{"id":6652,"date":"2011-05-26T05:00:57","date_gmt":"2011-05-26T09:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theseasonforromance.com\/wordpress\/?p=6652"},"modified":"2011-05-26T05:00:57","modified_gmt":"2011-05-26T09:00:57","slug":"momma-mia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2011\/05\/26\/momma-mia\/","title":{"rendered":"Momma Mia!"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Stefanie Sloane<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I know, I know, Mother\u2019s 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\u2019s bestselling author Lois Faye Dyer<\/strong><\/em>. She\u2019s my mentor, my critique partner, my friend, and my rock. Honestly, I don\u2019t know how my husband and I would have ever figured out the fine art that is parenting without my mom.<\/p>\n

Secondly, I\u2019m a mom. And it\u2019s amazing, don\u2019t get me wrong. But it\u2019s also the hardest, most challenging undertaking in the world. And many of my friends are moms\u2014and they are fabulous, strong, intelligent women who deserve to be pampered to their hearts\u2019 content. So a whole month makes sense, don\u2019t you think?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>And let\u2019s 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<\/strong><\/span>, 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\u2014including 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\u2014it doesn\u2019t matter. A woman in your life who honors who you are is a reason to celebrate.<\/p>\n

And what\u2019s a celebration without a gift? Here are a few ideas from the Furies to make the month delicious, delightful, and dreamy.<\/p>\n

From Lady Elizabeth Bradshaw, the Marchioness of Mowbrey (Christened \u201cThe Brazen One\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

From Lady Charlotte Grey (Whom the duke honored with the moniker, \u201cThe Reasonable One.\u201d): 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.<\/p>\n

From Lady Victoria St. Ainsbury, the Duchess of Highbury (Named \u201cThe Dower One\u201d by the duke, though he\u2019d never dare utter such words in the woman\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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, <\/strong>THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n