Thursday, February 26, 2015

Shameless Plug and Giveaway!!!

Yes, I admit it.

I am doing a SHAMELESS PLUG this week and I'll own it 100%

I blame Bridal Hall, my friends and Zondervan.

I worked at Bridal Hall for 8 years. I worked full-time days at school, then went to the bridal store.

I loved the bridal store. I loved working with brides and their mothers, their friends, their families, their mean cousins, their wicked stepsisters and I realized that if a bride was a jerk... most of her friends fit that category.

Now if that seems harsh, let me put it this way: Birds of a feather, blah, blah, blah.

Same thing, just nicer and not as directed! But those bridezillas were rare, rare, rare! Most of my customers were of the race that knows Joseph, fun, normal, hard-working people looking for advice... and you know how much I love giving advice!

Bridal Hall was a great store. It was started by the Hall family, and by the time I came on board, Mrs. Hall had gone home to heaven and Mr. Hall ran the store with his son and daughter.

It was like working with family. We had so much fun, it should have been outlawed. I saw and learned so much, and I'll tell you honestly, I've never worked another job where I had to study so much to learn the ins and outs of every corner of the business. We carried over 60 designers, out-of-stock gowns, prom gowns a full tuxedo department and jewelry.

The Halls gave my daughter Beth a job in tuxedos while she was at the University of Rochester. And when she graduated, they passed the job on to my son Luke while he was an undergrad at Rochester. That's the kind of people they were. Kind. Good. Generous.

Last year I was offered two opportunities: One to write this amazing and sweet novella for "The Year of Weddings" collection from Zondervan...


Ruthy's long-awaited "Year of Weddings Novella" is on sale now! TNZ Fiction > A Year of Weddings is just the bounce-into-spring story we've all been waiting for! When high-stakes Philadelphia lawyer Greg Elizondo inherits his mother's vintage bridal salon, he has to face the store's possible demise... until third-year law student Tara Simonetti walks in the door, ready to work. And work she does, leaving her mark on Elena's Bridal... and Greg's heart! 

And a six-book contract from Love Inspired, including a wedding series.

Hallelujah chorus! How perfect is this, pass the wedding cake and strike up the band!

You know how I told you I haven't had a lot of time to cook... Well I'll eat a lot of sandwiches for the chance to write after the day job, but this week I wanted to share the joy of this fun novella with all of you!

I dedicated this sweet story to the Hall family and my friends at Bridal Hall. I will forever be grateful for their kindness, their patience and their enduring spirit.

I'm raising a slice of wedding cake in their honor!

Today I'm giving away copies of this sweet novella but you have to pop in and leave a comment for us! No lurking allowed. Stop in, I'll make youse coffee and I'll cut the cake!

Because we love weddings!


Multi-published author Ruthy Logan Herne loves God, chocolate, country, family, dogs, weddings, coffee, and chocolate again! She's living her dream of writing and publishing the kind of books she likes to read and when she's not fixing something in her 160-year-old farm house, it's because she's not home! :) You can find her on facebook or at her website here!




20 comments:

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  2. I loved reading about Bridal Hall. I'm sure your experience there really added to your novella. I can't wait to read it .
    Tonja K, Saylor

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    1. TONJA!!! I'm so glad you found me over here! I'm tossing your name in the Yankee Belle cat dish (Every self-respecting coffee shop needs a cat to chase the odd mouse, don't you know????) :) Bridal Hall was a great place and when big box stores moved into the area and then brides started shopping the internet for their dresses, they knew they needed to retire. :( So many people in this area have great memories of Bridal Hall and the Hall family. And they were so very good to me and my kids!

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  3. So excited about you doing a wedding series. I've wanted you to do one ever since I found out you worked in a bridal shop!

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    1. Julie, it's such a fun time and a great industry to wrap books around. I'm having a ball! I get to juggle smokin' hot cowboys needing to mend their family in the Pacific Northwest AND play wedding planner in the Finger Lakes of Central NY.

      How amazingly cool is that? So we're on a leftover and sandwich diet, but that's okay... and Friday night fish fries at a local Catholic church sponsored (and cooked!!!) by the local Knights of Columbus!

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  4. So excited about you doing a wedding series. I've wanted you to do one ever since I found out you worked in a bridal shop!

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  5. A new six (6) book contract? Six new books from Ruthy? The icing on the cake? A wedding series! It doesn't get any better than this! Judy Smith

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    1. Judy!!!! You came over here to find me, I love, love, love that you did that! GO YOU!!!!! Yes, 6 books with Love Inspired.... 3 with Random House/Waterbrook/Multnomah.... new Seeker collections coming out in 6 weeks.... Judy, I am living my dream. :) Hey, did you get snow? My daughter did, over in Raleigh area.

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  6. Ruthy doing weddings is going to be as much fun as Ruthy doing kids!

    I think Zondervan started that wedding novella series last year, didn't they? Or one like it. I only read a few but was thrilled when this year they brought them out in paperback collections. I bought the Winter Brides one and The Spring Brides will be available very soon. So, bonus, we'll get you in print copy next year too, I bet!

    When life gets overwhelming I gravitate towards a few reality shows -- like Say Yes to the Dress. It's always on marathon reruns up here. I marvel at the snarkiness of the bride's entourage. The meddling mothers. The cutting bridesmaids. Are you saying it's not really like that? I'm relieved....and appalled at the price brides will pay for a dress. Not to mention the ones who buy two because they need something different for the reception. LOL

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    1. Kav, most of the brides are delightful, but that would make a boring show!!! And yes, our novellas are supposed to come out as print next year... I loved that they turned this collection into a "industry professional" collection, so each novella is about someone in the wedding industry... How fun is that??? love it!

      Bridal Hall was a mid-range formal wear store. We didn't do the crazy high-end thousands of dollars dresses. We worked with mostly normal middle-class folks and they made sure that while everything was professional and special, it was totally servicing the customer. Loved it!

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    2. Kav, we love that show, too. But like you, we're sometimes appalled at the prices and behavior! Still, we watch and I sometimes cry because it's so sweet to see a bride fall in love with her dress.

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  7. I've stopped counting Ruthy books. They're like kittens - litters of them popping up all over the place!

    And wedding stories are right up your alley, aren't they? Love it! I can't wait to meet your brides :)

    Eating virtual wedding cake in celebration!

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    1. Jan, how exciting is that???? Who'd have thought five years ago that this would happen???? I'M SO BLESSED!!!!! And having so much fun. :) It's almost wrong to have so much fun. But yes, the wedding books are an absolute delight.

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  8. I just LOVE that cover!! I do believe bride covers are my very favorite. :)

    Congrats on the new release!!

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    1. Missy, me too. It's charming. I love charming and weddings and romance. Sigh.... A sweet dreams kind of book!

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  9. Congratulations! How cool is that! I'm crazy about wedding stories! I'm SO looking forward to your new release!

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    1. Jane, I love that you made it over here! Go you!!! I love wedding stories, too, I'm such a stinkin' romantic. I used to win the wedding word puzzles at showers because I loved weddings even back then!!!

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  10. Missed this! And I am in love with this cover. It's so romantic! Don't out me in the cat dish (or my name, I mean) because I already have it! You know I love my Ruthy books.

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