You heard me right! Today I released two books. A Christmas Romance and a children’s Christmas book. Now I’m breathing a sigh of relief. Sometimes things just line up and well, today was that day…
Here’s a look at the new releases:
A collection of stories to warm the heart… Susie’s Christmas Miracle A story of a little girl looking for her purpose and finding it in Jesus. Emma & the Spirit of Christmas Emma thought Christmas was just gifts, trees, and decorations, but a short trip back in time with Santa changes everything for this little girl. The Christmas Star Through a simple Christmas star, Lily finds Christmas means more now than it had in previous years. Three stories to help explain the true meaning of Christmas to children of all ages.
The trouble with pretend marrying your best friend is that it can only end one of two ways…
Baron Her best friend. Her first kiss. Her protector. The friend everyone wanted, but he was all hers and she knew he’d do anything for her.
Abriana His whole world. And she could stop his heart with a smile.
They were inseparable. If you saw one of them, you saw the other. But something about their friendship was about to change. Abri needed to get married in 30 days and the only person she trusted was Baron. But it was just pretend. Right?
With a pretend relationship comes many trials. Could they pull this off? Would this turn into a complete disaster, tearing their lifelong friendship apart? Or would this be a new adventure for them both?
One overly traditional Italian father One sneaky cousin who wants to destroy everything One surprise kiss
Which one of the two ways will their pretend marriage end?
So, if you’re looking for a romance or a children’s book, then here’s one of each.
Yes, you heard me right. I took the Podcast plunge. The Coffee & A Good Book podcast will be up and going soon. I’ll keep all of you updated. I’m excited and nervous, all at the same time. Being in front of the camera is out of my comfort zone, way out of it. But in front of the microphone, I feel a little less intimidated. We’ll see how it goes.
The podcast will feature author interviews, book reviews, lots of coffee talk, NO POLITICS, romance talks, writing talk, and more book talk than you can get through a short podcast… If you’ve followed my blog for very long, you know how much I love writing, books and coffee. So, this made me want to keep the talk going, but this time in a different format.
Keep watching for the release date. I can’t wait to connect with everyone.
Good Saturday morning! I want to share a little something with all of you. Not long ago I had a fan message me. She went on to tell me that my book had made her day. It helped her through a bad day, making things seem not as bad as it seemed.
Well, that message got me to thinking about the importance of authors in this world we live in. With so much uncertainty and despair, we as authors can spread a little joy. Or at least give someone a way to get lost for a while. As for my way of thinking, I consider authors important to our sanity. We have to continue writing the words that fill the imaginations of people all over the world. It only takes one book to give someone a chance to step out of reality, if only for a moment.
Romance authors have the chance to take someone to another time or place and give them a little romance to warm their heart. We can help someone realize that they are not alone in this world, but that love is all around us.
Mystery authors can add some intrigue to someone’s life. They give them a purpose, such as solving a crime or getting lost in a crime thriller.
Horror writers take us on a roller coaster ride with exhilarating chills. Fear can make the adrenaline flow in a sedentary time.
Self help writers can teach us ways to do things differently. We all need some help from time to time.
Now, there are many other genres to talk about, but for now, this will have to do. I have a deadline and maybe I’ll be able to get lost in a book for a while today.
Can you believe we made it to Friday? It’s been a long and crazy week. But here we are, Friday again…
So, as many of you know, I plan my books ahead of time. It just keeps me from going crazy. I have got a new series coming out in 2021 and there will be five books. My plan is to only publish those five, which is something I haven’t done in a while, publish that few books. But, this will be a longer more detailed series than I’ve ever written.
You may be asking, what is different about this new series. Well, it’s a Christian Suspense Romance series. I’m not ready to give you a look at the completed covers, which are amazing. I have the best cover designer. And I’m not ready to give you the titles or the series name. So, what is the post giving you a sneak peek of? Glad you asked…
I have two more books left in the schedule for 2020. One of them will actually come out in January, but it’s from my 2020 schedule. This has been an unusual year, and we’ll leave it at that. But it did a lot to my writing schedule that I had no control over.
Tomorrow is release day for Bay Street, the last book in the Wishful Harbor Series. And the first week of December will be the release of Wine, wedding, and The Cowboy, the last book in the Tangled Vines Series. Then last, but certainly not least, in January will be the release of Double Take At Mistletoe Ranch, the last book in my bestselling Mistletoe Ranch Series. That’s a lot of series to close out, but with the new series coming out, I needed some closure.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be releasing a little bit about each of the five new books coming out in 2021. Let’s just say, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone with these. It will take a lot out of me, mentally. But I’m so excited about it. This series has been coming to me for a couple of years, but I just wasn’t ready to do it. Now I am. So keep watching for exciting news to come.
As always, Good Writing and May God Bless You…
I’ll leave you will the last three covers of this writing year!
Releases November 7thReleases December 4thReleases January, 29, 2021
How many of you hasn’t heard the old saying, ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’? Yep, I thought so. Here in Georgia, apples are all the rave at the moment. Tis the season I always say.
It’s the same with writing. But it would say, ‘Writing every day keeps the writer’s block away’. I do believe this is true. A couple of days lately, I’ve been so busy with other things, that I didn’t get to write. I know, that’s horrible, but true. By the time I went to bed on those days, my head was so filled with writing that I couldn’t sleep, so back to writing every day.
Do you write everyday? Even if it’s just a line or two, it helps to keep your writer brain from becoming over full. As I’ve said before, I have a schedule and if I miss a day, well, it causes a schedule jam. I’m in the middle of that jam right now. When you schedule so many words a day, then miss one, well, you get the picture.
How do you keep your writer brain happy?
As always, good writing and May God Bless You..
Just to give you a snippet of my current wip, here’s a few lines from Wine, Wedding, & The Cowboy…
Abri stood there looking at her best friend. She couldn’t do it, could she? Would she find someone in less than a month? No, she couldn’t. Taking a deep breath, she looked him straight in the eye and straightened her shoulders. “Baron, we have to get married.” There, she’d said it. Although from the look on Baron’s face, she hadn’t handled it very well. Baron sat forward, his eyes wide with surprise. “This is so sudden. I don’t know what to say.” Then he laughed. “Have you been testing the new wine again?” “No, I’m serious Baron.” Abri dropped into the chair across from him. “Ok, what do you mean you’re serious?” Baron saw the look in her eyes and knew she wasn’t joking. But what on earth could have her asking him to marry her. Abri clasped her hands together as she looked down at her lap. “My father, being the old fashioned man he is, says that I have to be married before my 25th birthday in order to inherit Tuscan Rose Farms.” “What? When did this come about?” Baron bunched his brows together. He knew that this farm and vineyard was her heart. “If you’d showed up for Thanksgiving dinner as you were supposed to, then you’d know.” Abri shot him a withering look. “You know that I don’t like eating at the main house. It’s no secret that your father doesn’t care that much for me. Besides, I ate with the guys down at the mess hall. We had the best fried turkey and the dressing, well, what can I say, it was amazing.” He began to relay all of the menu, knowing that Abri was beginning to fume, but he loved it when she got angry. There was this light that came into her face. She was beautiful, but when she got angry, wow. “Baron! I don’t need a play by play of what you ate for lunch. All I need is for you to say you’ll marry me and we’ll be good.” “I can’t marry you. What would people say?” Baron was giving her a hard time and it paid off. The light came into her face and he was awestruck. “You have to. I don’t have any other takers. You know yourself I haven’t dated anyone in months. And where would I find someone to marry on this short of notice. Oh, and I already told my father and cousin that we were engaged, well, that you’d asked and I had yet to answer.” “What? Abri!” Baron stood up, running his fingers through his blond hair. “I know! Just listen. I have a plan.” Baron rolled his eyes. “Abri, I’ve been a part of your plans before. They never work out as you see them. This will be a disaster and both of us will be homeless when the dust settles.” He held his hands in the air, then growled in response to the thought of the disaster it would be. “No, wait. We can have a quick wedding, with a fake minister and fake license. Once the deed is done, we can get a divorce later. If I meet someone, then we’ll have a fake divorce.” Abri shrugged her shoulders. Baron sat back down, the air leaving his lungs in a long sigh. “Abri, do you realize what you’re asking?” “Yes, I know it’s a huge favor, but I can’t lose my birthright because of an old fashioned man with old world ideas. Please say you’ll marry me, at least for a short time. You’re my best friend, it can’t be that big of a deal. Well, maybe it’s a big deal, but it will be fake.” Abri sat forward in the chair and smiled at him, batting her lashes. “Abri, I need to think about this.” Baron said, running his hand over his face. He’d die a slow death if he was married to her, fake or real. She was everything to him, but if he married her, it would be the real deal. It would be for love, not for a vineyard.
Well, another series is in the books so to say… Wishful Harbor will be complete on the 7th when Bay Street releases. It’s so sad to see the characters go, but this series has brought me so much joy. So, let’s go to wishful Harbor for a moment…
This is a series about the small New England town of Wishful Harbor. Each story can be read as a standalone or part of the series. They are filled with romance, mystery and small-town charm.
Book 1
Breakwater Lane
When Jordan Reed inherits her grandfather’s deli in small town Wishful Harbor, her life is turned upside down. Things start to look better when her childhood crush, Skylar, turns out to be her new contractor. When someone tries to intervene in Jordan and Skylar’s relationships the mysteries of Jordan’s family start to unravel. What she learns could change her life and her family’s reputation forever.
Book 2
Hideaway Lane
When a small fire in Julie’s bookstore brings the firemen, she’s shocked to find out one of them is her old high school crush, Paul Wells. Paul can’t believe his luck, so he asks her to the town festival. He’s now the owner of the Christmas tree farm on Hideaway Lane, the one Julie has been going to all her life. But, when the bank threatens to take the farm from him, Julie steps in to help. Romance blooms in this story of old crushes, Christmas spirit, and small-town charm.
Book 3
Inlet Circle
In the small town of Wishful Harbor, life is good, that is until things go wrong. When Lacey, the owner of One More Cup, the local coffee shop slides on the ice and right into the side of Chip’s truck, the sparks fly. Chip has come to town to take over ownership of the Inlet Cove Inn. Neither of them is ready for anything more than friendship, but when they’re stranded at the Inn with no power for twenty-four hours, they think that maybe love could heal old wounds. But, only time will tell in this sweet, small-town romance.
Book 4
Pier Cove
A SmallTown Romance filled with adventure and sweet romance… Marly loves anything old, so what starts out as a hobby, turns into a business. Since she’s a treasure diver in her spare time, she’s thrilled when the opportunity arises to run a store in the historical seaside town of Wishful Harbor. Liam is a third-generation owner of the Wishful Harbor marina. He is interested in knowing more about the new resident of Wishful Harbor. They hit it off as friends almost immediately. When she hears the old tale of a shipwreck off the end of the lighthouse cape, she enlists Liam’s help to find the treasure, although he’s not a fan of taking her to the wreck. When her old boyfriend gets wind of it, he shows up wanting to take what she’s trying to find. Together, Marley and Liam work to find the treasure, along with Liam’s granddad Liam. The friendship starts to make a turn into something more, but neither are sure as their pasts try to keep them from having a future. This is a sweet romance, full of adventure and laughs. The small town of Wishful Harbor is a treasure to be found, and everyone there is family.
Book 5
Bay Street
Bailey Garrett moved to Wishful Harbor looking for a new start. A month before moving to Wishful Harbor, her mother died, and she found out her stepfather was a liar, a thief, and a con artist.
Sherriff Scott Wick hears who is opening the souvenir shop in town, he makes it his business to keep an eye on her hoping she isn’t anything like her stepfather.
Then as mysterious things start happening around Bailey, it doesn’t take Scott long to see that darkness follows Bailey around every corner. Will Scott be able to keep her safe or will her past consume both of them?
In the exciting conclusion of the Wishful Harbor series there will be mystery, adventure, and romance.
It’s hard to believe that I’m finishing the last book of the Wishful Harbor Series. I’ve enjoyed every moment of writing this series. The characters will always hold a special place in my heart. And the town of Wishful Harbor will draw me in and send me on a journey where the scent of sea air and the sound of sea gulls overhead fill the air.
Saying goodbye to anything isn’t easy. In life, there’s so many things we have to say goodbye to. But with a book series, even though the series has come to a close, the books will be there to read over and over. The memories will be there too.
Over the years of my writing career, I’ve said goodbye to many series. The Five Oaks Ranch Series is still one of my bestselling series and it continues to gain momentum. I’ve had so many people write to me about adding more books to that series. Maybe one day, but for now, it’s just a dream…
In January I’ll publish the last Mistletoe Ranch book. And I just published the last book from The Journal Series. With each new series, there has to be an end. New things need to start and life goes on. But the memories will forever be there along with the laughter, tears and thought that went into each word.
Starting in 2021 I’ll be starting a whole new series, one that will pull everything out of me. I’m so excited about it. I’ve not spoken much about it, but in the coming weeks, I’ll post some snippets and info on it. But for now, let’s just say, 2021 will be filled with mystery, intrigue, and romance.
For now, I’ll go back to my writing and the cup of coffee that’s growing cool. But I’ll ask one question, how do you handle saying goodbye?
Today I want to throw it back to 2015 I wrote a book that would change so many things in my writing adventure. Check out this nice little emblem I was honored with for Tuscany.
And this was out of over 950 entries!
Tuscany then led me down the traditional publishing route with a great publisher, Solstice Publishing. I was so excited as I signed that contract and began that part of my publishing journey.
Signing publishing contract!
Then in 2019, I took the ownership of my manuscript back and started a new journey. As you can see, Tuscany has taken me so many places, not to mention to Italy in my writing. I discovered so much through writing this novel and added a strong item to my bucket list, a trip to Tuscany. One day… But for now, I’ll stay rooted to the ground.
Tuscany
***Tuscany made it to the top 55 of 985 books in the SYTYCW contest through Harlequin***
Sometimes life leads us on a different path… Fall in love with Tuscany as you follow Lana on the adventure of a lifetime… When Lana Daniels, a simple girl from Georgia inherits a large olive farm in Tuscany, her world is turned upside down. Then she meets Romeo Russo, the farm’s foreman, the most handsome and infuriating man she had ever met. Romeo loves the farm and is afraid that Lana will ruin everything if she stays. But as he gets to know her, he can’t imagine the place without her. Just when he thinks that they can have something together, she finds out that she has three months to decide whether to stay in Italy or sell her grandmother’s legacy. As accidents start to happen on the farm, Romeo and Lana try to figure out who is behind it all. The more they work together, the closer they get. When a lie tears Lana and Romeo apart, Lana disappears leaving Romeo confused. Can she stay away or will she sell the farm and never look back?. Tuscany made it to the Top 55 out of 905 of Harlequin’s 2015 So You Think You Can Write Contest…
So, I hope you fall in love with a bit of Tuscany in this novel. I know I did!
Good Monday morning! It’s that time of year where pumpkins are everywhere. Which means pumpkin spice time! For those that have followed my blog, you know that I love pumpkin spice, but there are some things that don’t need to be pumpkin spice flavored.
Now, I enjoy pumpkin spice lattes, creamer, cake, coffee, cookies, pop tarts, and other things. But I’ve tried some things that just don’t make the count for me. Pumpkin spice cereal was ok, but didn’t want it again. Then I saw pumpkin spice mac & cheese, we won’t even go there… Someone gave me some pumpkin spiced candy and well, the first trash can I pass, it got tossed. I still shudder at some of the things I’ve tried with pumpkin spice in it.
So, what do you like with pumpkin spice? What have you tried that just didn’t make the cut?
Dreams fill our nights and guide our days. Some dreams are just imagination, but some dreams are real. Let’s explore them…
As a young girl, my dreams were filled with horses, grand pianos and writing… Well, I’ve made one dream come true, writing. And through my writing, my dream of owning horses can come true. If you’ve read any of my books, then you know most of them have horses in them. It’s my way of living one of my dreams.
Do you live your dream or just dream about it? Always remember that some of our dreams are right in front of us, we just have to focus on them. So, will you make it happen today?