Category: News

News and updates

NEW RELEASE!

NEW RELEASE!

Iris has a plan: Go back to her small Montana hometown, pack up as much of her mom’s stuff as will fit in a moving trailer, get rid of the rest, and be back in Seattle before Christmas.

Funny how plans have a way of not working out. First was the fact that her parents had hoarded even more stuff since Iris had moved away eight years ago. Second, the drop-dead gorgeous neighbor next door was none other than Geran Marcantel, Iris’s high school crush, now a single dad raising a small child. And third, Iris had completely forgotten how enchanting her small mountain hometown could be during the holidays.

Geran is perfectly happy raising his son on his own; he hardly has time to remember what it feels like to be lonely. And then Iris Teague comes back to town, lovelier and more confident than the mousy schoolgirl he remembers. From day one she begins to push Geran’s buttons, and not just the ones that evoke irritation. Now Geran wants to kiss Iris under the mistletoe, and he also hopes her arrogant, good-for-nothing boyfriend gets run over by Santa’s reindeer.

Mountain Christmas Mistletoe Kiss is a sweet romance about an independent woman, a sexy single dad, their quirky friends and family, and the most wonderful time of the year, all set in a little town with a lot of holiday cheer.

Y is for Yikes!

Yes, I know the book was supposed to be out by now, but then I decided to sell my house and move a thousand miles. That took waaaaaaay longer than it was supposed to and involved tearing down large structures, giving away or selling a 20-year accumulation of STUFF, and packing one happy dog and two unhappy cats into a vehicle for a long drive. Cats plus long drive = no fun. Also they are terrified of ceiling fans. Who knew that was a thing?

It will leap down and murder me!

Now that I’m settled into the new place and the cats have chilled out a little, I have jumped back into book editing. Trust me, you don’t want to read it in its current state. So far I’ve deleted an entire group of characters, put them back, misplaced two horses, and cut out several thousand words. It’s still very long. You won’t miss them.

As soon as this thing is ready to go, you will be the first to know!

I also updated my website. Why was it not green to begin with? #oversight

X is for X-citing news!

EXCITING NEWS! Kindle recently launched a new platform for reading called Vella and it’s for episodic tales. Of course I couldn’t resist and started a brand new series to post there! It’s called The Vanished Crown and the first three chapters are free! Please read and let me know what you think! And fear not, The Gauntlet Series’ third book has been sent to beta readers and is coming along nicely. I’m hoping to have an actual release date soon.

Welcome to Vella!

Vella seems designed to make money for Amazon and none for authors (shocker) but it has been fun writing for the platform. The weekly release is a great way to stay on task and get some words out. The Vanished Crown is set on a whole new world full of magic, pirates, hidden castles, and plenty of sword-twirling action and fun characters. Click here to start reading!

The Choice of Weapons

“Toryn, use some muscle!” Brydon yelled to be heard over the pouring rain. His hands ached from holding the wet rope that threatened to slip out of his grip at any moment.

What do you think I’m doing?” Toryn hollered back. “I’m not back here having a nap!”

Toryn was waist-deep in a raging stream of water, pushing hard at the wagon to try and break it free from whatever was holding it. Bloodsong strained in the traces, eyes wild. He was not an ordinary horse, but apparently his abilities did not include supernatural strength. Brydon had looped a rope around the wagon tongue and singletree and fought his way to the bank to wrap the other end around a tree. He pulled with all his might as Bloodsong gave a mighty lunge. The wagon lurched, giving Brydon a moment of slack, and then held fast again.

Brydon glanced over to see Toryn scowling, though his eyes were barely visible through the black hair dripping into his face. Next to him, Shevyn’s expression was similar.

Click on title to read more

S is for Soon!

Despite writer’s ennui (worse than writer’s block), characters refusing to cooperate multiple times (*cough* Toryn *cough*), and a couple of lost chapters (seriously, who loses TWO CHAPTERS of a work in progress) Book III is soon to be released! At long, long, long, long last there is a light at the end of the tunnel! The first book of this series, The Gauntlet Thrown, has been fully edited, cleaned up, and is available for free for the remainder of today if you would like to download and refresh your memory of events. The second book is getting the same editing treatment and the third book, yes, the final chapter of this long series, shall be released soon! I’m probably going to give all of you loyal readers a coupon for a freebie for waiting so long.

With that said, S should also be for Shevyn. I almost wrote “Shevyn and Sellaris” but then someone with a crown threatened to break every one of my fingers. Honestly, she has been hanging out with Toryn too long. Shevyn was an interesting character because multiple times during the first book I would completely forget that she was mute. “Seriously?” she would ask and Toryn would smirk and Brydon would give me that knowing look and I would grumble many bad words and rewrite the scene. I’ve always liked her as a character because she had to make some tough choices and always took the harder path, even when it would have been easier to just give up and give in. I also feel for her because, even if it isn’t even mentioned in the book, she is a person that quickly grew past her childhood friends. It happens to most people, but in her case it was a rapid and searing wound completely lost in the rest of the trauma that surrounded her. One moment she was laughing and giggling with her friends about what to wear to their next party (and, seriously, I wish this was the biggest worry everyone had to deal with), and the next she was completely alone and running for her life. I feel for her so much.

When things return to “normal” she can no longer relate to any of the people she left behind. Her experiences have changed her so drastically that she can barely remember the person she had been. Can you relate? It’s simultaneously heartbreaking and empowering. Isn’t life weird that way?

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