New Year, New Novel!

Happy New Year's!

When we flip over the page to a new year, it's always natural to reflect backward and look forward. 

Looking back at 2016, I find myself grateful -- for readers, friends, and family members who have been so supportive of my novels. I've been writing for many years, but never dreamed that more than a handful of people would ever read my work. I'm particularly thankful to my publisher, Red Adept Publishing, who took a chance on me in 2013, and to those of you who have supported my novels along the way, even before I was published---cheering me on, encouraging me not to let go of my dreams.

As I look ahead to 2017, I'm excited to finish edits on Book 4 ("Savoring the Seasons") and to begin work on Book 5 in the Chilton Crosse series. I'm wondering what's in front of these characters and can't wait to watch them continue their journeys.  I'll be sure to post the highlights to my author page along the way -- book cover reveal, release dates, hints about Book 5...

Here's to a wonderful New Year for us all! May your days be merry and bright!

\ 

 

99¢ Sale!

SEEKING THE STAR is on sale right now for only 99¢!!

 

A man with a dark past stumbles into a cozy Cotswold village, in search of redemption. And on a snowy Christmas Eve, he finds it in an unexpected place.  

Here's the link to click (the offer only applies to Amazon Kindle).

It's That Time Again -- Bring on the Edits!

I'm thrilled to announce that my fourth book in the Chilton Crosse series, newly titled Savoring the Seasons, has been contracted once again with Red Adept Publishing!  They've moved swiftly, and the manuscript is already in content edits.

I won't have any sort of release date for awhile, but I'll be working hard this semester (in between grading freshman essays!) to finish up the content and line edits.  Next, it's the book cover and then a release date.  I'm hoping for early 2017.  Exciting!

Here's a blurb I recently wrote, which sums up the plot. This book focuses on Julia, Old Mr. Bentley's daughter:

Julia Bentley has just spent her fortieth birthday doing what she always does—baking treats for the customers in her Cotswold bakery and taking care of her elderly father. She doesn’t realize how stagnant her life has become until a younger man, Tristan Hannigan, arrives at the village. As Julia grows closer to Tristan, he begins to season her mundane days and to challenge her insecurities about herself and how she views the world.

But the relationship is threatened when Julia’s doubts become too great and a secret she's keeping creates a wedge between them. Will Julia choose the easy route, slipping back into her daily routine and living without love? Or will she find the courage to follow her heart and accept the love she deserves?

I'll be sure to keep my website current with updates along the way.

And if you've read any of my Chilton Crosse novels -- thank you!  Your support is so appreciated.

THE END

I just typed those words on my Book 4 draft last night.  Exciting!

It's taken a full year to write this book (mostly because I was writing it during two busy semesters of grading papers and teaching a full load of freshman English classes).  And  I've spent the past few weeks of my empty summer finishing the draft.  

Still to come:  Decisions about a title and book cover, editing (first, by me, as I polish up the rough draft a couple of times, smooth out the rough spots, do some careful researching, and get the book up to my best possible capability -- then, it's off to the my publisher).  At the end of this year, I'll also be brainstorming ideas for Book 5 in the series.

I realized the significance of this draft last night. I haven't written a novel in three years!  I've spent the last two-and-a-half years editing the three published books in the series, which I wrote years ago. So, it felt wonderful to get back to what I love the most -- writing.  It's my favorite part of the process, for sure.  It was a special feeling, returning to Chilton Crosse and writing about those characters I feel so close to...

I'll be updating my author page more often, now that I'll be having bits of news to share.

Thanks for going with me on this journey!

Book 4 - Nearing the Finish Line!

It's been awhile since I've posted an update, so here goes...

My summer officially begins on Friday afternoon, and I'm ecstatic.  Summer not only means no more grading of essays (yay!), but it also means I will finally have time to finish Book 4 in my Chilton Crosse series.  I've been pecking away at this manuscript for two semesters, and I'm currently on page 327.  I think I have about six more chapters to go.  After that, I'll do some fact-checking and polishing and several read-throughs.  Then, it's off to the publisher!  

I have to say, this book might be my favorite of the series so far.  Each book seems to have a different tone, a different flavor, and this one is no exception.  Before I started writing the novel, I wondered if I'd end up liking the main character, Julia.  She's a bit stand-offish, keeping to herself, but it's partly because of her taxing job (owning/running the bakery). As I've written her, I've discovered she has a lot of heart.  She also takes excellent care of her aging father, Mr. Bentley (the elderly man who sits outside the bakery).  Julia is deeper than I'd imagined, and there's a reason she's not very prominent in the other novels.  I hope readers will really respond to her and her situation.

As I get closer to THE END, I'll post more updates.  Plus, I'll spend part of this summer brainstorming Book 5!

I hope 2016 is another exciting year for this Chilton Crosse series! 

Back at BarnesandNoble.com!

For those who have contacted me about my series being available on Nook -- it's back!  

The series is now out of Kindle Unlimited at Amazon (for 3 months, the books had to be there, exclusively), so now all three books are available on Nook, too.

Here's the link.

Book Availability - Explained

I was recently contacted by a couple of folks who read/enjoyed Book 1 (Painting the Moon) in my series, but who had trouble finding Book 2 (Finding the Rainbow) and Book 3 (Seeking the Star) on BarnesAndNoble.com.

I wanted to explain why my books are currently unavailable at BN.com (for a brief time only).  My publisher recently put the whole series into Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program (it's a book-borrowing subscription program that's pretty neat!).  The only catch??  The series has to be pulled from other online venues (including BN.com) in order to stay in the KU program for three months.

So, unfortunately, those who purchased Book 1 on Nook won't be able to buy Book 2 or 3 on Nook until March.

But the good news is, there are still other options, if you don't want to wait that long.  All my books are available in paperback here:

Book 1 - Painting the Moon
Book 2 - Finding the Rainbow
Book 3 - Seeking the Star

If you still prefer a digital copy, there are some other options (including special apps to read ANY ebook on your computer or device).  Here are the instructions. 

I hope this helps a little. If you bought Book 1 and are searching for Books 2 and 3 -- THANK YOU!  It means so much!  :-)




 

After-Sale Stats!

As a reader, I love a good book sale. But as a writer?  I love a good sale even more!  It's fun to watch those numbers climb, but mostly, it's wonderful to know that people are buying my book(s)!  After years in the "rejection trenches," I still have to pinch myself that ANYone is reading my book. Seriously.  (Read my whole road-to-publication story here).

So, if you've bought my book, either through the most recent sale, or sometime in the past -- truly, genuinely, THANK YOU for taking a chance on me and my book(s).  It's incredibly appreciated.  

Well, here are the stats from the big .99 sale (now ended).  PAINTING THE MOON made it to #43 in Amazon Kindle, and #8 in Women's Fiction, wow!

At Barnes & Noble, PAINTING THE MOON reached to #5!  Wow again!

I just re-read a blog entry of mine from 2013, right when I'd first signed the publishing contract with Red Adept.  This is still true today:


Probably the main reason I want to get published is this:  I love the idea of other people reading words I wrote.  I love the notion that someone, somewhere, maybe in Maryland or New York or California, will see the cover, read the blurb, and decide, for some reason, to spend hard-earned dollars to purchase it.  Even more, I like the idea of that person going home after a difficult work day, maybe even with personal burdens, and escaping his/her life, momentarily, through reading my book.  Because that's a huge part of the reason that I read.  I would love for someone to experience what I experience through books--the escapism, the intimacy, and even the reflection of oneself through a character or situation.  The notion that I, somehow, could be any part of that process for someone else is incredible to me.


In the end, it's not about stats and spreadsheets and profits.  It's about knowing that people I've never met are buying and reading my book.  And I can't even begin to say how amazing that is.  Thanks again.  :-)