December Writing Challenge

So, the amazing authors at CNY Romance Writers have issued each other a challenge this month: 100 words each day, all month long, in our works in progress. That's 3100 words, if we do it every single day. I have accepted the challenge, hoping it will give me that kick I need to get this second New Adult book out the door. So far, I'm off to a good start. I have been lax about my page-a-day goal, so maybe trimming it to an undemanding 100 words will give me that boost I need. Weirdly, I wrote an entire page anyway. Hey, whatever works! I am determined to finish this second book and be started well on my way into the third by this time next year. That's my goal! Wish me luck. And to the authors of CNYRW, good luck to you, too!

Happy Thanksgiving, USA!

Taking a moment today to wish all who celebrate a Happy and healthy Thanksgiving day.  We just finished up a "Friendsgiving" last week, with a boisterous houseful of company.  We have friends whose family live out of town, and it became one of my favorite annual traditions to invite everyone over for an "extended family" dinner.  Everyone brings a dish, and we pass a wonderful evening with good conversation and a delicious meal.

No matter who you spend it with, I hope your day is full of great food and familiar faces.  Enjoy the season!

Another Book Signing: The CNY Literary Festival!

I do so love book signing season! Fall is the best time of year to start thinking about warm blankets and good books. This year, I have a real treat for you: the Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville is hosting the first-ever CNY Literary Festival, a celebration of Central New York authors! The library will be open for a special after-hours event featuring many local authors, and will include book signings, readings, freebies, and hors d'oeuvres. It promises to be a wonderful time for anyone interested in the literary arts. Visit the library's website for more details.

We hope to see you there!

FLASHPOINT back up for audition

Some sad news today. Recently, FLASHPOINT had been optioned for audiobook. The narrator was very good, and I received the first chapter from her with much excitement. However, life happens, as it often does, and the reader who auditioned has had to withdraw her option. This means FLASHPOINT is again on the market for an audio narrator. It's really too bad, because she was wonderful.

Ideally, a narrator would snap up all the books in a series at once and read each of them. While I would love that to be the case, it's not always possible to secure that sort of deal in publishing. So, The Gifted Series will wait until further auditions appear.

At this point, FIRE is still in the works as an audiobook.  I will let you know of any further developments for that. Nothing is ever certain in publishing until the ink dries. Until then, happy reading!

Book Signing Again!

The October signing is over, but the fun isn't! I'm part of a huge multi-author book signing at Liverpool Public Library on November 4, 2018 from 12:00-2:00 PM. If you're in the Central New York area that day, this is the perfect opportunity to get some great books for your winter reading, or for that book lover on your list. There will be a wide range of genres represented, as well as some freebies and prizes, and even a musician or two!

Click here to see the event listing on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/174644920083331/

We hope to see you there!

Calendars

So, I'm about to open up my 2019 calendar for signings and appearances. Being one of those who likes a paper copy on my fridge, I ran out to the store to get one. While browsing, it occurred to me that what I was buying was not just a little stack of stapled paper, but a representation of hope. Hope for a whole new year to shape and share with others. Hope that we can fill those days with good memories. That's a pretty powerful thing, knowing those unmarked pages can be anything you want them to be. So when you're shopping for your new calendar (or opening up that squeaky clean calendar app on your device), stop and take a minute to think about your hopes for the next year. Mark a little time for your favorite things and people. That may just look like an app or a stack of paper, but it stands for so much more.

Happy October!