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Kick off the fall season with a complete paperback set of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/m2h7h5h3m22ke2am\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2Jha2VyeS1yb21hbmNlLXNlcmllcy1ib29rLWJ1bmRsZS8=\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Bakery Romance Series<\/a>. The set would also make a great gift for your reader friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Writing Services<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a reminder, I offer writing-related services. I work with writers who may need help with their fiction. Interested in working with me? Details&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/dpheh0he8ddz5vcm\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL3dvcmstd2l0aC1tZS8=\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/click.convertkit-mail2.com\/zlu2x73m7vunhkwrq00hphwogmg00a6hlp08z\/e0hph7h7qmm94vh8\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZWNlbGlhZG93ZHkuY29tL2V2ZW50cy8=\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Events<\/strong><\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I currently have events in the works. Once my plans are finalized, I will update you with details!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Our Country!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Remember to keep our country in prayer as all\/some of these changes take place! At times, our country does not run smoothly! Also, remember to pray for all that are suffering in our nation! Be sure to check on your friends and loved ones to be sure they are okay!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Enjoy your day!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Butterscotch Bliss!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re reading this newsletter on my blog then you\u2019re probably not signed up for my&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/sign-up-for-my-email-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mailing list<\/a>! When you sign up, you\u2019ll receive BUTTERSCOTCH BLISS, a free e-book!&nbsp;&nbsp;After you sign up for my&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/sign-up-for-my-email-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">email list<\/a>, a download link will be provided to you for your FREE eBook!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Raquel\u2019s father died when she was a baby \u2013 that\u2019s what she thought\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>She receives a mysterious phone call \u2013 stating her father is alive and in hospice. He must see her before he dies. Why has her mother lied to her for all these years about her father\u2019s \u201cdeath\u201d?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>She must rely on Patrick, her ex, to help her to make the trip to see her father during a massive snowstorm. Patrick has his own set of problems \u2013 he never told Raquel the real reason why he abandoned her three years ago.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve read, and enjoyed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Butterscotch-Bliss-Wholesome-Second-Chance-Christmas\/dp\/196253703X\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BUTTERSCOTCH BLISS<\/a>, consider leaving a short, sweet review on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Butterscotch-Bliss-Wholesome-Second-Chance-Christmas\/dp\/196253703X\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AMAZON&nbsp;<\/a>and social media!&nbsp;<strong><em>As mentioned, currently, the eBook version is available for FREE when you join my&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/sign-up-for-my-email-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mailing list<\/a>.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Butterscotch-Bliss-Wholesome-Second-Chance-Christmas\/dp\/196253703X\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The paperback version<\/a>&nbsp;is available on Amazon and other sales channels!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/sign-up-for-my-email-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"2700\" src=\"https:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/image-30.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5246\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hello lovely readers! Later-in-Life Couples I need your help. I&#8217;m starting to plan my next series. I would like the setting to be a retirement community. So, my couples would be later-in-life &#8211; over fifty. I came up with this idea because my novella,&nbsp;Caramel Kisses, is a later-in-life romance. It&#8217;s one of my most popular [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newsletters"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paovYP-1n6","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5276"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5283,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5276\/revisions\/5283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}