The Valentine Files--Mushy Gratitude Edition

It's that time of year when some of us (okay, me) stuff ourselves until we're in a food coma and look sort of like this:

Or this:

Yet it's also the perfect time to give thanks and practice gratitude. The Valentines were asked to share what either they and/or their MC's of their book are thankful for. Here are our responses (in random order, because I was too tired to alphabetize):

Paula Stokes:
Lainey is thankful for the fact that she got good enough grades that her parents are only making her work part-time at the family coffee shop during the summer. She is also grateful for glitter makeup, gossip websites, and her two best friends, Kendall and Bianca.

I am thankful for the usual stuff, plus the awesome writers and bloggers I have met since I started my publication journey. And Cadbury Creme eggs. And firefighters...with or without shirts :)

Bethany Crandell:

I am thankful for too much food. (And elastic waistbands)

Cricket, my MC, is thankful for separation of the classes.

Bethany Hagen:
Madeline Landry is thankful for her beautiful estate, which she loves almost more than anything else.  I, on the other hand, am grateful for long naps, cold beer and good books.

Lynne Matson:

At the start of NIL, Charley is thankful to find clothes since when she wakes up on Nil, she's stark naked. And Thad is just thankful to see another day. 

Me, I'm thankful for my patient husband, my four sweet boys, my

friends and fellow Valentines, and readers everywhere. I'm also thankful for the beach, cookies, school holidays, and an endless supply of good books.:) 

Lindsay Cummings:
Zephyr and Meadow are thankful for living to see another day..

I'm thankful for my husband! And my pets…and my sexy husband. Oh wait, I already said husband. I'm a newlywed, okay?!

Kristen Lippert-Martin:

My MC is thankful for having stayed alive for the last hour, but she's not sure she's going to make it much longer.

Jaye Robin Brown:

Amber is thankful for her Mama, who is not only an excellent cook, but also very forgiving. She's also super thankful for her best friend, Devon, who makes small town life a lot more bearable.

Me, I'm thankful for dogs and horses and the invention of cake.

A. Lynden Rolland:

When Alex was alive, she was thankful for her next door neighbors, the Lasalles. On most mornings, she wakened to the aroma of stale whiskey and the melody of her father's drunken snores erupting from the living room couch. On holidays, she'd wait patiently for the phone call from Chase Lasalle telling her to come over. Once the Lasalles were gone, she was thankful for death.

I'm thankful for my two little boys, who are my entertainment, my inspiration, my heart, and my motivation. I'm thankful for my husband who has never once questioned why I need to suddenly run out of the room and hide in the office to write. And I'm thankful for the Valentines, that we can go through this publishing journey together.

Sara Larson: 

Alexa doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, but I am thankful for my husband and three children who put up with the *crazy* that comes with having an author for a wife/mommy. And also, food. Especially dessert. I'm very thankful for dessert. 

Anne Blankman:

Since Gretchen doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, I'll just talk about myself. I'm thankful for good health, good food, and good books. And sleep. :) 

Philip Siegel:

Becca is most thankful for her best friend Val and sister Diane. Oh, and that she hasn't been caught.

Sara Raasch:

My MC is in the middle of a war, so she is most thankful for her chakram -- her weapon-of-choice that she wouldn't be caught without!  

Jen McConnel:

I'm thankful for my family, my writing community, and a husband who loves reading as much as I do.

Kristi Helvig:

My MC Tora is grateful for her pet gun, Trigger, and for her computer program that allows her to pretend that oceans and her sister still exist. 

I'm grateful for my awesome family, followed in no particular order by caffeine, chocolate, and wine.

All the Valentines:
We're grateful for each other and all the goofy/angsty/encouraging emails we send each other on a daily basis. We're also incredibly grateful for you, our fabulous readers! Feel free to share what you're grateful for in the comments. :)