Psst!  I’m excited to announce the complete Golden Shores trilogy is now available in one boxed set. Available as an ebook or paperback, this is exclusive to Amazon.com and Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read for free. Click here for more information. 

A Perfect Picture of Us is set in my adopted hometown, Chicago. Most people expect a sweet romance story to take place in a small town. I love big cities and building a tight-knit community of supporting characters can happen no matter the locale.

A few of my favorite places were featured in the book and I thought I’d link to them here so you can visit virtually.

Millennium Park  Recognizable for the Cloud Gate sculpture, known as the Bean.  In the winter, an ice rink is erected and in the summer it’s a beautiful spot to listen to concerts in the pavilion.

The Mag Mile  It’s the number one tourist destination, but that’s part of the charm. During the holiday season, the trees are strung with lights and the windows of the stores are beautifully decorated. The ballroom scene was inspired by one of the elegant hotels off Michigan Avenue. The entire area is gorgeous and definitely worth a visit.

State Street  And one department store in particular. Jess and Leo meet for breakfast in the Walnut Room. The restaurant is a real treat at Christmas and Easter. It’s a lovely spot for a special occasion meal.

At the beginning of 2018, I started keeping track of the words I write each day. One big takeaway from the project is how easy it is to write when you make it a habit. But during the weeks (and eek! months) my schedule was off-track, I had a difficult time getting back to writing.

I’ve spent much of this year editing. My 2018 goal was to finish projects. I had many first drafts with no direction of how to sell/where to position the final novels. When you don’t determine exactly how to fit something into your brand, you give yourself an out to not do the hard work. Editing is the hard work but oh so worth the finished result.

I’m excited to say in 2018, I:

• edited and published a book with The Wild Rose Press (A Perfect Picture of Us)
• wrote/self-edited/signed a contract on a novella with The Wild Rose Press (#projecthijinxensue)
• determined how to position and restructure a story I can’t quit (#projectfaux)
• outlined a new story to write in 2019 (#projectmagicchicken)
• self-edited/submitted the book of my heart (#projectshowbiz)
• and wrote two sequels

For 2018, I wrote over 200,000 words.

I’m excited to dive into the New Year and keep charging ahead. Thank you for following my journey to publication. I hope to bring you better and better stories each year!