[Edit: You can read this story here, since the anthology is no longer available.]

This month I had the opportunity to submit a contemporary romance short story to the Wattpad anthology Winter’s Embrace. I chose to write a story that takes place on the Winter Solstice. Here’s the blurb for Solstice Miracle:

Two people who’ve written off love and magic find a little of both on the longest night.

After inheriting her grandmother’s house in suburban Connecticut, Rina Minkin revives her witchy improv character to help pay for necessary home repairs. When Miguel Alvarez shows up at her front door with two kids in need of a Winter Solstice miracle, even cynical Rina can’t turn them away. And the longer she spends with them, the more she wants them to stick around.

This was a fun piece to write, and I enjoyed designing the cover. I didn’t officially sign up for the anthology until I had some semblance of an idea, although my first idea is not the one I ended up writing. It’s been ages since I wrote something this short (it’s around 6500 words), and it was a challenge to include a strong character arc and a believable romance in such a short span. I plotted out three scene beats to get a solid beginning, middle, and end, and went for a sweet heat level.

Solstice Miracle is free to read, and you can find it here. Make sure to check out the other talented writers in the anthology, and Happy Winter Solstice!