Handbag and Book welcomes author Patricia Kiyono: Who's Organized? and a new book

 I’m not the most organized person around, and sometimes - more often than I’d like to admit - I spend time looking for things when I go somewhere. One strategy that usually works for me is to designate a specific tote bag for each place that I go - one for each of the music groups I play in, one for my quilting group, one for my scrapbooking nights, and yet another for my card-making nights. I have a special cubby shelf unit for each of those bags, and each night I make sure the right items are in the correct bags for the following day.

One of the bags I’m using more and more is my “chauffeur bag.” I’m often called on to drive my mother or my husband to a doctor appointment. I’ll often take a book to read - either a print book or my tablet. I’ll stuff my book or tablet into one of my many book bags that I’ve made from scraps of fabric in my sewing room. I bring these bags to author events and give them to people who purchase one or more of my books. My current Chauffeur Bag is pictured. I make sure they’re big enough for books like the Lost and Found anthology, published last month by my local writing group.

To raise money for our writing workshops, the Grand Rapids Region Writers Group (GRRWG) decided to publish an anthology, and Diana Lloyd volunteered to spearhead the effort. She came up with the theme “Lost and Found” and invited members to submit a romance story fitting that theme. Author Diana Stout submitted a story, and then she helped to edit the other submissions and teamed up with Diana Lloyd to prepare the book for publication. The anthology was released in late March. In much the same way that my book bag is made of several scraps of fabric, this book is made up of several stories.

Thimbleful by Diana Lloyd (regency romance): Alice Ashdown’s day progressed swimmingly until she lost her voucher to Almack’s ballroom. Frank’s day was an exercise in frustration from the crack of dawn until that evening when he catches a desperate woman rummaging through his carriage. Two people who have no need of each other discover a shared passion for life.

The Promise of Spring by Diana Stout (contemporary):  Patty escapes her best friend's party, seeking solitude when she's put into the company of John, whom she learns lives in her building and has been dealing with grief, too. Back home, a place that has given her joy recently is now gone. So, she seeks out the park bench she shared with her beloved husband and finds a lesson in nature.

Let the Music Guide You by Jae Vel (contemporary): Love helps Ava Fuentes find her way back to her passion after tragic loss and heartbreak crushed her dreams

An Affair of the Mind by K D Norris (historical): This story follows the relationship between Emperor Ichijō, who reigned over Japan from 986 to 1011, and a court poetess, the married Lady Murasaki, whose stories subtly reflect the Emperor’s privileged, decadent but often dangerous world. Her works, however, shroud the identity of the Emperor while at the same time hinting of deeper passions.

Long Lost Friend by Lisa Campeau (contemporary): Schoolteacher Bridget is unexpectedly reunited with Ryan, her best friend from elementary school, the boy who broke her heart by moving away at the end of fourth grade. The scrawny, often annoying kid she remembers has grown into a devoted attractive father.

The Duck Docket by Martin L Shoemaker (contemporary): Divorce attorney Kate Voss, on her way to work and stalled in traffic, finds herself participating in a rescue search for lost ducklings because Tim, the attractive bus driver ahead of her, hit and may have injured their mother. All the ducks found, wishing she had more time to get to know him, she heads to the courtroom. When Tim enters with the ducks, accidentally releasing them, chaos rules. Can order be restored in the courtroom, let alone to her heart?

The Gift of Fire by Natalia Baird (futuristic fantasy): Nic reincarnates into life after life with one goal: have children each time, and raise them to their mid-teens. Only this action will make amends for the tragedy to which she had contributed. Determined to continue earning redemption, Nic sets out in this latest life to find a parenting partner she can enjoy until she must leave for her next life. Then, Nic meets Damyl, and their instant connection challenges her resolve.

Whittled Promises by Patricia Kiyono (historical romance): Ellie and Vinnie meet as children in a New York orphanage but were separated when the Orphan Trains sent them to different cities in the west. Before they part, Vinnie carves a talisman for Ellie—a replica of the one he wears—and promises that its special power will help her whenever she needs it.

Trouble Rides a Fast Horse by Rosanne Bittner (inspirational romance): When Mattie learns her granddaughter’s moodiness is about disappointment over a crush, she starts telling her own story of disappointment over a new boyfriend. Between the modern day and historical reveals, "Trouble Rides a Fast Horse" shows how a prayer isn't always answered in the way we desire.

Lost and Found is available at: Amazon