Karen Foley's Blog

Have you read the books in my Love Always, Ireland duet? Kiss Me Under the Irish Sky and Love Me Beneath the Irish Moon were so much fun to write.



Both books hold a special place in my heart since my daughter spent a semester abroad, studying in Galway, and fell in love with an Irish man. They are getting married in just six months!



Recently, both books were finalists for the New Jersey RWA Golden Leaf Award in the mid-length contemporary category. The winner of the award was Kiss Me Under the Irish Sky and I couldn't be more thrilled!

If you'd like to take a virtual trip to Ireland, filled with all the spectacular scenery and romance this gorgeous country offers, then I urge you to grab a copy of either book--or both!

Swipe Right for a Cowboy is a finalist for the 2021 RWA Vivian Award and the 2021 Greater Detroit RWA Booksellers’ Best Award!  Winners to be announced later this summer!

                 

Hello friends! Where did October go? However you spent it, I hope you were able to get outside and enjoy.  After careful consideration, we made the decision to travel to Ireland to visit our girl. We were COVID tested before we left and followed every guideline and protocol to keep both ourselves and those around us safe during our travels…and it was all wonderful! Our timing couldn’t have been better, as Ireland went into full Stage 5 lockdown (all non-essential businesses closed and residents confined to a 5 kilometer radius of their home) just two days after we returned home. 

But while we were there, we did beach walks and forest walks and meadow walks and I thought maybe you would like to come along with me and see beautiful Ireland, especially now when travel is so restricted.

We stayed close to the town of Sligo, situated on the west coast just below Donegal and not too far from the border of Northern Ireland. The landscape here is magnificent, with breathtaking cliffs and crashing surf and mountains that seem to pop up out of nowhere. Here we are on Lissadell Strand (beach), not far from where W.B. Yeats is buried. You can see beautiful Benbulben in the background.

We also did a forest walk beneath Benbulben. This rock formation always takes my breath away.

Ireland has so many legends of fae folk or fairy folk, and one afternoon we took a drive along  a very remote dirt road. We parked the car on the side of the road and made our way through a narrow, wooded path that was overgrown and muddy. I couldn’t imagine where our daughter was taking us until suddenly, an enormous clearing appeared in front of us…it was a deep gorge, hemmed in on either side by towering, ivy-covered walls and blanketed by a floor of fallen leaves. A row of massive trees marched down the center of the gorge and the entire site was as silent as a tomb. I can’t express how eerie and oppressive this place felt, and I had a strong sensation of being watched the entire time we were there. I was actually glad to leave this fairy glen and retrace our steps back to the main road! 

On our last day, we visited Carrowmore, a passage tomb within a stone circle, built in the Neolithic era. Surrounding the tomb were ancient  standing stones and ring forts, scattered across acres and acres of sun-drenched fields. Here is John in the passage tomb.

This was the largest of the standing stones. 

On our last full day, we drove out to Strand Hill, a coastal resort although everything was now closed up tight. Swimming is forbidden at this beach due to the violence of the surf, but we happily sat on the rock wall above the water and watched the sun set over the horizon. 

I hope you enjoyed this little trip through County Sligo! Until next time, and hopefully it won’t be another year until we can visit again. Stay safe, my friends!

Another beautiful sunset on the river!

Hello, my friends! How did we get to September already? This past spring and summer were challenging, with so many plans waylaid by COVID-19. I hope you are all well and that you were able to get outside and be with friends and family in a safe way. We had planned to visit our girl in Ireland in May, and then travel to France in August to spend a week with her and her Irish beau, but both trips were canceled and my heart aches from missing her. This is the longest I have gone without seeing her since she was born. But I know so many other people are suffering and sacrificing, so I won’t complain (too much). I am grateful for Zoom and FaceTime and all the other magical ways we are able to connect with one another, when we can’t physically be together.

My Riverrun Ranch series came out in the spring, and I couldn’t be more excited about these books! I love the fictional town of Last Stand, TX and the quirky, fun people who live there. Thank you to all my READERS for the wonderful Amazon and Goodreads reviews for these books! I am both humbled and delighted by the positive reception these books have received! If you haven’t had a chance to take a peek, here are the links to the three books that feature the Claiborne family. I am working on a proposal for Evan, the last Claiborne brother, and hope to have his story out next year.

 

Swipe Right for a Cowboy – https://amzn.to/32jAmgX

Counting on the Cowboy – https://amzn.to/2DPF1xN

How to Catch a Cowboy – https://amzn.to/3inu6dV

In addition to writing, I also explored some new hobbies! I tried my hand at watercolor and painted these two lighthouses.

I also rescued a sweet little dresser from an old barn in New Hampshire and refinished it. After cleaning the brass handles and applying a fresh coat of paint, it looks brand new!  My daughter recently left us to pursue grad school, so we turned her bedroom into a real guest room, and this dresser looks perfect in there.

 

Transformation!

My husband and I also spent much of the summer boating on the river behind our house and taking leisurely drives along the coast to places like Ipswich, Essex and Gloucester, Massachusetts and north to Rye and Newcastle, New Hampshire and beyond to York and Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, Maine. All beautiful places with breathtaking scenery and the air was tinged with sea-salt and the fragrance of lilacs and beach roses.

York, Maine

But I am looking forward to the change of season, the cooler nights and the crisp scent of leaves and wood smoke from campfires, and the return of pumpkin spice lattes! I adore cozy socks and sweaters and walks in the woods when the trees are turning red and gold. This is my favorite writing season, when the nights are longer and I am most productive. I’m looking forward to sharing more news with you about a new series in the coming months! Meanwhile, thank you for your continued support; I never forget that you have endless  books to choose from and I am grateful each and every time you choose to take a chance on my books. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until next time (and I am committed to posting at least once each month), be well and keep safe!!

I hope everyone is staying safe and well! New England winters are long enough without the need to stay indoors for an additional 1-2 months! But I hope you are still managing to get outside, breathe in some fresh air and stretch your legs–maintaining safe social distance, of course. If you are unable to do that, I hope you can curl up inside with a good book. Here at the river house, we have been working from home (my husband, my daughter, and myself) since early March. We have a routine where we retreat to our respective corners of the house during the work day, and come together for meals and to spend the evenings watching television or reading. Or in my case–writing! And I’ve been writing so much.

Here is my view on this sunny–but cold–April day!

My little bird figurine is admiring the view!

Inside, I am warm and cozy and taking a much-needed break to read A Fine Romance, by Susan Branch. The perfect antidote for cabin fever! Also, watching my kitty, Pippin, play with the ribbon bookmark has been very entertaining!

He reminds of a Beatrix Potter figurine when he stands on his hind legs like this!

The first book in The Riverrun Ranch series, Swipe Right for a Cowboy, came out on March 19th…have you read it yet? The second book comes out in May and I just turned in the third book, which will be released in June! The series follows the Claiborne brothers of Last Stand, TX. Here is a peek at the covers:

Cort, Luke, and Holt…aren’t they swoon-worthy?

Writing has been challenging these past few months, as I’ve found it difficult to focus with everything going on in the world right now. But now the books are safely in the hands of my wonderful publisher, Tule Publishing I can take a little break and recharge my batteries. But not for too long–I have so many more stories to tell! And I am hopeful that Spring will bring an end to our confinement and soon we can all come outdoors again and life will resume some normalcy!

Stay safe, take care of yourself, and be well!!

So many things have happened since I last updated this blog! Least surprising, we returned to Ireland to see our girl, and spent three days on charming Achill Island, on the west coast. We stayed in a sweet little B&B overlooking Achill Bay, just a short walk from both the beach and a cozy little pub! We took a short drive to Keem Bay, best seen from the towering cliffs that protect it, and spent hours walking the beach. Here, there were no beach chairs or umbrellas, no people throwing footballs or lolling about on beach towels. There were, however, lots of people in wetsuits, braving the churning surf. There were wind-surfers and body-surfers, and lots of walkers like ourselves, undeterred by the wind or sporadic rain.

The view from our B&B, Achill Island

It was a wonderful visit–just what my spirit needed!

I also signed a new contract with Tule Publishing for three cowboy books, as part of the Last Stand, TX series! Very exciting stuff, and the first book is already completed and in the editing process. Best of all, I am working with Brenda Chin, the amazing editor who “discovered” me back in 2005, and bought my very first book! Working with her again feels like everything is right with the world. All three books will be out next year.

I also got the rights back to several books on my Harlequin backlist, and after a little polishing, self-published them with shiny new covers as the All-American Alphas series! The first book, Anything You Want, is available on Amazon now. The next two books will be available this month!

Meet the All-American Alphas!

We made several trips to the coast of Maine, visiting Portland Head Light and the Harpswell peninsula. This is one of my favorite areas, and maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to have a small cottage overlooking the rocky coast. What could be more inspiring to a romance author?

Portland Head Lighthouse



Orr’s Island, Maine

This Labor Day weekend, we also visited good friends in Bethel, Maine. The days were lovely and the nights were cool and crisp. Here is the sun, just setting over the mountains and reminding us that summer is coming to an end, and Autumn (my favorite season) is just around the corner! I can’t wait to see what it will bring!

So many things have happened since I last updated this blog! Least surprising, we returned to Ireland to see our girl, and spent three days on charming Achill Island, on the west coast. We stayed in a sweet little B&B overlooking Achill Bay, just a short walk from both the beach and a cozy little pub! We took a short drive to Keem Bay, best seen from the towering cliffs that protect it, and spent hours walking the beach. Here, there were no beach chairs or umbrellas, no people throwing footballs or lolling about on beach towels. There were, however, lots of people in wetsuits, braving the churning surf. There were wind-surfers and body-surfers, and lots of walkers like ourselves, undeterred by the wind or sporadic rain.

The view from our B&B, Achill Island

It was a wonderful visit–just what my spirit needed!

I also signed a new contract with Tule Publishing for three cowboy books, as part of the Last Stand, TX series! Very exciting stuff, and the first book is already completed and in the editing process. Best of all, I am working with Brenda Chin, the amazing editor who “discovered” me back in 2005, and bought my very first book! Working with her again feels like everything is right with the world. All three books will be out next year.

I also got the rights back to several books on my Harlequin backlist, and after a little polishing, self-published them with shiny new covers as the All-American Alphas series! The first book, Anything You Want, is available on Amazon now. The next two books will be available this month!

Meet the All-American Alphas!

We made several trips to the coast of Maine, visiting Portland Head Light and the Harpswell peninsula. This is one of my favorite areas, and maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to have a small cottage overlooking the rocky coast. What could be more inspiring to a romance author?

Portland Head Lighthouse



Orr’s Island, Maine

This Labor Day weekend, we also visited good friends in Bethel, Maine. The days were lovely and the nights were cool and crisp. Here is the sun, just setting over the mountains and reminding us that summer is coming to an end, and Autumn (my favorite season) is just around the corner! I can’t wait to see what it will bring!

Wow, looks like it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and how I’ve missed you! I’d love to catch you up on everything that has happened since last summer, but that would take way too long. Suffice to say, summertime saw our Irish girl come home for two weeks and then John and I flew to Ireland and visited her and HER John, whom we call JD, in Sligo for two weeks in September!

John (aka JD) and Caitlin on our walk to Benbulbin, near Sligo.

Then my younger daughter, Brenna, graduated from the University of Vermont, with a perfect 4.0 for her final semester! We spent the afternoon Christmas shopping on Church Street and watching the street performers, who did not seem perturbed by the cold!

Impromptu caroling on Church Street, Burlington, VT



Brenna and I, having a celebratory lunch at Luenig’s Bistro in downtown Burlington.

Finally, John and I were so happy to have Caitlin and JD join us for Christmas this year! My heart was so happy, and our Christmas couldn’t have been merrier. JD’s parents, Caroline and Gerry, joined us two days later, and our house was filled with beautiful, lilting words like grand and lovely and notions and we drank lots of tea!

Caitlin, baking gingerbread cookies.



Celebrating New Year’s Eve at Loretta Restaurant in Newburyport. L-R: Me, JD, Caitlin, Gerry, Caroline, and Brenna.



Some final pictures…JD badly sprained his ankle while rock-climbing, so you see him icing it here.

There were so many wonderful fun-filled moments that it would be impossible to capture them all. We spent two nights in Bethel, Maine, eating delicious food and playing dominos and laughing and learning Irish insults, and why “your man” isn’t actually your man!

A snowy walk in Bethel, ME

I was so sad to see these LOVELY people return to Ireland, but that just means I get to plan our next trip! I can’t wait to see what other wonderful things await us in 2019!

Wow, looks like it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and how I’ve missed you! I’d love to catch you up on everything that has happened since last summer, but that would take way too long. Suffice to say, summertime saw our Irish girl come home for two weeks and then John and I flew to Ireland and visited her and HER John, whom we call JD, in Sligo for two weeks in September!

John (aka JD) and Caitlin on our walk to Benbulbin, near Sligo.

Then my younger daughter, Brenna, graduated from the University of Vermont, scoring a perfect 4.0 for her final semester! We spent the afternoon Christmas shopping on Church Street and watching the street performers, who did not seem perturbed by the cold!

Impromptu caroling on Church Street, Burlington, VT



Brenna and I, having a celebratory lunch at Luenig’s Bistro in downtown Burlington.

Finally, John and I were so happy to have Caitlin and JD join us for Christmas this year! My heart was so happy, and our Christmas couldn’t have been merrier. JD’s parents, Caroline and Gerry, joined us two days later, and our house was filled with beautiful, lilting words like grand and lovely and notions and we drank lots of tea!

Caitlin, baking gingerbread cookies.



Celebrating New Year’s Eve at Loretta Restaurant in Newburyport. L-R: Me, JD, Caitlin, Gerry, Caroline, and Brenna.

There were so many wonderful fun-filled moments that it would be impossible to capture them all. We spent two nights in Bethel, Maine, eating delicious food and playing dominos and laughing and learning Irish insults.

Some final pictures…JD badly sprained his ankle while rock-climbing, so you see him icing it here.

I was so sad to see these LOVELY people return to Ireland, but that just means I get to plan our next trip! I can’t wait to see what other wonderful things await us in 2019!

Wow, looks like it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and how I’ve missed you! I’d love to catch you up on everything that has happened since last summer, but that would take way too long. Suffice to say, summertime saw our Irish girl come home for two weeks and then John and I flew to Ireland and visited her and HER John, whom we call JD, in Sligo for two weeks in September!

John (aka JD) and Caitlin on our walk to Benbulbin, near Sligo.

Then my younger daughter, Brenna, graduated from the University of Vermont, with a perfect 4.0 for her final semester! We spent the afternoon Christmas shopping on Church Street and watching the street performers, who did not seem perturbed by the cold!

Impromptu caroling on Church Street, Burlington, VT



Brenna and I, having a celebratory lunch at Luenig’s Bistro in downtown Burlington.

Finally, John and I were so happy to have Caitlin and JD join us for Christmas this year! My heart was so happy, and our Christmas couldn’t have been merrier. JD’s parents, Caroline and Gerry, joined us two days later, and our house was filled with beautiful, lilting words like grand and lovely and notions and we drank lots of tea!

Caitlin, baking gingerbread cookies.



Celebrating New Year’s Eve at Loretta Restaurant in Newburyport. L-R: Me, JD, Caitlin, Gerry, Caroline, and Brenna.



Some final pictures…JD badly sprained his ankle while rock-climbing, so you see him icing it here.

There were so many wonderful fun-filled moments that it would be impossible to capture them all. We spent two nights in Bethel, Maine, eating delicious food and playing dominos and laughing and learning Irish insults, and why “your man” isn’t actually your man!

A snowy walk in Bethel, ME

I was so sad to see these LOVELY people return to Ireland, but that just means I get to plan our next trip! I can’t wait to see what other wonderful things await us in 2019!