REVIEW: Brenda Rothert's EDGE (Fire on Ice, #3)

A full 10 stars! Fantastic from the first page to the last! Plus, I can leave a longer review here, too. You'll see a lot more reviews on here from me in the future.

Okay, first of all, I have to say that I'm thrilled to have received an advanced copy of this book for review. I love Brenda's writing and I would gladly pay for it, but I was beyond excited to read this book early. From the moment I started Bound (Fire on Ice, #1), I was hooked on this series.

What can I say? I love hockey. I mean, I went to a hockey school, not because of the hockey, but let me tell you how fantastic it was to have been a freshman when my team took the NCAA National Championship. Yeah, I've loved hockey since childhood, had a Boston Bruins sweatshirt at the age of three, learned to skate by five and took full advantage of free skate times at my college rink. I own a pair of hockey skates and the only reason I don't play is because it was too late in the game for me to jump on board when my school's women's team took off (and my husband, rightly so, has pointed out that I'm not in the right shape to start now!) I spent hours drooling over hockey players in high school and thought it was the coolest thing ever to know the players on my school's team.

Of course, after a year of the giddy crap in college (but without becoming a puck slut!), I grew up a little. Realized they're people (and some of them are jerks). But when I read this series, it takes me back to those days, a time in my life that I cherish and never grow tired of reliving. The star of this book, Luke, reminds me of some of the best guys I knew who played hockey in college. I told Brenda that he reminded me of someone specific before this book was complete, but now that I've read the whole thing, I'd say he definitely brings several people to mind.

In this story, Luke Hudson, best friend and teammate to Bound and Captive's Jason Ryker, has taken a bad hit to the knee. He's been injured and has to follow the slow route to get back into fighting shape. His big motivator? Take down the player (on the ice, of course) who injured him, John London. He spends a couple months in physical therapy, and then gets shipped to rehab at a minor league team. There, he meets Adella Price, the team's trainer. He's instantly smitten with her and though she has basically sworn off hockey players (with good reason), she can't help but return the interest. Only problem? The team has a no-fraternization policy.

Luke was one of those guys who couldn't settle down. He was a playboy of the worst variety, some of which we glimpse vaguely in Bound and Captive, through Ryke's eyes. He laughed at Ryke's desperate need for his wife in the early days when his friend was courting - but not sleeping with - Kate. But here, he finds himself not only coveting what Ryke and Kate have (a first for him), but mimicking Ryke's behavior. Of course, Ryke's reasons for staying away from Kate were more complex than a fraternization policy, but there is more at stake for Luke and Dell than just emotions - it could cost both of them their jobs. That's an even bigger deal for Dell, because she has son, five-year-old Kyler, to consider. And since her role as a loving, doting, devoted mother is one of the things Luke respects and appreciates most about Dell, he wants to go the extra mile to ensure she doesn't lose her job. He might get kicked off the minors team, but his team owner in the NHL would have his back.

I won't spoil it for you. You learn all this in the first chapter or two, and it sets the stage for the story. But there is a lot more going on here, things that bear on Luke and Dell in ways that even Ryke and Kate (and other players) don't have to worry about. It made for some nail-biting moments.

The pace of the story is excellent. Despite a very, very full plate at the moment, I couldn't put it down. I knew, once I started, I wouldn't want to stop reading it, and I was right! If you love sports stories (especially hockey), you will devour this - you will feel as if you're right there, on the ice, in the locker room, at the game with the team. And if you just love a feel-good, steaming-hot romance, regardless of the subject matter, you will want to read this right away! But be warned...cold showers, a fan, or some time alone later might be necessary!

If you haven't read Brenda's books yet, but you like mine, I know you'd love hers. We are kindred storytelling spirits. If you've read her NOW series but not FIRE ON ICE, you must rush to read Bound and Captive so that you can read Edge! Yes, it's technically readable as a standalone. But part of the joy in the story is getting to visit with Ryke and Kate again. And if you've read the first two books in FIRE ON ICE, then you will want to read this immediately. I loved Emma and Cole, Layla and Ben, and Ryke and Kate, but damn, Luke and Dell might put them all to shame! Fantastic story and I can't wait for Brenda to write one for Niko...you're going to write one for Niko, right?

COVER REVEAL for Leigh Hutton's REV GIRL!

It's here! The cover for my Aussie friend Leigh Hutton's first book, REV GIRL! Leigh is a motorcross girl, so you know this book is going to feel 100% real. I'm very excited for her and I can't wait to read the book! The book drops May 24, and Leigh is partnering with MAKE A WISH in Australia to donate a portion of sales to help make wishes come true for seriously ill kids. Since I have a nephew with Leukemia, I think that's pretty damn fantastic. Give Leigh some love and help some great kids at the same time! Here's a link to her page, so that you can snag the paperback version: http://www.leighhuttonbooks.com/

(And, Leigh, I want those shoes!)

GIVEAWAY for the launch of Clarissa Wild's FLAME!

I'm part of another giveaway, this time with Clarissa Wild for the launch of her next book, Flame (Fierce, #2). Lovely pic of the cover included, with the Rafflecopter at the bottom. Along with a bunch of other prizes available, I'm giving away a copy of Right Here Waiting (Ward Sisters Series, #3)!

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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!


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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.

Clarissa Wild's FLAME - Cover Reveal and Promo Contest!

Title: FLAME (#2, FIERCE)

Author: Clarissa Wild

Publication Date: May 8th 2014

Genre: New Adult Romance
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21491054-flame

Synopsis

When trust is challenged and desire takes control, is love enough to conquer fear?

When geeky book nerd Autumn Blakewood falls for the cocky, confident fighter Hunter Bane she knows she’s in for life. Their undeniable connection, fueled by the desire to protect, grows stronger every passing second. However, the need to feel cherished threatens her college graduation, family bonds, and future, tearing her apart, but she won’t give up on Hunter so easily …

After he was abandoned by his family, Hunter Bane struggles to cope with daily life. Having a learning disability turns every task into a challenge. With his brother now free, Hunter feels the pressure to succeed and take care of the people he loves, forcing him to choose between college and a job. Hunter’s devotion to Autumn keeps him on the right path. His infatuation with her turns lust into passion, drawing out his alpha tendencies. But with affection comes admission, putting a strain on their relationship as secrets are exposed and unforeseen circumstances spiral out of control.

Being complete opposites, their love is flaming hot, but it burns away all inhibitions, unveiling the fears that were locked deep inside. As past and present collide, difficult choices must be made. Can Autumn and Hunter’s love survive this ultimate test?

Excerpt

From the corner of my eye I catch him peeking at me. I turn my head. “Are you cheating again?”

“What gave you that idea?” A cheeky smile is on his face, making me chuckle.

“I learned from past experiences.” I raise my eyebrow, challenging him.

He seems to take me up on the challenge, making direct, probing eye contact. He squints, his glaring grey eyes scanning my face, lingering on my lips. He doesn’t mask the blatant eye-fuck. God, this guy is going to kill me.

“You sure about that?” He scoots closer, closing the gap between us. His face is dangerously close to mine. The smirk on his face is as unbelievably obnoxious as it is sexy.

“I’m not that shy girl anymore,” I say.

“Hmm … looks like it to me.” He brushes one finger over my shoulder, and I’m thrilled yet again. These simple touches of his are so full of hunger, rippling with lust, it’s like I’m bathing in it.

Still, I won’t give in to his games so easily. He used to be able to silence me with just a look. I was too scared to act, but now that I’ve seen him full throttle, I’m not scared anymore. I can handle him.

“Hey, you can try all you like, but I’m not giving you my notes. You won’t learn anything that way.”

Hunter’s half-smile slowly turns into a grin as he inches closer and closer. His nose almost touches mine, I need only lean forward to crash into his lips. But I don’t. Self-control, Autumn. Keep it together. You’re in class for god’s sake.

“Oh, I’m not trying to get your notes. Not anymore,” he growls. His lips briefly brush past mine, but when I open my mouth and close my eyes to receive his kiss, I’m left hanging. Air catches in my throat as I open my eyes again and catch him licking his lips. A devious smile is on his face as he casually leans back in his seat.

“Jerk,” I mumble.

He leans forward, looking at me sideways. “What’s that?” His voice is darkened, sounding displeased. Good. I want him to know that I don’t like it when he teases me so much.

“You heard me.”

His eyes narrow into thin slits as his hand dives under the table. Suddenly, I feel his fingers curling around my leg, squeezing tighter and tighter. His inevitable stare is upon me as he slides his fingers up my jeans. I gasp, my breath faltering as he slips it up to my thigh.

“What did you call me?” Hunter says.

I shudder, my lip quivering as he rests his head on my shoulder. His fingers are digging into my flesh, I can feel it through my jeans, his possessiveness. He breathes in and out, his hot breath tantalizing my skin.

“You think I’m a jerk?” he murmurs. He slides his hand further up my thigh, and a tiny sigh escapes my mouth. “You know that when you call me names, it excites me, right?” he asks.

I nod a few times, holding my breath as he tightens his grip on my leg.

“You should know that the feistier you get, the more I’m driven to conquer you. You fighting me only gives me more motivation to claim you. You know why?”

I shake my head vigorously and he licks his lips in excitement. His fingers slip up toward my most sensitive spot and when they reach it, I swear I’m going to fall apart right there. I feel so ashamed, so embarrassed this is happening right now, in class, but at the same time I don’t want to stop him. This is so hot, I can’t even …

“This here …” He slides his fingers up and down my pussy, making me gasp. My panties are getting wet from his whispers and dominating touch. My body craves him. My mind knows it should focus on studying, but it’s turning to liquid.

“It’s mine. Doesn’t matter what the fuck you call me, but this is all mine. Mine.”

My hand dives under the table, trying to pry him loose from my jeans, but he grabs my wrist with his free hand and pins it to the table.

He grins. “I like the power I have when you let me love you. Claiming you gives me that power.” He rubs harder and harder, and I’m almost panting, trying to keep the noises from escaping my mouth. “And I know you like it. Do you think I don’t notice you looking at me like that with those hungry eyes? You want me to be this way.” Circling the pad of his thumb over my clit, I grow insane with lust.

“But don’t you ever fucking call me a jerk again.”

Books in the Fierce Series

Book 1 - FIERCE

 Fight for your dreams. Fight for your life. Fight for love.

Nerdy girl Autumn Blakewood is the prime example of a goody two-shoes. She studies every night, is never late for class, and always follows the rules. She has never felt the need to step out of her comfort zone. That is, until she meets Hunter.

Hunter Bane is a cocky, confident bad-boy, who's nothing but trouble. He’s a dangerous distraction to everyone around him. Sexy and strong, Hunter enjoys the swooning effect he has on women. Especially those who aren't used to attention, like Autumn.

Autumn finds it hard not to give into Hunter’s advances, even though it all seems like a game to him. Trying to understand him is impossible, because he shrouds himself in mystery.

What she doesn't know is that Hunter has more baggage than anyone should have to carry. When she discovers he's in an illegal frat club to save the one person that matters to him, Autumn realizes this could mean the end of her undeniable connection to him. Even their lives are at risk.

But it's too late to turn back now ...

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Book 1.5 - FURY

Would you risk everything for love?

Life has held nothing but hardships for Hunter Bane. Growing up with a learning disability wasn't easy, especially when you're poor. With only his brother to support him, Hunter clings to the short moments of happiness in life. Like when he meets Autumn Blakewood.

Autumn Blakewood is a geek at heart. Reading is her passion, and she can't spend one day without her books. She's always locked up in her room studying, trying to avoid trouble. Until Hunter comes into her life.

Hunter can't resist the temptation to get closer to Autumn. She is his complete opposite, and yet he's drawn to her in ways he can't explain. But when his brother is caught dealing drugs and sent to prison, Hunter's world shatters.
To save his brother, Hunter has to join the gang he's feared his entire life. Now he's forced to choose between his family and the one girl he loves. Fighting for both, his fury is all he needs...

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play | All Romance | Smashwords

Author Bio

Clarissa Wild is the Amazon Bestselling Romance author of FIERCE, a top 200 and top 15 New Adult Romance novel. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire's Bet series, the Doing It Series and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

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Giveaway

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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!

My Influences

I just did this over at Facebook, and a friend said she'd probably post her own on her blog. Since my blog is for my writing, I thought that was a most excellent idea! The first bit is the instructions, so feel free to do this on your own.

The Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen authors (poets included) who've influenced you and that will always stick with you. List the first 15 you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag at least 15 friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what authors my friends choose. (To do this, copy this intro, go to the Notes tab on your profile page, click 'write a note,' paste the intro into the 'body' and start your list.)

1. Melissa Foster, because she's a writing machine and I admire her immensely. And because she made me see that the kind of stuff I want to write has an audience.

2. S.E. Hinton. The Outsiders (and its related novels) was the first book I read obsessively. I'd always loved visiting the library, but reading that book started my practice of constantly seeking out new reading materials and new authors. I always hope that my work will do the same for others.

3. Jane Austen. Sometimes, I feel like I'm Jane, a woman outside her time. A couple years ago, book club read all her books, which I'd already done, but we read them in the order they were published. When I got to Northanger Abbey, I realized that even Jane's first novel wasn't spectacular. When I read Mansfield Park (my least favorite), I understood that you could love an author and not adore everything they ever wrote. These two facts give me solace on a regular basis now that my work is out there.

4. Stephen King. Not so much for his work in horror - I've read some and for the genre, I like it. But more for his non-horror writing. He has a way of viscerally drawing the reader into a story. And then I read his non-fiction memoir/writing book, On Writing, and his comparision of a writer and an archaeologist resonated with me. I still think about it regularly, especially at the moments when my story takes a turn I hadn't expected. Of course I didn't expect it; I hadn't seen the whole fossil yet.

5. Aldous Huxley. Brave New World has long been one of my absolute favorite books. I don't know quite why; it has stuck with me and I think that says something. The themes in that story seem to trancend a specific time, and that's powerful.

6. Suzanne Collins. Likewise, The Hunger Games trilogy sucked me into its world and made me forget I was reading a YA series. The ideas of hope and love in the story are both blatant and subtle. The other reason I will never forget this author or series is that, when I finished it, I wanted to know what had happened between the end of the story and the epilogue. And since she hadn't written it, I wrote my own version. 280k words later, after weeks of writing daily because I HAD to write, I was a real writer. Not that I need to publish that fanfiction, but it helped me transition to a writer's frame of mind.

7. Marie Hall. Yes, Marie, I said you. Your MOMENT series let me see that I might someday be brave enough to write stories that painful. And then when I realized just how vivid your imagination was outside the Contemporary genre, it gave me courage to believe that trying a sci-fi story might not be beyond me.

8. J.R.R. Tolkien. He helped me see that some people appreciate wordiness (probably my biggest weakness) and that lengthy tomes have their place. He also showed me that creating another world - whether fantastical or grounded in reality - is more than possible if you believe in it.

9. Diana Gabaldon. Her Outlander series showed me that sometimes, stories transcend genre classification, and that doesn't mean they can't be successful.

10. Laurie Breton. Reading her first novel, Coming Home, I fell in love with her writing. For decades, I had an author in my family and I hadn't read her work because I thought it was just Romantic Suspense, which isn't typically my thing. But once I found that I liked her writing style, I saw that I could like a genre if the right person was feeding it to me. And then, of course, she has been my mentor, a guiding hand, a cheerleader (and a disciplinarian), the best critique partner I could ask for and after 40 years of being my aunt, I call her a friend.

11. Tom Robbins. His irreverent, wacky stories skirt the edge of the bizzarre, and yet, I devoured them and laughed the whole way. Fun and funny and imaginative, he showed me there is no real limit to what your brain can conjure if you just let the muse take you wherever she's willing to go.

12. Douglas Adams. Like Tom Robbins, he entertained me with humor and the fantastical. He helped me realize that not all sci-fi has to be serious.

13. Jill Shalvis. Like Mr. Adams, Jill helped me see that romance could also be humorous without sacrificing the sexual tension or the heartfelt emotions.

14. Judy Blume. From the days of caring about our boobs getting bigger in middle school to the very grown up Summer Sisters, she'll forever be my gateway into the kind of novels I now write. Thanks, Judy.

15. L.M. Montgomery. Anne of Green Gables was the first full series I ever read that was truly a serial commodity. Once I'd explored a story in that way, I found I loved it. And now, I write stories that follow groups of interconnected people because I still like to read those types of stories, and I can't imaging writing something you wouldn't want to read. I write for me and I then share it with the rest of the world, just as it should be.