Mondays Require Chocolate

I am not chocolate crazy. I like it, but the dessert words that get me are butter, caramel, and vanilla. I actually hate chocolate milk and chocolate ice cream. Brownies? I don't get them. Dark chocolate? No, thank you, I'll have a lemon instead. It will be tastier. But my daughter loves chocolate. So on Mondays, I always make sure to put a bit of chocolate in her lunch box. She's never said, but I hope that it serves as a pick me up. I may be wasting my time since the day of the week might not matter to her. But it makes me feel better to know that she has something that she loves in her lunch box on a Monday.

So some random news and thoughts (Like the Mondays and chocolate wasn't random enough)....

My plan is to republish my old books next year. This is the reason why I haven't updated the My Books tab. I need new covers for the old books. I'll more than likely pick something with a half naked male. Those are my favorite because they are yummy and it's the type of cover I've always liked. It's so difficult to find a cover model that looks the way I imagined him. I also feel that it gives the reader free range to imagine the hero and heroine the way they like. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The book I'm currently making the most progress on is going to be called The Makeover. I'm hoping to be finished by January. I may be done before if I don't hit too many snags over the Christmas holiday. (I haven't done any shopping yet!)

I have so many things I want to work on. There are days when I can't type fast enough to get the words down and other days when I can spend an hour agonizing over a sentence. Next year, I'm going to put some serious work into finally getting a Whimsy sequel out. I can't promise it will be finished since it's nowhere near done and I keep changing my mind about the details. I'm tackling Chaldor's story first, but don't worry, Dark will make some appearances.

Oh, before I forget. I do love Russell Stover Pecan Delights. Usually, they're about $8 a box. During the holidays, they're half price. So you'll have to excuse me, because it is Monday and Mondays require chocolate.

The Second Promised Excerpt

Haven & Scott will be out tomorrow. I know what you're thinking. Just get to the excerpt, woman! So here it is:

     Haven blinked at Scott’s harsh tone. She’d just walked in the door when he nearly bit her head off. “What has gotten into you?”
     “I’m a patient man and it takes a lot to make me angry. But you’re pushing it.”
     “What are you talking about?” She placed her purse on the sofa and turned to face the irate blond Adonis at her back. She was irritated to note that he was even sexier when he was angry. As she watched, he raked his fingers through his hair. Stubble shaded his square jaw.
     “I’m talking about my wife disappearing for hours on end. You don’t call and when I call you, you don’t answer. You have to admit, if I were doing this to you, you’d be steamed.”
     She sighed and sat down on the sofa. “I’m sorry. You’re right.” And so was Denise. It was time she told him about her decision. She couldn’t go on avoiding him for the next twenty-five days. Patting the cushion next to her, she said, “Please sit. We should talk.”
     Scott sat down. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do since I moved in here. I want this marriage to work.”
     “Well, I don’t think that either of us should have to force ourselves to work on something that we don’t want.”
     He blinked. “You’ve lost me. What is it that we don’t want?”
     She gestured helplessly between the two of them. “You can’t believe this is working?”
     “We’ve just begun.”
     She dried her suddenly sweaty palms on the sides of her skirt. She’d never liked confrontations. Gaze directed at her lap, she explained, “Scott, I know I’m not your type. I saw the pictures of all your old girlfriends. You have your preferences. And that’s fine. But I’m happy with my body the way it is. For you to try to change me is unfair. I’m sorry you’re not attracted to me. At the end of our thirty-day trial period, we can dissolve the marriage. Hopefully, next time they will pair you with someone more to your liking.”
     “Haven, look at me.” He cupped her chin and lifted her face to his. “Don’t tell me what I want and don’t want.” His mouth covered hers. He nipped at her bottom lip and then sucked it lightly. “Believe me, I want you.”
     She gasped as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. Instant lust exploded in her belly causing the peaking of her nipples. Even the tips of her ears tingled. Scott’s fingers slid over her scalp as he tilted her head to the side and deepened the kiss. He wasn’t shy or tentative. His mouth was hot and hungry on hers. His arms closed around her, aligning their upper bodies so that her breasts were flattened against his chest. It didn’t even occur to her passion fogged brain to resist as he pressed her back into the sofa cushions.
     She lost track of time as his mouth slanted over hers again and again. Clutching his shirt, she moaned helplessly as his tongue tangled with hers. It was only when his hands closed over her breasts, his thumbs stroking over her tight nipples that she came back to her senses. The electric pleasure of it was too good and too much too soon. She was in very real danger of giving in to what was most likely a moment of horny weakness on his part. Moaning, she forced an arm between them, breaking the heated lip lock. Scott growled. His full lips were wet and reddened. Holding his smoldering gaze, she shoved at his shoulder until he shifted back and she was able to wriggle her way from beneath him.
     Backing out of his reach on unsteady legs, she cleared her throat. “That can’t happen again.”
     He grimaced, adjusted himself, and straightened up on the couch. “Why not?” His voice was deep and gravelly with arousal.
     Haven wet her lips and dragged her gaze up from the very interesting and substantial bulge at his crotch. “You admitted it had been almost a year since you had sex. You’re horny. I’m not going to give myself to a man whose only requirement is a warm female body. I have too much respect for myself for that.”
     He raked a hand through his hair.  “I’ll admit I’m on edge because it’s been a while. I like sex and I have a healthy sex drive. But I do want to be with you.”
     “Based on what?” Not waiting for a reply, she shook her head. She didn’t want to make him lie to her. At the moment, she suspected he’d say anything to get her naked. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. This is what we’re going to do. We’re going to get through our probationary period and then we’re going to go our separate ways.”
     Scott stood. Glowering down at her, he asked, “And if I don’t agree?”
     Haven faltered as she stared up at him. “What do you mean?”
     “You’ve come to this decision on your own without including me. Why would I agree?” His eyes flicked over her slowly. A slow smile curved his lips. “And I’m finding myself growing possessive of you. So I’m going to have to disagree. We’re going to stay married.” Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, “And we’re going to consummate this marriage. Soon.”

Haven & Scott - An Excerpt

Time is moving so swiftly. I realized this weekend that Haven & Scott will be released Friday and I hadn't posted a single excerpt. For those of you who read Karizma & Devin, please, be patient with me. You'll have read this excerpt already. I'll post another one soon that you haven't read. Since this is close to the beginning, I wanted to post this excerpt first. This is went Haven and Scott first meet and it's one of my favorite parts of this book. 

     Haven had a craving for salt, steak, and chocolate and not necessarily in that order. She chose to focus on that rather than the fact that she was minutes away from meeting her husband. To call her nervous would be an understatement. She’d barely been able to sleep last night. She’d skipped breakfast this morning because her stomach was tied in knots. So now she was nervous and starving. She hoped she could hold her food down.

     The restaurant he’d chosen was one she’d never tried. She’d walked by it a few times. She immediately liked the interior. The walls were white. Plants hung from the ceiling. Large windows and adequate lighting made the dining room bright and cheery. It wasn’t romantic, but she’d prefer it to eating in a dark restaurant. 

     A hostess greeted her and when Haven gave her name, she smiled brightly and led her to a table. Haven took a deep breath. Despite her friends’ advice, she’d refrained from performing an internet search on her husband. With a quick glance down at her dress, she dried her sweaty palms on the black skirt. The bodice was lower than she would have liked. Denise had come over while she was dressing and had insisted she show a little skin. 

     Well, she’d be showing plenty of skin soon enough, she thought with a small bit of anticipation. This man was supposed to be her soul mate, the man of her dreams. She didn’t see any point in waiting to become intimate with him. It would be the end of a two year long dry spell for her. She liked sex. Loved it in fact, but she was discriminate about who she chose to share her body with. It had been two years since she’d met anyone who she considered worthy of the honor. She’d rather be alone than with some of the jerks she’d met. 

     As they approached, a tall white man with longish strawberry blond curls stood. She was 5’7” and she estimated him to be a few inches above six feet. He wore a weathered gray t-shirt and casual slacks. Not only did he need a haircut, he needed a shave. He’d certainly gone to no pains with his appearance. And he was still the most attractive man she’d ever seen. His bone structure was amazing. His broad shoulders and firm biceps stretched the cotton of his shirt. “Haven?” He smiled and extended his hand for her to shake.

     Two things had her breath catching. One was his voice. It was deep and smooth. She could listen to him all day. The other was his smile. His teeth were straight and brilliantly clean, but it was his dimples that gave her pause. It didn’t seem fair that genetics should have been so kind to one person. 

     “You are Haven?”

     “Um…yes.” She took his hand. His palm was large and it engulfed hers entirely. “And you’re Scott.”

     “Yes.” He held her chair out for her. He settled in the seat across from her, his blue eyes flicking over her. They paused momentarily on her cleavage before coming back up. She gave him points for being a gentleman. Her breasts were large but that was no excuse for ogling. His irises were an intense and lovely blue. “You’re even more beautiful in person.”

     Her brows rose. “Thank you. You researched me.”

     “I wouldn’t say that. I just wanted to know what you looked like. Didn’t you do the same?”

     She shook her head. “I wanted to be surprised.” A waiter brought them water and salads. “We didn’t order anything,” she protested.

     “I took the liberty of ordering for us. I didn’t want to have to wait. I thought we could go for a walk after if we have time. My apartment is near here. If you like it, we could stay there for our probation period.”

     “Um, okay,” she said, tamping down a spark of irritation. He was trying to be considerate. There would be time enough to inform him that ordering someone else’s meal unless asked to was an asshole move. She picked up a fork. “Want to enlighten me as to what you ordered?”

     “Just this.” He dug into his salad.

     Her dreams of steak, salt and chocolate would have to wait. The salad was the type that she hated. It had everything in it but the kitchen sink. There were olives, cherry tomatoes, onions, nuts, berries and sprigs of who knew what. How the hell did one fork a nut anyway? And there was no dressing. After a few bites, she put her fork down and sipped her water. “So what do you do for a living?”

     “Well, um, I used to model. But now I’m a co-owner of a gym and I own this restaurant.”

     “Really? I love the décor.” Good thing she hadn’t said anything derogatory about the salad. That he was a former model wasn’t a surprise to her. But he seemed embarrassed so she didn’t pursue that topic.

     “Verdant Fields is relatively new. We specialize in natural, organic foods. There’s a garden out back. You should try our smoothies.”

     She hated smoothies. She had teeth. Why would she want to drink her food? “I’m sure I will some time.”

     “I can get you one to go before we leave.” 

     His smile was so friendly that she nodded. Really, those damn dimples were too much. And he had full, pink lips which appeared impossibly soft in comparison to the rough stubble that surrounded them. She dragged her gaze away from his mouth and stared down at her salad. “Well, um, I’m a website designer. I work from home. Um, after we visit your apartment, we should visit my house.”

     “That sounds good. So that sounds like a rather sedentary job. What kinds of activities do you like?”

     She shrugged. “When I have the time I like to hike.”

     He grinned. “I like that, too. I also like to ride bikes and I work out at the gym. I’ll set you up with a free gym membership and we can go together.”

     “That might be fun,” she readily agreed. She hated going to the gym or working out alone. It was boring and she never seemed to be able to establish a routine. 

     He glanced at her plate. His own was empty. “Are you finished?” he asked with a frown.

     She shrugged. “I guess I wasn’t that hungry.” She hoped they didn’t regularly serve undressed salads here or this restaurant wouldn’t last long. Not knowing how well Scott took constructive criticism, she kept her mouth shut. 

     He waved over a waiter and ordered a smoothie for her. Minutes later the waiter returned with a clear container filled with sewage green liquid. Haven eyed it with skepticism. It didn’t smell much better than it looked, but she tried to smile as she took a small sip through the straw. She was raised to be polite, but her new husband was sorely testing her. 

     Unfortunately, the smoothie tasted like raw vegetables. She didn’t hate vegetables, but she liked them better cooked and with some sort of seasoning. “What’s in this?”

     “Broccoli, a little apple and orange to make it sweeter, and some secret ingredients.”

     “Mm,” she said around a second sip and then had to fight the urge to spit it back out. She would have guessed broccoli and a bit of dirt. She wondered if he would notice if she left it on their table. Leaning over to pick her purse off the floor she began to plot project smoothie abandonment.

     He stood and held out his hand to her. “Don’t forget your smoothie,” he said as she joined him. So she was forced to pick it up though she’d definitely had more than enough. Though she didn’t have a sensitive stomach, she thought if she had much more of the drink she was likely to hurl from the gritty texture and overly assertive flavor. She took his hand and he escorted her out of the restaurant. It was a warm summer day. As they walked, several women gave him a second glance. One woman stared so hard that she lost her footing and stumbled on the sidewalk. If Scott noticed, he didn’t give any visible reaction. She supposed he must be used to this sort of behavior. 

     He scanned his print to gain entrance into his building. He also had to scan his palm to get into his apartment. “I guess this is the type of security I’m missing by having a house.” She could have a scanner installed. Instead, she chose to use the antiqued lock and key method.  

     “Make yourself at home. Feel free to look around. Excuse me while I use the bathroom.”

     Even his ass was nice, she noticed as he walked away. Not flat, but instead a nice curve. With a sigh, she crossed to the large windows opposite the door to check out the view. The streets below practically thrummed with activity, but none of the sounds penetrated his apartment. The walls were exposed brick. High, white ceilings and light from the windows kept the place from being dark and depressing. His sofa and chairs were white, also. 

     She cast a quick glance at his kitchen. The appliances and countertops were stainless steel. The bedroom area was separated by a large black and white screen with a painting of flowers on it. He’d shifted it to the side and he’d made his bed this morning. The bedding was black and white with red decorative pillows on top. 

     On a glass shelf next to the window, he had a few books. But mostly, the shelves were filled with framed photos. These drew her like a magnet attracted metal. She expected to see some glamour shots of Scott, perhaps some from his modeling days. Instead they were pictures of him surfing, hiking, canoeing, and biking. Haven frowned as she took in the photos. He was with a different woman in each one. Not one of the women looked like her. Their coloring differed. He dated blonds and brunettes and a few women of different ethnicities. Each of them possessed slim twig-like figures. Not one of them could be above a size two. 

     If these were his previous girlfriends…he couldn’t possibly be attracted to her. She would never be that skinny and didn’t even desire to be so. At her smallest in high school she’d worn a size eight. Now she wore a fourteen and could occasionally squeeze into a size twelve. 

     Haven reviewed their lunch. He’d researched her on the internet. And then he ordered her a salad with no dressing, spoke of giving her a free gym membership, and gave her the garbage can smoothie. With a glare at the smoothie, she set the cup down on his desk. Evidently, he’d seen her picture and placed a plan into action to make her over into his ideal woman.

     And she’d thought he was being a gentleman by not ogling her. But that wasn’t it at all. He was probably disgusted by her overabundant curves. Her face heated with embarrassment and anger. 

     “So what do you think?” He seemed nervous, his gaze shifting from her to the shelf at her back.

     Haven turned to him slowly, no longer impressed with his pretty outside. She had to spend thirty days with this ass. There was no getting around that, but she wouldn’t live here where he’d no doubt had a parade of women pass through. And she wouldn’t have sex with him. She missed sex, but not enough to demean herself by sleeping with a man who didn’t want her as she was. For thirty days, she would be forced to be his wife, but the sooner she saw the last of him the better.

Haven & Scott

Coming November 20 ....

BLURB:

The year is 2100. Wise people marry by registering with Bioexpa Data Match. The matchmaking company has such a near perfect record that choosing your own mate is now considered tantamount to marrying a blood relative.

Haven Thomas is a beautiful, curvy, confident woman. She's immediately attracted to her gorgeous blond, husband. But her hopes for a happy union are dashed when she realizes that her new husband thinks she's fat. She has no choice but to go through the thirty-day probation period, but after that, she plans to walk away.

Scott Fields owns a restaurant that serves healthy food and is part owner of a gym. Finding himself married to a curvy woman could prove to be a promotional nightmare unless he finds a way to spin it. Then he meets Haven. It doesn't take him long to decide that she's perfect as she is. Now he just has to convince Haven to give him a second chance.

A Minor Almost Update

I can’t believe that September is coming to an end. I wish I could say that I excelled at time management and that it had been a productive summer. But I’ve spent most of the time travelling or indulging in reading binges.  

Thankfully, Haven and Scott is basically done. My hope is that the next time I post that I can give a definitive release date. At this point, I’m thinking mid-fall.

A Second Excerpt...Because You Knew It Was Coming

I always like to post a second excerpt. Some of you have already purchased The Arrangement and made it a bestseller at All Romance Ebooks and I thank you for that. I hope you're all enjoying it. It's a summer read. Ideally, I wanted to have it out for the 4th of July weekend, but it was simply too close to my previous release. For those of you awaiting more info before purchasing, here's a bit more to whet your appetite.

The kitchen smelled of cinnamon and brown sugar, making his mouth water. A tray of muffins sat on the counter. Ariadne held one in her hand. She’d split it open and was applying butter. When she’d finished applying a perfectly even layer, he snatched it out of her hand and took a large bite. “Thanks,” he muttered around a full mouth.
     Glaring at him, she began to prepare the other half. “Where’s Erika?”
     “That’s damn good,” he groaned around the muffin. He opened the refrigerator in search of milk. “Erika’s with Ted.” As he filled his glass, he shot her a glance. She had to know about Erika’s crush, but he wouldn’t question her about it. Doing so would be asking her to betray a confidence to a friend. While he was her husband, it wasn’t in a true sense. He wanted her to consider him a friend one day as well.
     Ariadne bit into her muffin. Asher poured her a glass of milk as well. He waited until she’d taken a sip before asking, “So should I move my stuff into your room or will you be moving into mine?”
     She sprayed the floor with milk. “What?”
     He laughed at her expression. Though they hadn’t discussed it, he knew she didn’t expect to share his bed. But he simply couldn’t resist seeing her reaction. Leaning back against the counter, he allowed his gaze to run over her from the top of her head to her toes, stopping to enjoy the fullness of her breasts, the smallest of her waist, and the lush roundness of her hips. She was delight to stare at and his palms itched to explore her curves. As always, she was dressed modestly. Her pink t-shirt was buttoned to the top. Her jeans were snug but not indecent. They’d all been on the beach at some point today. Only Ariadne had taken the time to change out of her bathing suit.
     “Both Ted and Erika insinuated that I was trying to get you into bed. Would you like to clarify our sleeping arrangements?”
     Tossing a glare his way, she rolled three paper towels off the roll and dropped to the floor to clean up the milk. “I have a guest room you can use at my place.”
     “I see.” He emptied his glass in one swallow. “So you expect me to be celibate for two or more years?”
     “I intend to be.”
     “No offense, but it’s not the same thing. Isn’t celibacy your normal state of affairs?”
     She threw the paper towels in the trash with more force than he considered necessary. “Isn’t this something we should have clarified before we got married? It’s not too late for an annulment.”
     “Then we’d be right back where we were. Only worse. I would embarrass my father with one of the briefest marriages on record. And you’d have tallied up a second relationship failure within six months.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
     She mirrored his pose. “So what do you suggest?”
     He knew what he’d like to suggest but he doubted she’d be willing to grant him conjugal rights. It would take some serious finessing to get her to that point. But he didn’t doubt that he could get her there. A week ago if someone had told him that she would marry him, he would have laughed in their face. But she had. Not out of love, but that didn’t matter. She was his. If he could make her his wife, a major miracle, getting her into his bed would be child’s play.
     “We play it by ear,” he said as casually as he could.
     She laughed. “Are you thinking there’s going to be a time when I’m going to want to sleep with you?”
     He shrugged. “I don’t think you find me repellant.”
     Ariadne’s mouth twisted. “But as you’ve pointed out, celibacy is the normal state of affairs for me.”
     He studied her from beneath lowered lashes. “But it doesn’t have to be.”
     “I can’t,” she said so quickly that he knew that she had her reasons.
     He wanted to probe but he had time. He didn’t want her to think he was anxious. Though he was so primed, he was ready to toss her over his shoulder and carry her off to his bed this instant. “The offer is out there and available any time you want.” Her gaze moved over him much as his had moved over her. Her slow perusal made his body burn. Her brown eyes darkened and smoldered with heat. His dick hardened so fast it was a wonder he didn’t get lightheaded from the sudden redirection of blood flow. He took a step forward without even realizing it.
     “I’m starving!” Ted made a beeline for the muffins. He grabbed one in each hand, biting into one before he seemed to take notice of the tension in the room. “Am I interrupting something?” he mumbled around a mouth full of food

The Arrangement Excerpt

It's time for an excerpt. The Arrangement will be released next Friday. Enjoy!

     Masculine laughter floated from the direction of the kitchen. Hearing the voice of Ted Flynn, the husband of her best friend, was no surprise. But the other male…Asher Hollister.… She’d know that laugh anywhere though she hadn’t seen him since the annual Flynn New Year’s Eve party six months ago. Asher’s laughter was rich and husky and rolled over the listener like a sensual fog. Ariadne stiffened and froze in the process of entering the beach house, the sliding glass door open only a few inches. What the hell was he doing here? She whipped around to glare at her best friend Erika Flynn. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, “You promised me he wasn’t coming this year.”
     Erika winced. “Ted invited him, but he turned down the invitation. He must have changed his mind.”
     Ariadne sighed. She wondered if she could sneak up to her room, pack her bags and leave without him noticing. This was supposed to be a much needed vacation for her. The last thing she needed was to have to deal with the animosity that existed between her and Asher. She’d intended to stay for two weeks. She doubted the two of them would last that long before weapons were drawn.
     That they would cross swords was inevitable with only the four of them inhabiting the house. She avoided him when possible, but that was difficult since they often traveled in the same circles. Sometimes she felt like she lived in a soap opera town inhabited by a limited number of citizens. But the funny thing was that Asher seemed capable of getting along with everyone with the exception of her. Everybody loved him. Especially women. For some unknown reason, he had been an ass to her since high school.
     “Might as well get it over with,” Erika said, laying a comforting hand on her arm.
     Ariadne glanced down at herself. The two of them had been lying around on the beach while Ted went out to grab dinner. The purple one piece she wore was dry. Only a small amount of sand clung to her legs and ankles.
     She opened the door the rest of the way and the two of them skirted the dining table and entered the den. It was a large open area separated from the kitchen by a curved bar. Ted leaned against the kitchen counter, bags of takeout behind him. His long legs were stretched out in front of him. His shaved head and goatee gave him a tough guy look though he was one of the nicest guys she’d ever met. Asher sat on a barstool facing him. The two men had been friends since elementary school. The same could be said for her and Erika. Prior to Erika marrying Ted two years ago, her run-ins with Asher had been minimal. After the marriage of their best friends, she really had to work to avoid the odious man. Whether he was avoiding her or not, she wasn’t certain. He seemed to relish their encounters. It was just another reason to hate him. She liked her life on a calm even keel. Some might calling it boring, but she’d choose ennui over calamity any given day.
     Asher grinned at the sight of them. His lips tipped up on the left first before spreading to the other side. It was a slow, calculated move. His pale green eyes lit up in wicked delight. Ariadne’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. She just knew he was thinking of some cruel taunt as his gaze flicked over her from top to bottom. “Well, if it isn’t my sweet belle and Miss Prim and Proper.” She didn’t have to guess which one she was.
     Erika rushed forward and received a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Ash, it’s good to see you.”
     Ariadne hugged her beach bag to her chest. “Ash,” she said with a nod. It was as much of an acknowledgement as he was going to get out of her.
     “Ari,” he murmured, knowing she’d never given him permission to use that abbreviation of her name. Only friends and family called her Ari. He was neither. “You look supremely overdressed for the occasion.”
     Her swimsuit was conservative. It was true. It had a modest scoop neck and rose up high to cover her back. There was even a ruffle skirt that hid the tops of her rounded thighs. Erika had commented that it would have been better suited to a five year old. That was different. Erika was a friend. She was allowed to criticize her wardrobe. Bristling, she replied, “I shopped for a string bikini but the stores sold out to your cadre of busty girlfriends.”
     He arched a dark brow before bursting out in laughter. “Well, you do have the impressive upper endowments I so adore.”
     That was another habit of his that she hated. Her insults never seemed to hit their mark. He always laughed it off. It didn’t help that he had the sexiest laugh known to man. The man was infuriating. Ariadne growled. “You-”
     “Come on, guys,” Ted interrupted. “Don’t get started. Erika and I don’t want to spend two weeks listening to you bicker. Ash, you promised to be on your best behavior.”
     “What?” He lifted his arms and shrugged. “That was a compliment.”

August 7 is almost here

There's not much time until the release of The Arrangement. I love the cover.

BLURB

For Ariadne Morris, it was enough that her boyfriend dumped her for her cousin, but then she finds out that they plan to announce their engagement at the annual family reunion. Spending time at the beach with friends seems like the perfect getaway. Unfortunately, Asher Hollister, her high school nemesis, shows up.

Asher Hollister enjoys riling up the ever so proper Ariadne. When he learns about her situation, he offers her a solution--marry him. The marriage will help him repair his reputation before his father runs for governor. He tells Ariadne that the marriage will be temporary, only Asher already knows that he never wants to let her go.

The Arrangement

So my next book will be called The Arrangement. The release date will be August 7. I'll post the cover art, a blurb, and an excerpt in coming weeks. Keep enjoying your summer!

Disappearing Books and Other Stuff

Some of you may or may not have noticed that some of my books disappeared off Amazon and other sites. (Friends, Winning Dawn, The Matchmaker, and Possessed) All of those books were published with Sugar and Spice. They decided to return the publishing rights to their authors and took down the books on July 1. I haven't decided all the specifics of what I'm going to do about them yet, but I will republish them in time.

For those of you waiting to hear more about Haven & Scott, I haven't picked a publication date, but it will be out this year. The wait won't be too long.

Last, but not least, I should mention another release that I have planned. I'm waffling on the title, but have chosen thus far to call it The Arrangement. This one is for those of you out there who just want a novel about regular people set in a contemporary time frame. At one point, I'd planned to have it out this weekend, but who knew self-publishing could be so exhausting? Look for this one to be out by the end of the month or August at the latest! More details on this to come very soon.

And lest we not forget, Happy Independence Day! Have a happy and safe weekend.

In Anticipation of...

In anticipation of the release of Karizma & Devin this Friday, I thought I'd post another excerpt for those of you still on the fence about whether or not to purchase it. It's already available for preorder on Amazon.

So before we get to the good stuff, I'd like to give a little history. I actually finished Karizma & Devin last year. I wrote it before Sienna & Jakob. The latter story was supposed to be a short introduction to the series. Sienna & Jakob ended up being longer than I intended. I've been waiting a while to get Karizma & Devin out so I'm really excited about this release.

I have many favorite parts in this book. Here's one of them:


     “I don’t know why you’re pushing this. We’re not right for each other.”
     His brows rose. “What makes you say that? I think you’re perfect.”
     Stunned at the compliment, it took her a moment to reply. “Well, you don’t like dogs. And…I’m certain that we don’t have the same views on marriage. Why did you register?”
     He shrugged broad shoulders. “To be honest, I was sick of dating. It’s time consuming and exhausting. I just want some uncomplicated companionship. That includes someone to warm my bed. You should fill the position adequately.”
     She sucked in a deep breath. “Just when I think you might not be crazy, you say something off the wall.”
     He grinned. “We can’t all be the same, can we? I think sometimes it’s called genius.”
     Karizma grunted. She noticed with alarm that he had moved closer to her. He was very large and well-built for someone who made his living with computer systems. The sleeves of his jacket barely seemed to contain his shoulders and biceps. She faltered back a step.
     “There’s nothing wrong with me, Karizma. So there’s no need for you to think you’re going to find a way out of this marriage.” He advanced on her until her back was against the wall. “I don’t know what your reasons were, but in the end, we both wanted to be married. Like I said before, we have details to straighten out, but I’m sure we can come up with some mutually satisfying terms.”
     “You didn’t seem interesting in negotiating before.”
     “You didn’t try. You leapt up and ran off after I was honest enough to admit that I didn’t want a dog tearing up my carefully manicured lawns. Oh, and I had the audacity to admit that I wanted to fuck you.”
     “Okay, that right there! Stop saying things like that.”
     “You’re not a virgin, are you?”
     “No, but we’re strangers. We need to get to know each other better. I mean, who knows, after the probationary period, we may not even want to stay together.”
     Devin grunted. “I know. You’re mine. I like the idea of it.” He placed his hands on either side of her on the wall, caging her into his embrace.
     She placed a hand on his chest and immediately wished she hadn’t. He was as hard as he looked. She applied gentle pressure to push him back. He leaned into her touch and shifted his hips closer. Swallowing, she said, “I’m not someone you can bully into doing what you want.”
     “So negotiate with me. I want to fuck you Friday night and every night thereafter. What do you want?”
     She glared at his unreasonable request. “I want time to get to know you before we get physical.”
     “How much time? Ballpark it for me.”
     “A month.”
     He let out a bark of laughter. “The entire probationary period? I’ll give you twenty-four hours.”
     “You call that negotiating?”
     “Give me a counteroffer.”
     “Three weeks.”
     “Three days.”
     “Two weeks.”
     “Two days.”
     “You’re going in the wrong direction,” she said between clenched teeth.
     “Fine. Five days.”
     Suspecting it was the best offer she would receive, she nodded. “Five days.”
     “Are you on birth control?”
     “Yes.” She was on pills. Though newer forms of birth control were available, she had bad reactions to them.
    Devin moved even closer until only a hairsbreadth of space remained between them. “We’re both clean. So when we fuck, I won’t use condoms.”
     She started shaking her head. The idea of him coming inside of her was incredibly intimate. She was already wondering how she could finagle her way out of the five day agreement. “Why take that chance?”
     “I’m non-negotiable on this point.” His hips rolled forward, almost but not quite touching her. “The thought of filling up your sweet pussy with my cum-”
     She slapped her hand over his mouth. “We need to discuss frequency. How often will you want to have sex?”
     “I told you. Every night. Every chance I get.”
     “Be realistic. I propose once a week.”
     He laughed. “Not nearly enough. This is another non-negotiable for me.”
     She glared at him. “I’m sensing a breakdown in these talks. You have to give me something.”
     His eyes lowered to her lips. “Maybe I should give you a taste of what to expect.”
     “No thank you.”
     He smiled. “You’re not a virgin but you’re not very experienced. Or you’re deluding yourself. You don’t like me, but you’re going to love fucking me.”
     She laughed at his arrogance. “Of the two of us, I’d lay odds on you being the delusional one. I don’t want you. The only reason I’m going through with this probationary period is so that when it’s over and I leave your pompous ass, Bioexpa will find me a more suitable match.”
     His chuckle was deep and husky. Leaning down, he rested his forehead on hers. “When I get you beneath me, spread your legs wide, I’ll slide inside so deep you’ll feel me for days. And that will be just the beginning. You’ll crave my cock day and night. And if you beg nicely, I’ll give it to you.”
     He sounded so confident. Karizma shook her head. He was crazy. She’d never want him. “Never.”
     “Apparently never is next Wednesday.”

Karizma & Devin Blurb and Excerpt

I am having such a difficult time right now concentrating on what to finish writing next. Fortunately, the next story in the Bioexpa series had been finished for a while.

Blurb

The year is 2100. Wise people marry by registering with Bioexpa Data Match. The matchmaking company has such a near perfect record that choosing your own mate is now considered tantamount to marrying a blood relative.

Karizma Woods has been dreaming of being matched by Bioexpa since she registered at eighteen. When it finally happens, she thinks it's a dream come true. That is until she meets Devin. Only a few minutes in his company has her convinced that she wants nothing to do with the arrogant jerk.

Devin McIntyre registered for practical reasons. He was tired of dating. All he really needs is a woman to warm his bed. Karizma suits needs perfectly. Too bad that she seems determined to leave him at the end of their thirty-day trial period.

Excerpt

     “K, if you’re going to ride with me, you’d better hurry,” Shari called as she pulled on her coat.
     Karizma gulped down her morning nutritional shake, suppressing a wince at the bitter aftertaste. “New and improved, indeed,” she grumbled, glaring at the label. No matter how many times they claimed that, the acrid taste of vitamins was always the finishing note. She tossed the can into the wide mouth of the recycling bin under the kitchen sink. Their apartment featured many of the latest and greatest appliances. The bin quickly sorted the can and crushed it into a tiny cube. Later when they removed the trash, it would be in a bag with other aluminum materials.
     She hurried to the door and grabbed her coat and scarf out of the closet. Her work at the animal shelter didn’t pay well and she had a ways to go before she’d saved up the money for a vehicle of her own. Until then, she had to either use public transportation or ride to work with one of her roommates. Fortunately for her Shari and Daphne never seemed to mind giving her a ride. “Thanks, Shari.”
     Outside their door sounded and the two women exchanged a look. They knew the significance of those chimes. A Bioexpa Data Match drone waited on the other side of the door for one of them. “Daphne!” they called in unison.
     They had all registered with Bioexpa DM. Who didn’t? If you wanted to find your soul mate, the person you were practically guaranteed to love and have a happily ever after with, you registered. The success of regular marriages was rare. But Bioexpa DM marriages survived a whopping ninety-nine point nine percent of the time. For that reason, registering at the age of eighteen was highly recommended by the government. Though almost no one was selected for a pairing at such a young age, the earlier a person registered the better. It took time to find a perfect match. The average age was twenty-five. If you weren’t picked by the age of forty-five, it was generally believed that you were a lost cause. The only person Karizma knew who hadn’t ever received a match was her uncle. Since he was a serial cheater, it was completely understandable.
     Karizma was twenty-five. Both her roommates were twenty-eight. The drone could be here for any one of them. Daphne came running, buttoning her blouse along the way. Her sleek black bob flowed around her face before settling, not a single hair out of place. “Did I hear what I think I heard?”
     “Uh huh,” Shari said with a slow nod.
     “Well, open the door,” Daphne said impatiently.
     Gulping, Shari entered the security code to unlock the door and then placed her hand over the hand scanner. The portal swept open and sure enough a drone floated at eye level in the hallway. It was the first time Karizma had seen one in person. She had heard about it from her sister Charm and her friend and coworker Allison. It was silver and shiny almost to the point of having a mirror finish. It was about nine inches in diameter and about three inches thick.
     It bobbed and dipped as it moved forward. The three of them stood around it and waited to see which of them had been chosen. A circular beam of blue light shot out of the bottom of the drone.
     “Karizma Penelope Woods, please place your left hand into the beam of light,” said an electronic voice.
     Karizma expelled an excited yelp while her roomies released groans of disappointment. Trembling, she extended her hand until it was under the light. A tone sounded and the beam passed over her hand in a wave pattern.
     “Identification verified. Karizma Penelope Woods, you are hereby married to Devin Michael McIntyre. His contact information has been sent to your communication slate. Please make arrangements to meet and begin your probationary cohabitation period.” There was a brief pause. “Please do not move as you are fitted for your wedding band. You will feel a slight warming sensation.”
     She bit her lip as a ray concentrated on her ring finger. A silver band appeared. The metal was warm on her skin. In the center there was a thin strip of pink light circling the entire band.
     “You may withdraw your hand. For questions or further information, please visit the Bioexpa Data Match website.”
     The drone zipped out their door and away. Karizma was practically bouncing with excitement. She’d been matched! Three years ago her sister had been matched at twenty-seven. For Charm and James, it had been love at first sight. It had been the same way for Allison and Adam.
     “I wonder what he’ll be like. Probably tall, with skin the color of milk chocolate, and dark eyes. And he’ll have a cool profession where he helps people. He’ll be a teacher or a fireman or-”
     Shari growled. “Spare us your daydreams. Come on, some of us still have to get to work.”
     She looked at her roomies. “I’m sorry. I got carried away.” They had only been sharing the apartment for a year. She was the last to move in since their old roommate was matched. And now she would be leaving also.
     “No, you have every right to be excited,” Daphne said. “Congratulations.” She folded her in a quick hug.
     “Yeah, congrats,” Shari muttered, but she smiled and slugged her in the shoulder to show that she was happy for her. Still, on the ride to work Karizma kept her speculations about her husband to herself. But thoughts of what he looked like and the romantic adventure on which she was about to embark buzzed in her brain all day.
   
***

     Devin stared down at the silver band with the blue stripe of light on his left hand with some relief. This would neatly solve his problem with Destiny. They had a dinner date tonight and he’d been trying to come up with an easy way of dumping his girlfriend of six months. Destiny was beautiful. She was a plus sized model, which actually only equated to her being only a size twelve. She was smart, successful, and ambitious. Of late, her ambition had been to become his wife.
     As if he wanted to marry. Devin was incredibly wealthy. He’d made his money from his tech company. As a hobby, he liked to buy and sell stock and he had been very fortunate in the choices he had made. Though Destiny had her own money, he was aware that she was approaching an age where she would need to retire. And he didn’t relish the idea of being viewed as her retirement plan. He had no delusions about her feelings for him, or his for her. They were not in love. They had shared a momentary passion and on his part it was over.
     So a month ago he had registered with Bioexpa DM. Purchasing that bit of stock had made him a fortune. Though Devin had no interest in love or marriage, it occurred to him it would be more convenient and probably less expensive than conducting brief affairs. The time saved looking for a partner alone made getting married worthwhile.
     He’d been at work for an hour when his receptionist had informed him of the drone hovering outside his office. He had soundproof walls and had not heard the tone the drone emitted. Yes, he thought, running his finger over the smooth silver ring. This would resolve his situation with Destiny and all the other gold digging hopefuls quite nicely.
     He touched a finger to his desk to open the browser tool and went to the e-mail address he’d used in his registration with Bioexpa to find out his wife’s contact information. It occurred to him that he could also do a background check on his wife, but he wasn’t that curious. His demands were few. He didn’t require love or affection. As long as she could satisfy him in bed and didn’t embarrass him in public, she would meet his needs.

Karizma & Devin

Here's the cover art for the next book in the Bioexpa series. I've set a tentative publication date of June 12. I'll post the blurb and excerpt soon. Enjoy your weekend!

The Promised Second Excerpt

There is so much going on right now. I wanted to make sure to post this excerpt before the weekend. Happy reading and have a great weekend!

     “I just know she’s talking him into moving somewhere far away,” Mika complained. “I don’t know what he sees in her.”

     Sienna sipped her tea. Where they sat at the picnic table gave them a perfect view of Jakob and Ella talking beneath a big weeping willow. Jakob was tall, an inch or two above six feet, and just as handsome as she recalled him being from high school. She was two years his junior. Her family had just moved to Greenville so she’d known Jakob only a year before he left for college. She hadn’t seen him much since he’d graduated from college but she’d talked to him occasionally when he’d called the bakery to talk to Mika. 

     She swung her gaze to Ella. She was a delicate, pale brunette with big green eyes. “She’s very pretty,” Sienna said.

     Mika snorted. “She’s a snooty, condescending bitch. I’ve been praying that they aren’t matched by Bioexpa.”

     Sienna felt a twinge of alarm at the thought of them being matched also. She silently chastised herself for being ridiculous. As a silly teen, she’d had a crush on Jakob. All the girls did. He was gorgeous with big, deep brown eyes that just made you want to cuddle him and thick curls that made a woman’s fingers itch to caress them. But Jakob was more than just a cute boy. He was also kind. Yet she never had a chance with him. He was older and she hadn’t wanted to jeopardize her friendship with Mika. 

     She thought back to how he’d touched her face in the grocery store. It had been nothing but an absentminded gesture on his part, but she’d wanted to lean into the stroke of his thumb. She’d wanted him to touch her lips, her neck, and lower. Such simple contact shouldn’t have affected her so deeply. 

     “Mika, maybe if you get to know her better, you’ll like her.”

     “Humph!” She leaned in to whisper. “Mom and Dad don’t like her either.”

     “You’re exaggerating. Your parents have been very polite.”

     Mika rolled her eyes. “When aren’t they? It’s called hospitality. It doesn’t mean they like her. She—” Mika broke off with a strangled sound, her eyes widening. Mutely, she pointed a finger at the middle of the yard. 

     Not one, but two Bioexpa drones were circling overhead in a figure eight dance and gradually descending to crowd level. The drones emitted a series of chimes that were strangely similar to a wedding march. Everyone froze in a state of nervous anticipation. 

     “No, no, no,” Mika chanted as one of the drones broke free and headed straight for where Jakob stood beneath the willow. As they watched he extended his hand and a blue beam of light shot out of the bottom of the circular silver disk. “Oh, no,” Mika moaned. “This can’t be happening.”

     Ella watched the process with rapt attention. The drone was saying something in its electronic voice but, despite the fact that everyone had gone whisper quiet, they couldn’t discern the words from their location. 

     They hadn’t noticed it, but the second drone had advanced and lowered near their table. Both women jumped when it spoke. “Sienna Nicole Bloom, please place your left hand into the beam of light.” A line of light about twelve inches wide shot out of the bottom of the floating saucer. 

     Mika squealed. 

     Sienna squeaked. Her hand was trembling so hard she could barely extend it into the sliver thin beam of light. A tone sounded and the light passed back and forth over her palm. 

     “Identification verified. Sienna Nicole Bloom, you are hereby married to Jakob Christopher House.” Her heart jumped into her throat. Mika began screaming and calling over the parents and the next few words of the drone were lost in the ensuing commotion. “Please make arrangements to meet and begin your probationary cohabitation period.” There was a brief pause. “Please do not move as you are fitted for your wedding band. You will feel a slight warming sensation.”

     Her eyes sought out Jakob’s as the ray of light narrowed and concentrated on her ring finger. He stared back at her. A warm silver band appeared. It was about a half an inch wide. A thin pink stripe of light circled the center of its entire circumference.

     “You may withdraw your hand. For questions or further information, please visit the Bioexpa Data Match website.”

Sienna & Jakob Available on Amazon

Sienna & Jakob is available now on Amazon. I posted the blurb and an excerpt the last time I was here. I'll post another excerpt later in the week. Happy reading everyone!

Sienna & Jakob

So I've been hesitating over posting an excerpt from Sienna & Jakob for a couple of weeks now. The publication date is still not set, but I've been eager to share. Happy reading!

BLURB: The year is 2100. Wise people marry by registering with Bioexpa Data Match. The matchmaking company has such a near perfect record that choosing your own mate is now considered tantamount to marrying a blood relative.

Recently paired, Sienna Bloom and Jakob House have known each other since they were teens. She’s his sister’s best friend. Sienna’s been awaiting her perfect mate since she signed up with Bioexpa at the age of eighteen. She’s thrilled when she’s paired with Jakob. There’s only one problem. Jakob’s in love with another woman.

Jakob only signed up with Bioexpa to make his girlfriend Ella happy. When he returns to his hometown, it’s with the intention of settling down with Ella. But then he’s matched with Sienna through Bioexpa and his plans fall apart. He’s not one to ever break a promise, but he can’t deny the pull he feels towards Sienna.

EXCERPT

     The waiting room walls were a stark white. Above his head and on the wall opposite were picture panels at least seventy-two inches wide that displayed tranquil ocean scenes of water lapping at beach shores. Jakob House wondered briefly if they were being piped in live or if they were recorded video footage. To his left was a bank of silver elevators. On the right there was a window that spanned the entire wall and filled the space with light. Outside blue skies and a few puffy clouds filled the view. In front of the window was a large semicircular desk. The surface was clear and slanted on an angle toward the receptionist. Her hands moved deftly over the glass desktop, opening and closing files on her computer.
     Jakob returned his attention to the tablet in his hands. He’d already sent the extensive contract to his lawyer for review. Though the document was almost two hundred pages, he’d been informed that it was the standard Bioexpa Data Match contract. It was thorough and airtight but completely legal.
     His hand trembled as he placed it over the tablet to scan his palm print. The print was more binding than a signature and could not be duplicated by anyone else in the world. He reminded himself that he was doing this for Ella. She wouldn’t consent to be his wife unless they were paired by Bioexpa.
     The far reaching success of Bioexpa was amazing. Bioexpa Data Match was much more than a matchmaking firm. They were renowned for their happy and lasting marriages in a time when divorce had become rampant. In the relatively short time the company had existed, they had so ingrained themselves into society that getting married without being matched by Bioexpa was as taboo as intending to marry a blood relative.
     Jakob’s misgivings about completing his registration went beyond any wariness he harbored about giving the matchmaking service permission to invade his privacy. He couldn’t help the nervous turn of his stomach that told him this was a mistake. There was no guarantee that they would be matched and they had no plan in place if that possibility came to pass. Ella seemed so confident that their relationship would receive the Bioexpa stamp of approval. But then, Ella had a tendency to ignore any unpleasant details that ran counter to her wants and desires. Each time he’d broached the possibility, she’d brushed aside his concerns or become angry. However, he was a born planner. Ignoring facts was impossible for him. The entire situation was enough to make him break out in hives.
     Jakob looked around at the other occupants and realized that he was the oldest registrant in the room. Most people registered at eighteen. Eleven years ago when he’d graduated from high school, his only thoughts had been of his career. Marriage hadn’t been on his radar. Across from him were three boys, each holding a tablet computer. A pretty blonde girl to his right conferred with her mother.
     Having procrastinated long enough, he rose and approached the receptionist’s desk. The nametag on her silver jumpsuit declared her name to be Sarah. Her hair was short, spiky and dyed a blinding white. She smiled as he approached. Jakob handed her the tablet. She glanced at it briefly. “Thank you, Mr. House. You may now fill out our questionnaire. That can take some time. If you need to break for lunch or complete it at another time, please let me know. After the questionnaire, there will be your physical, during which they will need samples of your blood, saliva, and sperm. Following that, they will schedule an appointment for a psych evaluation.”
     Jakob flinched. “What? Why would you need my sperm? Or my blood and saliva for that matter?” He tried to keep his voice low, but he felt certain that he was on the edge of hysteria.
     “We use it for pheromone testing. It was explained in the contract.” She smiled, seemingly unfazed by his near panic. “Don’t worry. We won’t use it for disreputable purposes such as cloning.”
     He frowned. If that was supposed to be reassuring, it wasn’t. But it wasn’t as if he had much choice in this matter. He’d already placed his palm on the contract. They had the right to delve into his financial records and his criminal history. A few fluids…he suppressed a cringe…didn’t get much more invasive than that. Resigned, he nodded his acceptance.
     She pointed at a hallway to her right. “You may fill out your questionnaire in the first room to the right. Go through the white double doors. You may sit at any available desk. To log in to the questionnaire, simply place your hand on the surface so that it might be scanned.”
     Feeling more trepidation by the minute, he followed her directions. Pushing through the white doors, he found another white box of a room. This one had rows and rows of glass surface desks. A Bioexpa employee wandered the room assisting those who needed help.
     Jakob sat in the last row in the seat closest to the door. Placing his hand on the surface activated the computer. “Welcome, Jakob” flashed on the screen before the questionnaire opened automatically. The first questions were basic. He confirmed data about his age, birthdate, and job status. He expected the questions about what he was looking for in a woman. He hoped he was describing Ella, but he wasn’t sure. They didn’t ask him about his physical preferences for a mate. He knew he wanted someone who was kind and supportive. That he should be sexually attracted to that person was a given. When he got to the questions about what he liked sexually, he could feel himself blushing. He glanced around the room. It was fairly full. He wondered how many of these young kids could answer these questions with any degree of accuracy. He’d lost his virginity at fifteen, but if someone asked him what he wanted at eighteen he would have been flummoxed. Even now he didn’t feel like he was getting everything he wanted from Ella. But he’d committed to her and overall, he was satisfied with their love life.
     After a few more explicit questions, he felt himself sweating. He might need to take a break so as to prevent his face from becoming permanently red. As the Bioexpa employee passed by his area, he had to resist the urge to cover the screen from her—which was ridiculous considering that she’d probably seen this questionnaire thousands of times.
    Taking a deep breath, he powered through the remainder of the questionnaire. When he stood, the employee approached him. She wore the same silver suit as Sarah, but she filled it out better with a curvaceous figure that was hard to ignore. Jakob’s eyes dropped to her nametag and quickly away lest she think she was ogling her breasts. Gemma smiled at him. “If you’d like to come back for the testing later, that will be fine. I know the questionnaire can be stressful for some.”
     “No. I’d like to just get this over with.”
     Her smile dimmed, but she nodded. “Mr. House, if you’re having doubts, perhaps it would be best if you took some time-”
     “No. I’m sure,” he said firmly. He’d promised Ella he would do this and he didn’t give promises lightly.
     “Okay. Then you’ll want to go back through the waiting room and take the elevator up to the next floor. Congratulations and good luck.”

And a little bit more info....

Last summer I saw a commercial for a reality show where strangers would get married. I’m not sure how they were paired and I never saw an episode. My immediate thoughts after I saw the commercial were that they’d stolen my idea! Somehow, they had deduced an idea I had for a story that, though completed, I still as yet have not published. Of course, that’s not possible. People have similar ideas all the time.

I still have not seen this show and can’t recall what channel it was airing on so I don’t know how they decided to make their matches. My idea was to have the couples paired by a very successful dating service. However, I realize that very few people would actually marry someone that they’d just met. So how could I make it work? That was when I decided to set it into the future. I wanted this matchmaking company to be one that people would trust. Despite that, you know as a reader, that things will never run smooth when you’re suddenly married to a stranger.

The first in the series will be about Sienna and Jakob. It’s shorter than the other stories. The purpose is mostly an introduction to the idea. At the moment, I have three stories completed. I don’t have a publication dates yet. But stay tuned for blurbs, excerpts, and cover art.

(Oh, and in case you haven’t looked, I'm working my creative fingers off. Check out those climbing numbers on my Works in Progress page!)

Lots and lots of snow

I've spent the majority of the last two weeks snowed in with my family. It was too cold to get out most of the time. We did manage to go out and build a snowman. My husband made snow cream.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of work done. I'm working on the third book in a series. I'm so close to being finished. I'm hoping to have the first of these ready for publication soon. The goal was the end of February. Didn't happen. But I did want to post and keep everyone updated. Hopefully, I will have more news the next time I post.

So Excited!

I have essentially finished the prequel I was wrote about last time. I need to read it again to check for errors and inconsistencies. But I am so excited to finally have it done. It will be a little while before I can share more information since I haven't even officially titled the book. Right now, it's only known as "Sienna."

As I mentioned before, it's set in the future, but it's not going to be a radically different future. It's more contemporary than futuristic. That will make more sense when the book comes out. I'm trying not to say too much when I really could go on about it all day.

So it's off to edits I go. The sooner I'm done, the sooner I can get this book out. By the way, did I mention how excited I am?