Writing, editing, and… big news!!

I didn’t think I’d have much of an update for July. Writing (and publishing) is a constant loop of hurry up and wait. Lately, I’ve been “waiting.” In that time, I’m writing (always) and reading. Work continues on the co-writing project and my fake ghost book.

And then, all of a sudden, I have a lot of information to share!

I have a manuscript that I love but was unsure what to do with it. On a whim, I entered it into a statewide contest run by Illinois librarians. The book made it to the top 3 finals! I submitted it to a publisher, figuring I wouldn’t hear until the end of the summer if they were interested, but…the publisher read it and offered me a contract.

So I’m delighted to announce that How to Spot a Fake (a mistaken identity story I’ve been writing and tweaking for four years?!?) is under contract with Champagne Books. As I have more information to share, I will.

Book 3 in my Home to Harmony series is well on its way to a fall release (hopefully, cross your fingers). I spent the end of June editing and oh goodness I love this book. The hero and heroine are a pair of bossy-pants people who thrive thanks to their total control over their environments and situations. What happens when NOTHING follows a plan?

I wrote the first draft in 2020. I really didn’t think the pandemic was going to be more than a blip and life would return to normal. We make plans and God laughs. I’ve had to learn how to adapt (this will be a lifelong lesson) and I’m forcing my characters to do the same.

If you haven’t had a chance to read my Home to Harmony series yet, this is the perfect time to start. Because Book 2 centers around a Christmas in July event. Can you believe we’re already into the seventh month of 2022? I can’t (mostly because our summers are so full I have to focus on one day at a time).

Grab a book and head outside! Until next time, happy reading.

Multi-Author, Inspirational non-fiction & fiction 55 book + eReader giveaway #books #amreading

I’ve teamed up with 55 fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of inspirational fiction & non-fiction books to 2 lucky winners!

Oh, and did I mention the Grand Prize winner gets a BRAND NEW eReader? 😁 

You can win my novel HER HOMETOWN DREAM, plus books from authors like LEE TOBIN McCLAIN and BELLE CALHOUNE.

Enter the giveaway by clicking here 👉 https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/june-2022/win-a-bundle-of-inspiration-fiction-non-fiction/

Good luck and enjoy! Contest ends July 6th

Summertime and the living is…unscheduled

Every year, the month of May is a blur.

With end of school year special events, sports, and birthdays, I think time speeds up on me. 2022 was no exception.

But, I made it to the other side. At my house, I have officially entered the second week with kids at home. AKA my days are constantly evolving and a set schedule doesn’t exist.

While I didn’t hit all of my writing goals for the spring, I did make forward progress on two very special projects. In January, I settled on joy as the word I hoped would define the months to follow.In the midst of edits and submissions, the joy of writing gets lost. A lot. So I started writing something just for me.

The book is a second chance romance best described as a romantic episode of Scooby-Doo. It’s silly, over the top, and fun.

I’m also co-writing with a dear friend. It’s a new process for both of us so we are feeling our way through it. Writing together has sparked a lot of great ideas, and I’m reinvigorated. I have no expectations of the project and that helps a lot too. I’ve joined a 10-week writing challenge and am working on 50,000 words in this project (and world) over the next couple months.

I hope you are enjoying your summer. I hope to check-in with you again soon!
PS: Did you know? You can request books to be added to the collection at your library.

Spotting my books in library collections (around the world!) is a complete and total thrill. Last month, I sold a book to a library in Australia. Sadly, I don’t think my husband will let me fly out just to see one book on a shelf (but you never know).