Finding Fairy Slippers

On a hike to Lupine Lake here in Western Montana, my husband, Josh, and I found no lupines (the flower mentioned in a scene of Bleeding Heart). However, we did find something I don't recall ever seeing in the wild before, something that I had wanted to spot someday but didn't expect to see on this hike...

Fairy Slippers

From a YouTube video by hike734, I had hopes that maybe we'd come across one of these flowers at some point in Montana, but I felt absolutely thrilled and blessed to see some as such a surprise!

There was one standing prettily amid the duff, regal and exotic, but not pretentious. I became so excited when my gaze landed on it, and I proceeded to gush to Josh and take pics. I'm pretty sure it was in that moment that a mosquito took advantage of my distraction to give me a good bite on my finger, but it was worth it. ;)

We spotted another one as we continued on our hike—and then, on the way back, we saw so many more in the same location that we had missed! As much as they stand out once you notice them, you do have to keep your eyes peeled for them, as they're short and easy to overlook. But they truly are beautiful with their fancy purple petals and splash of yellow.

It felt like a gift from God to see them in the wild. ♥

This is the flower my Cinderella short story is named after. You can learn a bit more about the flower on Brittanica's website. And you can learn more about Fairy Slippers on my short stories page.

If you'd like to buy a Kindle copy of this short story (combined with my Beauty and the Beast retelling, Bellflower), you can do so on Amazon! (And if you don't have a Kindle, feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you'd like for me to send you an .epub file, no charge!)

Looking for Audiobook Reviewers (How a Star Falls)

Hi, friends! (If you follow my main blog, Seasons of Humility, please forgive the repetition of this post. I just wanted to reach out to the subscribers of this blog, as well!)

You might already know that How a Star Falls is available in audiobook format. :) I once had a list of audiobook promo codes that I had started to share but then lost track of in an old email inbox... But now Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) has provided an easier way to share and keep track of new promo codes, and I'd love to offer them to any readers who would like to listen and review!

Title: How a Star Falls

Genre: sweet contemporary romance

Length: approximately 2 hours

Narrator: Patrick Wilson Mahaney
(He does such a great job of conveying Derrick's character!)

How does a star fall? 
Quickly. Completely. Unexpectedly. 

Derrick Knolane escapes to Trinidad Head most evenings, avoiding his apartment and planning for the day he'll break free of Humboldt County. Working in a music store might be fine for a while, but it's far from the goal he had in mind when he got his college degree. Not to mention the fact that his roommate is a jerk and his family won't stop trying to run his life.

Then Brielle falls into his world.

She claims to be a star. Not from Hollywood, but from heaven. He thinks she's crazy. Certainly delusional. Yet, he can't just leave her alone on the cliffs. So he takes her home.

And his whole world falls apart.

A heartfelt and fanciful contemporary romance novella, How a Star Falls explores the uncertain season of new adulthood and shows that sometimes the worst inconveniences make for the best miracles of all.

Listen to a sample:

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If you're looking for a sweet little story to listen to on your next drive or while working around the house, I'd love to share How a Star Falls with you! Even if you've read it before as an ebook or paperback, it's a lot of fun to hear Patrick give voice to Derrick. :)

Interested? Send me an email (amberstokes@corban.edu) or leave a comment with your email address, and I'll send you a promo code so you can download a FREE digital copy of the audiobook and then leave your honest review on Audible. Thank you so much for considering!