TIME TO BEGIN is now LIVE!!

That's right! Time to Begin, Ward Sisters, #5, is now LIVE on Amazon! SO excited! Every time I hit publish on a book is like giving birth, only without the physical pain, thankfully. In case you forgot what the cover looks like or what the book is about, here's the info again. And in case you didn't know, I have a blog tour for the book coming up in less than two weeks! Tour goes from 10/20 to 11/4 and will include a rafflecopter with some excellent prizes!

SYNOPSIS

She'd been dealt too many blows to count. He'd always lived life on easy street. Are they Yin and Yang or a mistake of epic proportions?

Makeup artist Reggie Reynolds has endured a life as colorful as her ever-changing hair. After a painful childhood and a tragic adolescence, by sheer force of will, she found success – first in Hollywood, then on Broadway. Returning to her hometown offers a chance to help her aging grandfather and realize her dreams, not to mention soothe a broken heart. But even her storied past won't prepare Reggie for what happens in her next chapter.

When reporter Eddie Besson meets Reggie on a flight to New York City, he thinks he's at an all-time high-point in his cushy, perpetual-youth life. Twenty-four hours with Reggie changes Eddie's perspective. Despite the fact she doesn't want anything to do with him when he leaves, Eddie can't stop thinking about the girl from New York City long after he's gone from the Big Apple.

As Eddie's perfectly-orchestrated life falls apart, he has some tough decisions to make, with only one thing certain: there will be consequences to pay for his lackadaisical approach to adulthood. Reggie's own soul-searching reveals some painful truths, including guilt about passing judgment on the guy from Maine. When she runs into Eddie again – this time on his home turf – sparks fly and decisions must be made, choices that aren't universally well-received. Will this unlikely pair go all-in, find a way to balance the scales and live life on their own terms? Or will tragedy tear them apart for good?

BUY LINKS

Amazon

Bellissimi Ornamenti's 1,500 LIKES Giveaway!

I'm so excited to tell you that I'm part of this giveaway for Bellissimi Ornamenti! Many of you know that Andrea is my go-to jewelry designer. She has created several pieces inspired by my books. One piece was the necklace we gave away at Mother's Day, a lapis lazuli necklace taken from the pages of Right Here Waiting.

We've got many more items that will be part of the rafflecopter on my upcoming Blog Tour for Time to Begin, including necklaces and earrings inspired by Back to December and This Year's Love, plus a charm bracelet inspired by Time to Begin.

In the meantime, while you wait for that, Andrea is celebrating her 1,500 LIKES milestone on Facebook by having a giveaway. Some great items from several vendors. For my part, I'm including a couple copies of the Ward Sisters Books 1-4 Boxed Set. No, it's not live yet, but the lucky winners of this will receive some of the first copies.

So, GO! Get thee started on the rafflecopter entries! You have until 9/22.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another Milestone on the Horizon

Just under two weeks ago, I hit a big milestone. A year ago, I was chewing my nails and editing frantically, trying to make the goal of getting Back to December out to the world on August 5th. I say that I was birthing my third child (not to be confused with the large, Alpha man who lives with me), my self-publishing career. The metaphor, it turns out, extends beyond just the birthing stage. Much like having a human baby, a writing career goes through changes. Just as it was with my children, the last year brought so many things into my life, some of which I could not have expected. I took a marketing class last fall that helped me focus on my goals. Now that we're at the 1-year mark, it will be interesting to see how my goals compared to reality.

I've made new writer friends, many of whom have been instrumental in growing my brand and helping me improve as a writer. This happened in a variety of ways. Some, like Marie Hall, Brenda Rothert and Minx Malone, I friended on Facebook and followed on Twitter just because I loved their work. They have all given me great advice and in turn, I've done my best to help spread the word about their talent.

Others, like Bethany Averie (who has become a great friend) and Danael McGuire, I actually met through Marie's Facebook page. Danael, in turn, brought me on board a group that connects authors and reviewers. Through that I met some really wonderful people: Ella Medler, who gave me the best review I've ever had (I swear, I will get to your books!); Rene Folsom, who has taught me so much about graphic design (she's an extremely talented graphic artist as well as a great writer!); and up-and-coming author, Avery Hale, who impressed me with her debut novel and has a similar work ethic to my own. Rene introduced me to amazing writer SL Dearing, who is also a fantastic maker of book swag. I found Clarissa Wild via one of the first book blogs I followed on Facebook, and we've been helping each other grow ever since.

I also met my superfan, Mandy through Marie's page, and I met another new fan, Connie, through the reviewers group. And just like that, networking expands, the brand grows, fans are found and they help spread the word. One day, you have a personal Facebook page and you realize you need a professional page instead. The ten followers who are family turn to fifty and before you know it, you've got 1,425 people who have liked your page. I've expanded this blog to encompass blog tours and reviews, cover reveals and promotion - all for other people. I've done blog takeovers on Facebook and held many giveaways on my page as well as in conjunction with others. And I now have a fan page - Christopher's Minions - where I'm rewarding the big fans with all the latest info first. Guerrilla marketing at its finest.

So, where are we at? My Ward Sisters series now has four books complete, and by the end of the month, I will be publishing a boxed set with all four of those books as well as some bonus content in the form of deleted scenes from each novel. I'll also include a teaser from my next book, Time to Begin - and not the one that appears in the back of This Year's Love.  Here's the cover for the boxed set - the 3D image with the 2D cover on the front.

In 2014, I'm hoping to get both Time to Begin (Ward Sisters, #5, launch date of September 15, 2014) and Just Realized (Ward Sisters, #6, tentatively Christmas 2014) published. When those are done, I'll launch my first spinoff series, Vega Brothers, probably next spring. Then, the pre-quel book in my other spinoff, Deacon Security, will come in the form of Ward Sisters, #7, Think of Me. That should take us through just about this time next year - I'm aiming for a book out every 3-4 months. My personal situation has changed, so we'll see how that impacts my writing - it may be that things move faster, it may mean they move slower. But, now you know my plans. If things change, I'll be sure to post an update.

The last bit I wanted to share is that I'm splitting the final book in Ward Sisters into two separate volumes. No, they will not be half as long. The decision has been made because I think that it best serves the story I was ultimately telling to break it into two pieces, as each segment is capable of sustaining a full-length novel by itself. I've said before that I didn't envision writing a his/hers story and telling the same tale in two separate books. This won't really be that, because the story of Dan Williams and Charlie Ward Williams is not one of just two people. Yes, I'll give you a major spoiler, this story will follow Dan and Charlie as their marriage hits a crater and that story will involve two other people you will have met earlier in the series. Currently, I plan to write the two stories together - I have been all along and will actually separate the parts that are Dan's point-of-view like a conjoined twin surgery. I'll publish them back-to-back and might offer them as a two-book set, at least initially.

Once I've launched Time to Begin, I'll have new cover material to show for the final two books, which will now be #9 and #10. The changes in how the story is being told means that what was originally the last book will still be that and will be Charlie Ward's story, book #10. I'm separating Dan's part of the story and calling that book #9. I've also decided that Better Be Home Soon isn't a good title for either of the final two stories now that I've split the narrative into two separate pieces, so when I do the cover reveals, I'll also be sharing the new story titles.

Thanks for taking this journey with me! I hope you'll stay on the ride!

Much love,

Patti Korbet

SYNOPSIS for TIME TO BEGIN

For the launch of my next book, Time to Begin (Ward Sisters, #5), I'm doing a blog tour with My Family's Heart Book Reviews and Tours. To prep for it, Tonya needed the cover and synopsis, which I sent her this morning. That's mostly so that the reviewers and bloggers know what they're getting into if they sign up for the tour. It's not top-secret, so, I'm going to share with my blog because I can. Tentative release date is August 29. In case you forgot, here's the cover:

Synopsis

She'd been dealt too many blows to count. He'd always lived life on easy street. Are they Yin and Yang or a mistake of epic proportions?

Makeup artist Reggie Reynolds has endured a life as colorful as her ever-changing hair. After a painful childhood and a tragic adolescence, by sheer force of will, she found success – first in Hollywood, then on Broadway. Returning to her hometown offers a chance to help her aging grandfather and realize her dreams, not to mention soothe a broken heart. But even her storied past won't prepare Reggie for what happens in her next chapter.

When reporter Eddie Besson meets Reggie on a flight to New York City, he thinks he's at an all-time high-point in his cushy, perpetual-youth life. Twenty-four hours with Reggie changes Eddie's perspective. Despite the fact that she doesn't want anything to do with him when he leaves, Eddie can't stop thinking about the girl from New York City long after he's gone from the Big Apple.

As Eddie's perfectly-orchestrated life falls apart, he has some tough decisions to make, with only one thing certain: there will be consequences to pay for his lackadaisical approach to adulthood. Reggie's own soul-searching reveals some painful truths, including guilt about passing judgment on the guy from Maine. When she runs into Eddie again – this time on his home turf – sparks fly and decisions must be made, choices that aren't universally well-received. Will this unlikely pair go all-in, find a way to balance the scales and live life on their own terms? Or will tragedy tear them apart?

This Year's Love SYNOPSIS and TEASER

I thought I'd get you all excited for the next book in the Ward Sisters Series. Current planned publication date is June 23/24. Here's the synopsis and a teaser for Book #4, This Year's Love. The teaser appears at the end of Right Here Waiting, and shows when Annie met Josh.

Synopsis:

What if getting all you'd ever wanted...

Oncology nurse Annie Ward has spent her whole life competing with her older sister, Emily, in every single thing, especially when it came to their parents' affection. The ultimate insult came when her mother overlooked the fact that Annie was instantly attracted to handsome, beefy Josh Ricker from the moment she met him, and instead, pushed the man toward an uninterested Emily.

For over five years, Annie sat and watched her sister barely appreciate Josh while she listened to Emily's complaints. Left to the sidelines, her only option was to become best friends with the man of her dreams, hoping the tide would turn in her favor someday.

That day came when Emily, who was fed up with marriage pressure from her mother, finally pulled the plug on her relationship with Josh and promptly met the man of her dreams. Annie offered Josh a shoulder to cry on, and the two of them realized there was already a lot more than friendship between them.

...didn't turn out how you had expected?

But when you're in love with your sister's ex, the road to happiness is never smooth, even when he loves you back. Before they can get their happily ever after, Annie and Josh will have to contend with anger, resentment, accusations and secrets. And that's from the people who believe the best of their situation. Never mind the naysayers who believe the worst.

When a family crisis brings a familiar face back to Annie's orbit and wedding planning dredges up a past Josh would rather forget, the challenges get bigger and bigger. Will their love survive the pressure and last a lifetime? Finding love after five years might just be the easiest part.

Teaser:

Annie still had a year of undergraduate left, but at only one year older, Emily was done with her first degree. From the moment Emily had said she wanted to go to art school, her mother had complained. If Emily wasn't going to choose a real career, if she planned to attend college to meet boys and get on the mommy track, then what was the point of paying for an expensive school?

It made Annie glad she had always wanted to be a nurse. There was no question as to whether or not her mother thought it was a real career and so she never dealt with those comments. Nonetheless, like both her sisters, she stuck close to home for undergraduate and went to UMaine. As such, she was around to help when it was time for Emily to move into her new apartment for graduate school.

It was like any other moving excursion in their family, her father doing all the hard work while her mother directed the operation. They were debating who was going to help dad carry the heavy recliner up the stairs when her mother grinned and said, “Hold that thought.”

Moments later, Gail returned with a strapping guy, tall – maybe 6'2" or 6'3" – very fit and muscular but like it was naturally earned, broad chested, tanned, sun-kissed blond hair on the wrong side of a haircut and wearing camouflage cutoffs and a silly beer t-shirt. He almost looked like a beach bum.

Almost.

His eyes were a striking shade of blue, just a hint of gray in them, not enough to make them steely. He looked too kind and gentle for that. Despite his size, he didn't seem the least bit intimidating. He was the most beautiful man Annie had ever seen, and for the first time since she'd said goodbye to Jesse, she was instantly attracted.

“Girls, this is Josh. He's offered to help daddy bring the recliner upstairs. Josh, this is my daughter, Emily. She's the one moving into the apartment.”

Emily looked blasé. “Hello,” she managed. Taking a page from the Gail Ward School of Etiquette, she was polite but uninterested.

“We should get to this, Mom. There's a lot left and I have classes starting on Monday.”

“Of course, darling. Josh, this is my husband, Tom,” she gestured to Annie's father as he strolled toward them. “He'll tell you what he needs for assistance. Okay, girls, let's get back to it.”

Emily had already grabbed a box and gone back inside.

Before Annie walked away, she smiled and stuck out her hand.

“I'm Annie,” she said. “Thanks for helping.” If her sister couldn't be grateful, Annie would. She desperately wanted to get to know him.

Josh smiled back. “It's no problem. I'm happy to help.”

Gail grew impatient. “Anne, grab a box, let's go. I'm sure your father and Josh can handle the chair on their own.”

Annie rolled her eyes, smiled at Josh again, grabbed a box and headed into the apartment.

As she approached her mother, Gail said, “Isn't he handsome?”

Annie had to agree. She thought he was gorgeous.

“He's very attractive.”

“Don't you think he and Emily would make a lovely couple?”

What? You mean the girl who didn't give him the time of day, despite the fact that the guy was helping her move into her apartment and didn't even know her?

“She didn't seem to notice him much, Mom.”

Gail wouldn't be deterred. “Nonsense. She's just distracted about the move and school. I'm sure she'll notice him more later. Come on, let's get this stuff into the kitchen so we can unpack it.”

Annie just shook her head. Leave it to her mother to be oblivious to her oldest daughter's interests. Gail had never seen eye to eye with Emily on anything.

It turned out that Josh helped Tom move all of Emily's furniture into her new apartment, which was far and above the request Gail had made. As such, she felt obligated to invite him to dinner with them.

Josh was busy – much to Annie's dismay – but he thanked them for the offer. Gail suggested he look up Emily some other time, and her older sister nonchalantly agreed.

That was the end of that, hopefully, Annie thought.

And since Josh was also a student at UMaine in the same year as Annie, she hoped to run into him on campus sometime, away from her sister, away from her family, and maybe, just maybe, she could catc

What a difference a YEAR makes!

Yes, it has officially been a year since I started my blog. Technically, that was yesterday. Flag Day! How did I miss that before? I don't know. It was motivated by the premiere of Man of Steel, not celebrating flags of any sort, so there you have it. You can read my first blog post here, and that will tell you about the whole Superman thing.

One year and 80 posts later, and a lot has changed. Now, my blog isn't just about me. I've been writing reviews, participating in blog tours, doing cover reveals (for me and others), having contests and giveaways and still occasionally posting about random ramblings or about my work.

As of the start of the blog, I hadn't gone back to social media yet. Now, I have not one, but TWO Facebook pages. I'd reconnected with many old friends and found that my 'author' page was becoming too personal, so, I created an actual Author Patti Korbet page. There, I share the posts of this blog, talk about my work, and help promote other authors, blogs and pages I support. Did I mention that I launched it on October 29, 2013? On February 28, two weeks before I published my third novel, Right Here Waiting, I had 48 LIKES. Today, I have 1,312. You read that right. I gained over 1,250 people paying attention to my author page in 3.5 months. Not that I haven't worked hard for that - on the contrary, I've worked my tushy off promoting others and offering contests or giveaways - but I am humbled by the very idea.

I'm on Twitter, too - @PKorbetAuthor. I don't go there as often as I did in the beginning - when I have big news to share, I post over there. Or, if I've been away a while and want to post a quick update, I sometimes, do that. I read my whole feed all the time in the early days. Now, I don't have the time because I follow too many people! That hasn't grown as steadily as Facebook, but it's all good. I mostly do it for fun and cross-promotion. I'll share the blog there or post the occasional teaser images. Today, I changed my background to the cover for my next book, This Year's Love, and I updated my top segment with a banner that shows all of my Ward Sisters covers.

Ah, covers, another thing that has changed a lot in a year. I hadn't even found the right image for book 1, Back to December, when I started the blog. The one I eventually chose is still the cover image, but I've tweaked it several times - adding taglines, changing fonts, changing text embellishments. I did the same thing with book 2, Only One. Part of why the cover changed so much was that I've learned how to really take advantage of the freeware program GIMP, which is the image manipulating software on my computer. Between talking with my friend, the amazing Rene Folsom at Phycel Designs, and trial and error, my skills have improved dramatically. I've finished all the covers for Ward Sisters, and I can't wait to move on to my other series.

Speaking of other series, did I mention that? Yep, it's another big change. While completing Right Here Waiting, I realized that I wanted to write for a couple of the story's secondary characters, but I didn't want them to be in the main series. Thus, a spinoff was born called Vega Brothers. As of now, I have 4 stories already planned, plotted (to some degree) and in some cases, partially written. Likewise, I was inspired to write for more of the soldiers who appear in Ward Sisters. It wasn't a stretch to combine that idea with a spinoff involving Deacon Security, the company which protects Deac Roberts in Back to December and is owned by his brother, Rick. That series has 4 books currently planned, plotted and also partially written. I'm intending it to have the possibility of being ongoing and tapping into the suspense category. I'll post about that soon.

Also soon? My second Blog Takeover. I did one a couple weeks ago and it was fun (and pushed me over the 1k mark). This next time, I'll have two whole hours and it'll be all about promo for the next book. I'm also hoping to organize a blog tour, but we'll see if that can come to fruition this time or if I should just wait for the next round. In August, we'll be at the 1-year mark for Back to December - my 1-Year Pubiversary - and I might save the major blog tour until then.

Either way, the next big thing is the publication of This Year's Love, Ward Sisters Series Book #4. With any luck, after months of struggling to assemble and massage and tweak and smooth, it will be published next weekend. I'll keep you posted, but either way, the next blog entry will be the synopsis and maybe some new teasers from the book. Look for that much later in the day.

In fact, I'm all savvy now, so I'm going to set this baby to post in daylight hours, and I'll do my sharing later. It has been a wild ride, but I've loved it! Maybe not every minute - there have been moments when I wanted to scream - but in an overview, it has been fantastic.

Here's to another year!

Final Covers for Ward Sisters Series!

That's right! You did read that correctly - this post will have all the official covers for all the books. I've been chatting with my friend and fellow author, Rene Folsom, who is also a very talented graphic designer. Check out her work at Phycel Designs. I asked her a design question one day, and that got us on a roll about little things I could do to tweak my covers and improve them. Well, I'm one of those people who likes to learn new things and loves to get better and better at them. Of course I had to go back and futz with the previous covers, as Rene had suggested, but I also felt a need to keep going. I have NINE books in the Ward Sisters Series, after all!

So, without further ado, here they are...you'll notice that Book 5, which used to be called Buying the Cow, is now called Time to Begin. I know. SO much better!

I'm humbled and truly honored...

I'm part of a group on Facebook where authors can seek reviewers for their work. You see, the more people talk about your books, the more likely it is that people will talk about your books. I know. Crazy, right? An author friend, DJ Shaw (whose Wiccan Lies cover I revealed here recently), introduced me to this group and of course, there are many authors in there, too. It's where I met Rene Folsom (whose fantastic erotic short stories set, Roommate Romance, I've read and reviewed - they're excellent!) and where I met the lovely Ella Medler.

Ella recently read and reviewed Back to December, and I wanted to share a link to her review. It made me cry (okay, I'm a huge sap) and it truly humbled me. As an author, to have even one reader truly get your story is such a blessing. Thank you, Ella! I'm thrilled that you loved my book that much! And I promise, when I get through the insanity that is this weekend, you're on my short list!

Cover Reveal: THIS YEAR'S LOVE, Ward Sisters Series, #4

I didn't reveal the cover for This Year's Love over here because I wanted to keep the Meghan Miles' Mother's Day Giveaway as the top post on my blog for the duration of its run. That ended last night, winners have been notified, so I decided now was the time to post the cover over here. Without further ado, here's the cover for This Year's Love, Book 4 in the Ward Sisters Series.

So, there you have it! Josh and Annie's story will be coming soon - if I can get it out to beta readers in the next week or so, we might actually be able to push it ahead of my current planned release date of June 20th. Soon enough, I'll reveal my cover for Buying the Cow. Yep, I'm sticking with that title. I've yet to find another that I think tells the story in a few short words (which is what I like my titles to do). But I found a great image today of a girl I think speaks to who I see as Reggie Reynolds, and given how much of a challenge the cover concept was for the story - with two main characters who are NOT going to be found in a photo together that isn't staged for that purpose - I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth. Be on the lookout!

Meghan Miles' Mother's Day GIVEAWAY!

It's finally here! I can't remember if I mentioned it before, but I'm doing a rafflecopter giveaway with Bellissimi Ornamenti for Mother's Day. The Grand Prize is the gorgeous necklace in the promo image that I created (below). The quote is from Right Here Waiting. Yes, this necklace was created to mimic the pendant that Neil gives Meg in the book. I can't believe how beautiful it is!

So, if you want a chance to win that gorgeous necklace, enter the rafflecopter! The Grand Prize is the necklace and an e-book copy of my three Ward Sisters Series books (Back to December, Only One and Right Here Waiting). First prize is e-books from some great Indie authors - Bethany Averie (All's Fair in Love and Lion), S. L. Dearing (The Gathering), Rene Folsom (Shuttered Affections), Magen McMinimy (Immortal Craving) and Clarissa Wild (Fierce) - plus a gift certificate from Bellissimi Ornamenti and a copy of the first two Ward Sisters Series books. And the second prize is the first two Ward Sisters Series books and a Bellissimi Ornamenti gift certificate. So go! Enter! You have many chances available, plus, there will be extra entries each day if you pay attention to the Bellissimi Ornamenti page and my Author Patti Korbet page on Facebook. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Right Here Waiting - Epilogue WARNING! SPOILERS!

In case you missed it by the title, this post WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS below! I'll give you some space, so you can back away safely... (edited to add an image to take up some space and for eye candy...)

Okay, you've been warned! I had two different epilogue endings for Right Here Waiting. The very first epilogue I chose to cut early in the process for a couple reasons. For one, when I first wrote it, the passage illustrated Meg and Emily's full reconciliation, and once I'd added the scene between Em and Meg after Neil's vivid dream, it was redundant for that purpose. The other reason was because it took place a year after Neil woke up. That was a lot of ground to make up in a story that had already lengthened considerably when Neil's POV was added. Since it brought no new character development to the story and the plot development wasn't crucial to THIS story, it went away.

Then, I moved Meg and Neil's wedding chapter to the epilogue. I thought, up until just before I sent Right Here Waiting out for beta review, that I would keep it. But I decided that I didn't like how much it spoiled stories that came later (namely, Nina's), so I chose to cut it. I still don't want to spoil that story too much, so what I'm going to do is start this segment at the wedding itself. For reference, this takes place in December, a year from when Emily met Rob and about four months after the end of Right Here Waiting. More of the wedding will be shown in Nina's story, so stay tuned for that!

Right Here Waiting - Epilogue

The ceremony was short, despite a couple of readings and a sermon by her pastor on how love could help a couple endure all the trials of life, but that it would always be a bigger challenge than necessary unless we put ourselves in God's hands. Meg had spent every Sunday since the first one after she met Neil's parents going to church to pray. She had told no one but Neil and her future in-laws about her new found relationship to God, so it seemed more than appropriate for Neil's mother to say something at their wedding.

Siobhan stood at the podium. Meg had told her that she could say whatever she felt. Over the last year, she had come to rely on Neil's mother to have just the right words to make everything okay so many times that she'd lost track.

“This is one of what we all know as Murphy's Laws:

Nothing is as easy as it looks.

Everything takes longer than you expect.

And if anything can go wrong,

It will at the worst possible moment.

We were so very blessed this last year to have Meghan in our lives to help us through Neil's deployment. It seemed that Neil was livin' up to his name by finally getting' the girl o' his dreams just when he was bein' put in harms way. But Meghan stood by him, even when the worst happened. I know it nearly killed her to sit and wait for Neil to regain his memory. It was torture for Aidan and me, too, because we knew just how deep their love ran. The doctors said that it was important to let Neil come back to his memories on his own. In part, because there was a lot that happened durin' wartime that might be jogged and be detrimental. How Meghan sat by and waited for it to happen, I don't know. Some might say it's due to her bein' a therapist. I can only say that I think it was her faith in God, that he wouldn't have given her Neil only to take him away. And her faith paid off, because now we're here, today, to celebrate the love they have for one another. A love that strong will be able to weather the harshest of circumstances. Ye shouldn't have to start out with things so hard. But at least now ye know ye can make it through the rest. Everythin' else should be smooth sailin' by comparison. I love ye both. Very much. Meghan, ye have become the daughter I never had and I feel particularly blessed to know ye'll be the one to take care o' my baby. And Neil, if ye ever do that to yer wife again, ye'll have yer ma to answer to, got it?”

Her expression was mock stern as everyone laughed. She returned to her seat.

Meg looked at Neil, who smiled at her with so much love she thought she might collapse from the weight of it. Fortunately, her love for him was as strong as his own and she knew she wasn't the marshmallow anymore, the one with the vague appearance of being able to bounce back. The weight of the last year or so had been carried by more than just Meg because she let it be for once in her life. First, of course, was God, whom she had leaned on more than she ever could have imagined before she met Neil. But there was also the Murphys; Nina; Owen; Charlie and Dan; and of course, at the end, Em.

As they said their vows and exchanged rings, Meg started to cry tears of joy. They didn't need the vows or the rings to tell each other how much they meant, how much love was there between them. This was more for their friends and family and to make a promise in front of God. But the truth was, that after this last year or so, Meg knew nothing could really shake them. Not now. Not when they'd endured the worst already.

For the rest of her life, she would lean on Neil and he on her. And nothing ever felt so right.

Titles and Main Characters: The Lists

It's fitting that today is one year since I wrote the final words for my first draft of Back to December, and I'm posting about the rest of the books in my Ward Sisters Series as well as the two spin-off series. Granted, Back to December went through some major revisions after that, but the day was monumental because I'd fully completed a manuscript. So, without further ado, here are the books I have planned. And when I say planned, that means I've plotted them in my head, may have started the stories and in some cases, have complete or nearly-complete manuscripts at the ready for editing. If a book is currently available, I've linked to the Amazon page and posted the date it was first published. If I know a planned publication date for a future story, I've included it. Listed are the main characters, but there are NO plot details.

Ward Sisters Series

WS #1 - Back to December, Emily Ward and Rob Deacon (August 5, 2013)
WS #2 - Only One, Liam Neely and Jenna Ackerman (December 21, 2013)
WS #3 - Right Here Waiting, Meghan Miles and Captain Neil Murphy (March 17, 2014)
WS #4 - This Year's Love, Annie Ward and Josh Ricker (late June, 2014)
WS #4.5 - Buying the Cow, Eddie Besson and Reggie Reynolds
WS #5 - Just Realized, Nina Jacobs and Sergeant Owen Nichols
WS #6 - Think of Me, Noah Adams and Mary Cate 'Catie' Neely
WS #6.5 - Tell Me What It Takes, Dr. Aaron Wallace and Ally Carmichael
WS #7 - Better Be Home Soon, Charlie Ward Williams, Dan Williams and Jack Armstrong

Vega Brothers

VB #1, Steal Your Heart, Nico Vega and Sarah Neely
VB #2, You Got Me, Carlos Johnson-Vega and Christopher Pilling

Deacon Security

DS #1 - Even Now, Nate Hogan and Olivia Deacon
DS #2 - Far From Ordinary, David Magnusson and Jessica 'Mase' Nichols
DS #3 - The Way I Loved You, Eric Brady and Isabel Neely Davies

Nine months later...

Yes, about nine months have passed since I started my blog. It was my return foray into the digital world prior to publishing my first novel. If you go back to that first blog post, you'll get a sense of where I started. We're nearly 60 blog posts in at this point, which is an average of about 1.5/week. Pretty good, considering that I don't post every day or even every week. Sometimes, I'm just too busy writing, editing, promoting or doing my other job (the one where they call me 'mom').

So, after nine months and three novels, I thought it was time to do another update. Oddly enough, it was about 6 months ago when I did the last update.

First, I took a marketing class last fall, which anyone who follows my blog, Twitter or Facebook pages might remember. My professor was great - very supportive and fully embraced my desire to create a marketing plan for my writing. Did you know that self-published authors are responsible for all their own marketing? Either you do it yourself or you pay someone else to do it. One way or another, you have to understand your intentions, and the marketing plan required as part of my grade was a huge help in not only giving me marketing goals, but also giving me publication goals.

With that said, six months ago, when the only book I'd published was Back to December, I had one novel under my belt and one book complete in my Ward Sisters series. I was in process on Ward Sisters Book 2, Only One. Since then, Only One went live on December 21, 2013 (and had a HUGE revision between the update and publication time). Book 3, Right Here Waiting, went live this past Monday, March 17, 2014. I've learned so much in the past year, past nine months, past six months, past four months. It's run the gamut from improving my storytelling skills to finding new ways to guerrilla market my books. So, let's get to the update of future plans. Rather than give you detailed word counts like I did before, I'm going for the overview here.

Ward Sisters Series

Book 4, This Year's Love, was my NaNoWriMo project. It stars oncology nurse Annie Ward, Emily's younger sister, and park ranger Josh Ricker, Em's ex-boyfriend. My muse is refusing to speak about it for the moment, but suffice to say that I know she will talk before it needs to be completed. I'm planning for a June 2014 publication, probably at the end of the month.

Book 4.5, Buying the Cow. I'm still not sold on the title, but until I find an alternative, that's the Work In Progress (WIP) name. This story centers around  Rob's former makeup artist Reggie Reynolds, and reporter Eddie Besson, Josh Ricker's best friend from childhood. It will pick up right where Book 4 leaves off. I hadn't been sure before if it would be book 3.5 or 4.5. Now, I've decided and it follows Josh and Annie's story, is almost a continuation of that from two other points of view (POV), but it will expand into a separate story, too. Probably an early fall release, around late September/early October 2014.

Book 5, Just Realized. This story focuses on Realtor Nina Jacobs and Army Sergeant Owen Nichols. Nina appeared briefly in Back to December and she played an important role in Only One. She's also Charlie Ward's best friend and Meghan Miles' cousin. For anyone who wanted a Happily Ever After (HEA) for Nina, this will be where you hear it. We meet Owen in Right Here Waiting. He's one of two soldiers who Captain Neil Murphy considers to be his best friends in the service. Their story is mostly written and I expect that it will be published sometime in late 2014 or early 2015, depending on how quickly Book 4.5 comes together and how other things gel. I'm currently planning for February 6, 2015, but it might come earlier.

Book 6, Think of Me. Bodyguard and former FBI agent, Noah Adams gets his turn, along with Mary Cate Neely, Liam's twin sister. My marketing plan didn't include this book's release date, but I'd come up with a schedule that had a new book in the series every 4 months. If we push Book 5 ahead, this will get pushed ahead. If not, we're looking at August, 2015, which will be 2 years post-Back to December publication. I'd like to get it out sooner.

Book 6.5 Tell Me What it Takes. This one focuses on Dr. Aaron Wallace, who you'll meet in This Year's Love along with his high school flame (and Liam's ex), pharmaceutical rep Ally Carmichael. Again, depending upon everything else, this might come earlier, but expect it by Christmas 2015.

Book 7, Better Be Home Soon. Right now, this story has three POV and involved Charlie (Ward) and Dan Williams, as well as Neil Murphy's Army buddy, Jack Armstrong. That could change as time progresses. For now, while I'd love to get this book out sooner, it looks like we're at March 2016 for a current date on the schedule as it stands. The thing with this schedule is that it was originally generated when I was still writing/editing Only One, and between late last fall and now, I've changed a lot about how I approach my work. Suffice to say, I can't see it taking longer than two years from now to get this part of the series wrapped up, but it could always happen sooner. I'll keep you posted.

Deacon Security and Vega Brothers

As part of the process of finishing Right Here Waiting, I met two new characters whose stories I wanted to write. Rather than folding them directly into the Ward Sisters Series, I'm going to given them an offshoot series. It will be called Vega Brothers and for now, will include Meghan Miles' college best friend, Carlos Johnson-Vega and his older brother (and Meg's ex), Nico Vega. I imagine as I delve into their story, I'll find more characters who want to be heard, but for now, this will be a two-book minimum series.

I was musing recently and realized that a lot of potential existed to explore the men of Deacon Security. This is the company that guards Rob Deacon and his family, the security firm started by Rob's brother, Rick, when he became his younger brother's bodyguard. I'm currently writing a transition story, called Even Now, that will bridge between Ward Sisters and Deacon Security. The idea is that Rick's company, which is based in Minneapolis, will branch out to the East Coast when Rob permanently relocates his home base. They'll need a whole new crop of talent, and some of those guys will come from the men that Neil Murphy and Owen Nichols led in the Army. So, the series will still visit our Ward Sisters friends, but we won't focus on them specifically. I'm envisioning, so far, three stories beyond Even Now, so at least 4 books. But given the focus of the series, there is always a possibility that more could follow.

Warwick, Maine

The book I'd originally thought I would publish first will be part of this new series. It will be completely unrelated to Ward Sisters. I have a first-person, New Adult-oriented novel that's basically complete and needs to be edited, which I will use as a prequel for this series. The current title is Closer to Fine, so we'll see if that survives the editing stage, because this one will get a little bit of an overhaul. It's an existing story I wrote that I'm folding into this series. I'm hoping to have that ready in the next couple months. Then, in late summer, I'll be revealing more about the first regular book in the series, called The Piece I Don't Need. That will likely release between Book 4.5 and Book 5 of Ward Sisters, tentatively in November. After that, I have at least 5 other books planned or in process, I'll Be, In Another Life, Beneath the Stars and two that are thus far untitled, plus a shorter story that might make it into that set.


So, you can see I have a LOT of things coming down the pike. I'm getting quicker with my drafts - for Back to December, I wrote a first draft and went through 5 revisions (and Laurie edited 5 versions) before publication. Only One had as many versions (or more, possibly), but it only got the full editing treatment for 4 of them. With Right Here Waiting, I'd learned so much from the first two processes that it only went through 2 edits with my editor - one for content, the other for the nitty-gritty stuff, like grammar, missed punctuation, typos, etc. But I sought beta readers this last time around (super readers who review like my editor, for content and if they see technical errors, they can mention them), and I liked how the new process improved the flow for me and for everyone else. I anticipate more of that in the future and hopefully, it will streamline things so that I can get more out quicker.

That's the update on where things are currently at and where they're headed in the future. Thanks for continuing to take this ride with me!

Right Here Waiting is finally LIVE!!

Right Here Waiting is finally LIVE on Amazon! I'd planned to talk about it on publication day, which was Monday, but it took forever for it to show as cleared on my KDP dashboard. From clicking publish to it being 100% live, it took 15 or so hours. That's the longest I'd seen KDP take to publish a manuscript. Oh well, it's up now! Here's the link at Amazon, where you can snag a copy for yourself.

The good news about waiting to post on the blog? Well, I just clicked publish on Nook, so that should be live soon enough. My CreateSpace file is ready except for the cover. For whatever reason, I can't seem to use the cover I've been using at a high enough resolution. Makes no sense. I'm debating using the image anyway and ordering my own proof copy, then deciding if it looks okay. I haven't exactly flooded the paperback market; that's really about pleasing a few people close to me who'd like to have hard copy versions instead of e-books. So, I think it's worth going the proof route this time around. Worst case, I have a hard copy of my original concept and I have to choose a new image to create the cover for the paperback version. Best case, CreateSpace is being anal retentive and it's fine. Win-win, I guess.

Anyway, I'm so excited to share Right Here Waiting with all of you! I loved writing it and I adore these two characters. I knew when I wrote Meg into Back to December that she'd get her own story. I thought it was going to be Eddie Besson (best friend of Emily Ward's ex, Josh Ricker) who swept her off her feet, but I couldn't figure out how that would happen. And then I wrote a scene that takes place the morning after Charlie and Dan get married, and Neil wandered onto the page. After that, there was no question that Neil was the man for Meg. Eddie? Eddie who? In the midst of writing Captain Neil Murphy, I fell head over heels for him.

So, enjoy! Pick up the book - or all three, if you haven't read Back to December and Only One. If you read Right Here Waiting first, you won't be completely lost, but your enjoyment of the story will be greater if you read books 1 & 2 beforehand.

Coming next, I'll write an update post that will give you an idea of the publication schedule and what I'm planning for the future! Thanks to everyone who participated in my contest the past two weeks. I'll do more in the future, but for now, I need to promote a bit and write a lot. My muse has been busy inside my head for days! In fact, one reason I didn't post this until Thursday was because I've been writing. I'll tell you more about that in the next post. Time to get back to it!

Time for Promo Pics! Oh, and teasers...

Here are some promo pics for Right Here Waiting, all of which have quotes from the book on them! Enjoy!

Today's Right Here Waiting teaser...

I'm working on edits, and I wanted to share this funny little snippet. Here's Neil talking with his best friend, Danny. Teenage Neil is definitely a smartass with his best friend, and this bit makes me laugh when I read it.

“Why the sudden change of heart? You meet someone?”

Neil sighed. “No. Well, sort of. I talked to Meghan in the book store.”

“What? No way!”

“Way. We were looking at the Ireland display and we had a conversation.”

“Was she snotty and bitchy to you?”

“What? No. She was nice.”

“Huh. She gives off a snotty vibe at school.”

“Well, she was nice to me.”

“Probably thought you were a kid.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You still look young, Neil.”

“Thank God I don't look Neil Young.”

Countdown to publication...a Right Here Waiting teaser!

We're less than a week from publication, and I'm making final edits. I wanted to share a great segment that I know will give you a real sense of what this story is all about. Enjoy.

She glimpsed the flash drive on the coffee table, then picked up the drive, the t-shirt and the stack of letters and carried them all to her office. As she powered up her computer, she inhaled Neil's scent from the shirt and smiled. The masculine fragrance of man and a sporty deodorant – with just a little bit of a laundry soap smell underneath – evoked memories of burying her face in his neck. When she inserted the flash drive into the USB port, Meg clicked yes on the autoplay menu.

She couldn't have been prepared for what she saw and heard.

Sitting on his bed in a black knit shirt and boxers, Neil looked like he had in their Skype call, the shirt identical to the one from the box. In his hands rested an acoustic guitar, his fingers holding the cobalt blue guitar pick he had sent her. His deep voice said, “This is for you, Meghan,” and then he played and sang the entirety of All I Want Is You.

Neil's voice, beautiful, strong, clear and melodic, soothed her aching soul in a way nothing else could have. By the end of the song, her eyes had blurred with tears. He said, “I'll sing it for you in person when I get home. Give me the guitar pick then. I'll count the days until I can see you again. I love you, Meghan.” Fade to black.

She watched it at least a half-dozen more times. What a precious gift from the sweetest, most thoughtful man she'd ever met. That kind boy had grown into an even better man. He would be the ruin of her, would make her fall so deeply in love with him over these letters and messages that she could never live without him. A modern version of a traditional wartime affair over love letters, rendered in vivid hues as a multi-media maelstrom. How could she help but be swept away by it?

It hit every secretly romantic bone in her body just right.

She took out a pen and her favorite stationery, a heavy, cream paper with cobalt-blue flowering vines snaking around the outside border, and she began to write.