I’m going through a thing, and have mixed feelings about it. My Cindy DeMatteo muse has returned to ask me, “What if?” and it’s a little bit out there. In the meantime, here’s a little history of the DeMatteos: “Join these two midlife adolescents as they learn how to gently overcome their marital hurdles, especially with Christmas and a special birthday on the horizon. Cindy and Jay always step out of the normalcy box while exploring new adventures, both the exhilarating and the humdrum.
https://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Ticket-Cindys-Crusades-Book-ebook/dp/B00G767LJY
Currently, there are three novels and five novelettes in the Cindy’s Crusades series about the peccadilloes of Cindy DeMatteo and those who love her despite her quirks. I hadn’t planned on continuing the series after my male character left for good, but here I am.
Cindy and Jay’s story spanning only a decade was on the sweet and meaty side, but they had wonderful adventures together and plenty of laughs. Until my hero Joe, AKA Jay DeMatteo (the babe in the book), passed away in real life. However, the saga unexpectedly resurfaced when our sassy heroine Cindy DeMatteo finds out how ruthless heartbreak is on everybody, even a divorced spouse you thought you despised. So, I’m working on an appropriate title.
The first story I penned after my hub passed in 2019 won two Gold medal awards for Best Novella in separate contests 2020, but it was humbling, not to mention uplifting because it was exciting to know I still had enough mojo to entertain.
Sparkles of the Season:
“During his son’s visit with Santa, the instant attraction between an injured football player and the widow-turned-photographer changes everything. The flirtation between Sonia and Lars is encouraged by both their single parents, but does a hot kiss in the backseat of a limo inspire the young couple to move forward without the parents’ intervention?” https://www.amazon.com/Sparkles-Season-Susan-Jean-Ricci-ebook/dp/B07ZKCGDV5
Also, I’m sincerely pleased to introduce my new release: Double Lead: Love for the Holidays: “
“A nanosecond changes the lives of two strangers from the same town forever when they connect during vacation half a world away.
From the moment Dagger sets eyes on Jinx, her image is eternally embedded in his heart and mind – luckily for him, her mutual feelings are sultry and hot. Join these two strangers after they meet on the beach in a tropical paradise and have a love affair so consuming, they ignore the outside world. Little do they know there’s more between them than they can possibly imagine at home in Alaska, aside from their love of dog sled racing at Christmas time.” https://www.amazon.com/Double-Lead-Susan-Jean-Ricci-ebook/dp/B0BQ7NV5HF 
Be Safe and Happy in the winter weeks to come and thank you for reading my blog. Next time I’ll write about my solo midnight adventures as I learn to bake scones and other comfort treats.
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A USA Today, Award-Winning Author, Susan Jean Ricci is best known for her Cindy’s Crusades Series, starring the hilarious duo Cindy and Jay DeMatteo. These characters were first introduced in the multi-award winning novel Dinosaurs and Cherry Stems, and return to entertain you in its sequel The Sugar Ticket. Look for the soon to be published, and final saga Don’t Bruise the Bananas 2020. Cindy and Jay’s mischief making lives on in these shorts: A Sweet Snafu, Christmas With Niagara, His Sacred Vow, Passion’s Secret Ingredient, and Turning up the Heat. Please also consider the other stand alone works of fiction and short stories in Ms. Ricci’s collection, with more to come later this year.
A member of the RWA, The Authors’ Billboard, and the Independent Authors’ Network, several of Ms. Ricci’s titles have been recognized as the Women’s Outstanding Fiction Winner in the IAN 2016 and as IAN finalists in 2017, 2018, 2019.