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In: I'm kind of a big deal. Not really., Life
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I had this great topic (for other writers) dreamed up this month (actually last month, but I digress), but it’s been one of those months. via GIPHY I finally finished the second book I had to revise and submitted it to my publisher. Edits for the first (which is being published June 20!) should arrive any day. We had an Open House and Formal Dance here this week with the kids and my daughter’s last day of Cosmetology school was Wednesday. And I wasn’t there because my husband had to have surgery WAY out of town. And, so of course, we took her out MondayRead More →

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In: I'm kind of a big deal. Not really.
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Welcome to my stop on the Highway Cafe Spring Tour! Spring is hands down my favorite time of year. I live in rural West Virginia, in the US, and Spring is incredibly, blissfully green. Even the sunlight seems to reflect the greenness of the grass and budding leaves giving the air a refreshing quality. I wanted to share a picture of typical West Virginia beauty. We get a bad rep in the media, but I won’t go into that. What we do have in spades is mountains, trees, flowers, creeks, and rivers. This isn’t my view but it’s pretty damn close to what I seeRead More →

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In: In my house
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Remember the year I forgot to get my husband a chocolate bunny and he was devastated? Which was like three years ago, so go me for remembering. Sort of. As Meatloaf said, “Two outta three ain’t bad.” So, anyway, I really stepped up my Easter game this year. Got to make a basket for my granddaughter (which I filled with books because Nana Lori is going to make a reader out of that girl). And my daughters got things they were dying for but had no idea they were getting. It was great. Part of the reason I indulged so much is because my husband helpedRead More →

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This month has been spent in revision hell. I’m revising two novels and trying very hard to get them ready for a March 31 submission. One is a hard deadline; the other is self-imposed (important if we ever want to get our stories out there–there’s always a reason to not be writing if we let there be). But there is no hell for the writer like Revision Hell. I currently reside on the seventh level, the ‘this book sucks’ level where plot points and dialogue I thought were so cool in the first draft now strike me as vapid globs of desperation. Oh lord, deliverRead More →

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Once I do a first draft I, naturally, put the story away for a number of weeks to allow it to grow unfamiliar and, thus, fresh in my brain when I reread it. Then, I read it, taking notes on big picture problems. My last project, I ended up with sixty-five different notes and the list was about six pages long. I’m preparing to go in this week and begin what I think of as deep revision. It’s a lot of editing, some rewriting, and a little adding whole new scenes. I’ll come out the other side with a new story on my hands; a deeper,Read More →

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In: Life, Material girl
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Writers are readers first, so I’m always looking for awesome gifts (for myself). This year, I thought I’d share some of my finds with you. Click on the thumbnails to see a full-size picture; click the title to go buy these items. Alice in Wonderland Book Scarf Who doesn’t love Alice’s story? It’s a wacky, weird, metaphor-laced journey of self-discovery for us all. For me, it says, “Embrace your own brand of crazy.” I love that. Sherlock Holmes mini-book earrings I can’t even say how much I love these earrings. You must click the link to see them in full-size glory. Sherlock is hot (thank you,Read More →

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In: Infamous, Life
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Settle in for a little story. As usual with me, there’s some drama and a little bit of humor. You guys remember when I told you I’d become sick earlier this year, so sick I almost died? I wanted to tell you a little more about that. I was getting ready to send in my manuscript from what’s called an “R & R”–revise and resubmit. Even though I didn’t know they’d accept it, I just had a feeling. This was it, my chance to break into publishing. First, let me set the stage a little. I’d had surgery in December. And even though it wasRead More →

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In: DAfRN
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I recently finished Magnate by Joanna Shupe. This first in a trilogy gripped me until the very. last. page. Like, I went and bought the prequel novella, read it in a day, then pre-ordered the other two books. This month and January will be good reading months for me. And even though it’s set in New York City’s Gilded Age (which Wikipedia tells me is from the 1870s to about 1900), I decided a book this great had to offer some quality dating advice. So, you’re welcome. Don’t have silly, girly ideas, like thinking for yourself or working. That’s beneath the elite women. Unless, you’re awesome, and evenRead More →

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In: I'm kind of a big deal. Not really., Infamous
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Today, I’m revealing the cover for Infamous, my upcoming novel from The Wild Rose Press. It’ll be available on December 14, 2016.

In exactly two months, you can read Infamous. I’ll update with pre-order links when I receive them (and include an excerpt).

Keep reading beyond the blurb to enter my Cover Release Giveaway! Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to receive freebies and other excerpts.Read More →

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In: Rules I live by
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But, now? Now she wants to be an individual. And if a purple pixie cut is her way of doing that, then I will pay whatever it costs, including judging looks from other parents, to let her do that.

People will say I let her run wild. She has rules, and I promise you, she is NOT a rule-breaker. But, you know what? I’m kind of hoping she does run a little wild. I didn’t discover myself until my late twenties because I needed a chance to run a little wild. I’d prefer she not have to go through that.Read More →