by Stefanie Sloane
I know, I know, Mother’s Day has come and gone, but in my family, I try to encourage everyone to celebrate the holiday all month long. Why? Well, first off, I have an amazing mom. She’s bestselling author Lois Faye Dyer. She’s my mentor, my critique partner, my friend, and my rock. Honestly, I don’t know how my husband and I would have ever figured out the fine art that is parenting without my mom.
Secondly, I’m a mom. And it’s amazing, don’t get me wrong. But it’s also the hardest, most challenging undertaking in the world. And many of my friends are moms—and they are fabulous, strong, intelligent women who deserve to be pampered to their hearts’ content. So a whole month makes sense, don’t you think?
And let’s not forget the wonderful women in our lives who, though not our moms in the strictest sense, make our world a better place through their love and support, their wisdom and their kindness. For Lady Lucinda Grey, the heroine in my debut historical, THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE, the three most important women in her life are her aunts. Known as the Furies about town, these three are a force to be reckoned with, as all who cross their path discover—including our hero, Lord William Randall, the Duke of Clairemont. Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Victoria are strong, courageous, and completely devoted to Lucinda, giving of their time and love without a second thought for themselves. Sounds like a mom, right? See, we women perform heroic feats every single day with or without titles. Mom, sister, daughter, friend—it doesn’t matter. A woman in your life who honors who you are is a reason to celebrate.
And what’s a celebration without a gift? Here are a few ideas from the Furies to make the month delicious, delightful, and dreamy.
From Lady Elizabeth Bradshaw, the Marchioness of Mowbrey (Christened “The Brazen One” by the Duke of Clairemont): Sweets. And lots of them. From handmade chocolates to delicate tea cakes and scrumptious macaroons, you can never go wrong with a woman if you come bearing sweets.
From Lady Charlotte Grey (Whom the duke honored with the moniker, “The Reasonable One.”): A restorative day would be most welcome. Perhaps the spa? Or the salon? Actually, both, if you want to be smart about the whole thing.
From Lady Victoria St. Ainsbury, the Duchess of Highbury (Named “The Dower One” by the duke, though he’d never dare utter such words in the woman’s presence): Liquor, and a substantial supply. At the end of the day, after a woman has managed to run the world, a restorative is greatly appreciated.
Do you agree that we women deserve a month-long celebration? Tell me about it for a chance to win a signed copy of my debut book, THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE.
A native Northwesterner, Stefanie credits her parents’ eclectic reading habits—not to mention their decision to live in the middle of nowhere—for her love of books. A childhood spent lost in the pages of countless novels led Stefanie to college where she majored in English. No one was more surprised than Stefanie when she actually put her degree to use and landed a job in Amazon.com’s Books editorial department. She spent over five years reading for a living before retiring to concentrate on her own stories. Stefanie currently resides with her family in Seattle. You can visit Stefanie at: www.StefanieSloane.com
RSS Feed
