<![CDATA[Stories To Make You Smile - Characters, humor and life]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:32:09 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Book Recommends - Fun Romances]]>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:42:37 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/book-recommends-fun-romances

​I was recently asked by  a friend and fellow writer to  recommend some sweet, funny romances for a Substack post. 

I was delighted, as I love reading romantic comedies, and there were two that came to mind right away. 
​
Here are my choices:​

Book Lovers by Emily Henry 
I loved this book because it made me laugh aloud. The scene in the coffee shop was one of the funniest I've read in a long time. I loved the writing and how it parodies some of the commonly used tropes in romance.  And to my delight, the smart, determined career woman gets a happy ending. If you love romantic comedies, you'll love this book!
 
Since We've No Place to Go by Kate Watson
This book takes place at Christmas but I read it in January, and it's a great choice for any month, especially ones that can get dreary. It's a  fun, fast-reading romance with captivating banter and caring characters who did kind things (despite what they believed about each other at the beginning). I loved that Liesel, the main female character, was intelligent and Cooper respected it - though it didn't stop him from being attracted to her or ribbing her. And the oversized dad and goofy brothers were great additions to the story.
 
Are you looking for book recommendations?   Check out  the post  in Patty Warren’s Substack  
 
 Happy Reading!
 
Links for more recommends from Book DNA  and Book DNA 2025



]]><![CDATA[Giant Gingerbread – A Sticky Story]]>Sat, 06 Dec 2025 16:02:36 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/giant-gingerbread-a-sticky-storyI’m not much of a baker, but Melanie, a writer friend of mine, has been baking delicious gingerbread cookies for years and sending them out as gifts. I love gingerbread and avoid gluten, so last year, I ordered new cookie cutters and was determined to make soft, gluten-free gingerbread people.
 
It started out fun; I compared recipes and tried to determine how to combine and substitute to get both characteristics. Ingredients were assembled on the counter and mixed with high hopes. After checking the batter, I decided to throw in a bit more baking soda, hoping to make them airier.

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The dough was a sticky mess and clung to the cookie cutters. More dough was returned to the bowl than on the tray, but eventually I managed to get a tray full of characters for the oven. They smelled delicious. With mouthwatering anticipation, I checked their baking progress through the oven window .
They grew.
And grew.
They were the biggest gingerbread people I’ve ever seen. Puffy and BIG, about twice the size of the cutters and a bit misshapen from pushing into each other for space.
They made me giggle, so I had to call Melanie to share the story.  She laughed and admitted not all batches turn out the same.

Like writing stories.
​Some puff up and grow larger and some fall flat and are hard to finish (or wind up in the trash). But the ones that turn out make it all worthwhile. 

​Hope your holidays are warm and happy!​
]]><![CDATA[Keep the Summer Fun Going!]]>Fri, 25 Jul 2025 17:43:55 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/keep-the-summer-fun-goingI was honored to have my new novel, Head Over Heels, featured as one of BookTrib's ​7 Feel Good Reads to Keep the Summer Fun Going. 
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And I was doubly pleased to see my book was first on the list! 
If you're looking for a "feel good" book, you can read the article here: https://booktrib.com/2025/07/23/7-feel-good-reads-to-keep-the-summer-fun-going/ booktrib.com/2025/07/23/7-feel-good-reads-to-keep-the-summer-fun-going/
]]><![CDATA[Summer Reading Deals]]>Sat, 05 Jul 2025 20:17:55 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/summer-reading-dealsIt's hard to believe it's already July!  I'm celebrating the launch of Head Over Heels: Footprints of Love by promoting the book that introduced Liza (the main character in Heels).

Cinnamon Bourbon and Deception will be free on Smashwords (as an eBook) for July as part of their Annual Summer/Winter Sale!

What the book is about: 
Cinnamon Bourbon?
Not really, :)  that's only a small part of the story!  In this book, Sophia loves her job, her boyfriend Chuck, and even his huge, slobbering dog. But Chuck moves out of town to start a new company and develops a strange addiction. Then a new boss, an opportunistic former college roommate, and a wily new friend further complicate Sophia’s life.
With a cast of loveable characters and entertaining dialogue, this third novel in the Scoop and Schemes series blends action, a bit of mystery, and romance into one enjoyable reading package. A perfect book for weekend reading!

Want to read it on your Kindle?  Here's how: 

1) Download the book as an EPUB file to your PC (unless you have a very old Kindle, then use MOBI.)
2) Send the file to your Kindle - open https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle on your browser and drag and drop the file to the icon
3) Make sure your Kindle is on WIFI, the file should appear within an hour or so (if not before that)

If you haven't read it, download a copy today!
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From the reviews for Cinnamon Bourbon and Deception: 

"The story kept me engaged until the end and I was satisfied by the resolution. As a good beach read or escape, Cinnamon Bourbon and Deception was enjoyable and kept me speculating about how it would end."    

"Fun read with an interesting plot"  

]]><![CDATA[The Background on My New Novel]]>Fri, 13 Jun 2025 20:49:46 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/the-background-on-my-new-novel

Head Over Heels: Footprints of Love will be released on June 20.  I'm so excited, I hope you'll enjoy reading this book as much as I loved writing it. 

Liza, the main female character in Head Over Heels, was a side character in Cinnamon Bourbon and Deception. She's a savvy businesswoman/entrepreneur who makes friends easily because she's energetic and fun. I felt a bit bad leaving her to contend with her cheating husband at the end of that book. She deserved better! 
On a visit to Virginia Beach, my husband and I observed a beach wedding. I thought, "what if?" and the story evolved from there. 
In this story, Liza faces two challenges: finding financing to expand her business and appearing  unlikable as a fake date.  Check out the book to see how she does on these!
Romances are a new genre for me, and I hope you enjoy this one!
One advance reviewer described it as "funny, charming and heartwarming"
and another said "It was a smooth read, quick and flirty and fun."*
I'm planning a series, each providing a "happy fix" escape from reality with lively characters, setting you can relate to, humor, and of course, a happy ending, so if you like fun romances, join my mailing list!  

*Review quotes from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228883352-head-over-heels​
]]><![CDATA[Character Quotes]]>Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/character-quotes
"Every love feels different, like the grains of the wood planks in the floor -- and the more beautiful for their distinctions and imperfections. But if not maintained, they can give you slivers."

-- Ivan's advice to Nicolai  in  Out of the Shadows: Coming Home
]]><![CDATA[Leaving a Review for a Kindle eBook]]>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:49:18 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/leaving-a-review-for-a-kindle-ebookHow to leave a review for an eBook you’ve read on Kindle:
  1. Open your Amazon account on a PC
  2. Click Returns and Orders in the upper right corner
  3. Select Digital Orders, the fourth category (going from left to right)
  4. Select the book you want to review from the list
  5. Click on Write a Product Review on the right side of the box
  6. At the top of the review page, create a pen name (or use your own)
  7. Fill in your star rating and review 
  8. Submit - it may take a few days for the review to appear

Why not just rate it in your Kindle?  You can do this as well, but authors like to know what you liked about the book or why you are rating it a certain way.  Wonder how many stars to give a book?  Check out this blog. 

Was this blog helpful?  Click the like button or let me know! 

Here's where to find me:
Facebook 
​Blue Sky
Instagram
Threads
]]><![CDATA[How Many Stars?]]>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:24:25 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/how-many-stars
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How many stars are in the sky?  That's a good question for an astronomer.
But how many stars should you leave when reviewing a book? 
I may be able to help with that ...   
Many people have the same question -- but don't let it stop you from leaving your feedback! 

Here's what the stars mean for book reviews on Amazon, according to Inside the Inkwell.  I liked their rating scale, so I'm reposting part of it with a few modifications and added thoughts. 
 
5 stars:
Enjoyed the book in the way that it was meant--it delivered what the description promised. It may have given you a break from reality, surrounded you with lifelike characters, or perhaps made you smile or learn something.  If you really liked the book, in addition to rating it, leave a review with what you liked about it. You could also check out the author's website to see if there are more books in progress.
 
4 stars:
Generally liked the book—you like it, but an issue with the book detracted from your enjoyment.  This issue could be too much repetition in the writing, an annoying plot hole, way too many typos, etc.  You might consider being a bit kinder in your rating of a self-published book (especially a low-cost one) than one that has a larger publisher backing it.  Be specific in your review and if it was a plot hole or something you didn't understand, consider emailing the author through their website or contact info at the end of the book.
 
3 stars:
You are iffy about the book, and you would not recommend it or read it again. Be specific about what you did and didn't like, so others can judge for themselves. Be aware that this review hurts an author’s rating because some advertisers and listing services don’t allow 3-star books.

2 stars:
Only leave this rating if the book is plagued by serious issues and you want to prevent others from suffering.
For example, the book is over-hyped as "hilariously funny" or "best cozy mystery of the year" but it turns out it's very marginal.  Or there are typos on practically every page (lack of editing), serious inconsistencies, or a glaring lack of research.  Or you found the plot, characters, or setting tedious and a waste of time.  If you are giving this rating, be specific about what bothered you, it will be helpful to other readers as well as the author.
 
1 star:
Colossal failure with no redeeming qualities. You really regret picking this book and would like your money and time back. It could be that there was no plot or it was so boring you couldn't keep reading. Only leave this rating if you want to discourage the author from writing.
 
Does this sound anything like how you review a book?
Do you have another way to evaluate what you read?


Please add your comments below or join the conversation on my Facebook page
 
Thanks for reading! 
 
Do you read on Kindle?  This blog explains the steps to leave a review with your comments. 
 
Was this blog helpful?  Click the like button or let me know! 

Here's where to find me:
Facebook 
​Blue Sky
Instagram
Threads
]]><![CDATA[You asked for it, now they are here!]]>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:07:08 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/you-asked-for-it-now-they-are-hereHi Readers!  
I asked my followers on Facebook and Instagram which format they preferred to read.  
And the answer was "Paperback" by a large margin, so I'm pleased to offer paperback versions of the Scoops and Schemes Series.  
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Paperback versions of the Scoops and Schemes Series novel are  available on Amazon!
These books are all stand alone stories, they can be enjoyed one at a time.   But you'll want to follow Sophia's adventures and see if everyone has a happy ending. 
]]><![CDATA[Work in Progress]]>Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:57:16 GMThttps://www.nancymaccreery.com/characters-humor-and-the-writing-life/work-in-progressToday is Work in Progress #WIP) Wednesday  - at least for me. 
So here's a passage from a new romance I'm working on: 

​My emergency fund was gone, and if I used my credit card again, I would be maxed out. I needed investment money and I needed it fast.
If I had to go to Chicago and pitch to investors, I'd make the best of it. I could do it! If I had time, I could check on one of my favorite clients, a boutique on Michigan Avenue.
It seemed like events were going my way, and I could put my presentation together on the plane – how hard could it be?
Perhaps today was my lucky day . . .

Will Liza's enthusiasm for her shoe start-up win the day?  Sign up for my mailing list to learn more!
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