JUNE 27TH -- RELEASE DATE!

I received the release date for Those Violet Eyes: June 27th. This novella, or Miniature Rose in The Wild Rose Press lingo, is "Spicy" in heat level.

Blurb: Evie Caldwell hates her life. Five years ago, she gave up college and her dream of teaching to care for her ailing mother. Now, she's trapped taking care of her worthless brother and the family ranch. Waiting tables to earn her way out of Texas, the last thing she wants is a muscleman with a macho Marine attitude complicating her life. But, oh, how that man makes her insides melt.

Wounded vet Win Fairchild returns to Texas to heal, find a piece of his soul, and open a ranch for amputee children. Finding someone to love is not on his agenda. But when he starts work at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, a spitfire with violet eyes and a major attitude instantly captures his heart.

Evie just wants to escape, but now that Win knows what he wants, can he convince Evie to stay in Texas—and his bed?

Excerpt:

Evie charged through the swinging door to the kitchen and skidded to a stop. It couldn’t be. Although his back was toward her, there was no mistaking the height and the broad muscled shoulders. This mystery nephew of Gus’s was the guy who’d remarked on her eyes. Her stomach did a little twitchy dance, nerves no doubt. She ran her suddenly damp palms over her short skirt and cleared her throat. “Excuse me. Win?”

No answer.

She took a couple steps closer and noticed he was washing vegetables under a spray of water. “Win?”

No reply.

Evie rolled her eyes and stepped behind him, tapping him on the back. The man dropped the strainer, swung around and grabbed her forearms. In a flurry of movement, he snatched her off the floor and backed her against the stainless steel counter. Cold wet hands viced her arms. Her eyes snapped wide and the air whooshed from her lungs when his body slammed into hers.

“Don’t do that!” Win’s eyes were narrowed and his breathing rapid. His jaw was clenched and a vein bulged in his forehead. The man was every inch the warrior, every hard tensed inch. He held her mid-air, so close they were nearly eyeball to eyeball. As his gaze traveled over her face and awareness evidently crept in as to the sex of his attacker, several inches of his frame hardened even more.

Evie swallowed. Oh, good Lord.

He glared and his nostrils flared.

“I…I’m sorry. I called your name, but…but you didn’t answer. I was only trying to get your attention.” Her lips twitched at the humor in the situation. Hadn’t Keira told her the man lost part of his hearing? Evidently she’d startled him. Poor soul. She felt a portion of herself return. A portion she’d hidden for so long; that light-hearted part of her soul that teased and cajoled. “Honest, I wasn’t trying to attack you.” She placed an open palm on his defined pecs and patted. “You’re safe with me, big guy.” Just to rattle him some more, she winked.

         Win’s hazel eyes flashed for a second. Then he slowly leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You’re not safe with me.”

Introducing THOSE VIOLET EYES

Nearly a year ago a call went out from The Wild Rose Press about a new series: Honky Tonk Hearts. The editor was clear in what she wanted.

"Lonely hearts seem to gravitate to the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk. Owner and bartender, Gus Rankin, has seen his share of the wandering souls cross his bar and dance floor over the years—he'd even like to think he helped a few find true love along the way. (Word count: 20,000-40,000)

One pivotal scene MUST take place at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk. This could be the hero and heroine's first meeting, the black moment, big finale, a scene where important information is divulged or an important realization is made etc."

And so I wondered could I write a short story? I tend to write on the "long" side. I had an opening scene in mind: Win, my hero, easing his Harley onto the parking lot of the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk on a cloud of dust.

I knew my characters "points of pain." That's a term I've coined for when I create my heroine and hero. You see, I create them from the inside out. Once I know their points of pain--and we all have them--those points (or push buttons) create their personalities. My heroine's points of pain were never measuring up to her older brother in her parents' eyes and the promise her dying Momma exacted from her to always care for her older brother. My hero's points of pain? He's an ex-Marine who lost part of a leg in Iraq. He's suffering PTSD.

Writing the story was fun. Evie is a spunky woman, a little angry at the world. Win--a dream, ladies--is fractured by the war, yet he has a dream: to operate a ranch for children with amputeed limbs. The sparks between these two was a delight to write. So, I take this time to introduce my new literary baby.

Here's the blurb:

Evie Caldwell hates her life. Five years ago, she gave up college and her dream of teaching to care for her ailing mother. Now, she’s trapped taking care of her worthless brother and the family ranch. Waiting tables to earn her way out of Texas, the last thing she wants is a muscleman with a macho Marine attitude complicating her life. But, oh, how that man makes her insides melt.

Wounded vet Win Fairchild returns to Texas to heal, find a piece of his soul, and open a ranch for amputee children. Finding someone to love is not on his agenda. But when he starts work at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, a spitfire with violet eyes and a major attitude instantly captures his heart.

Evie just wants to escape, but now that Win knows what he wants, can he convince Evie to stay in Texas—and his bed?

RELEASE DATE -- JUNE 27th.

LIFE THROWS US CURVE BALLS

Believe me, I'm trying not to freak. Yet, I'm finding as I age, I'm less spontaneous, less able to adapt to quick upsets in my schedule. Edits for my novella, Those Violet Eyes, are scheduled to arrive the end of October. Edits for Mona Lisa's Room will come shortly thereafter.

Mona Lisa's Room, a romantic suspense, is book one of The Red Hand series. The editor wants the next two books as quickly as possible, so I'm writing like a fool, upset with myself for not making much headway. I'm still in the phase of getting a handle on my characters. Just when I think I know them, they do something that makes me scratch my head. Then I have to go back to previous chapters and layer in elements to support the unexpected behavior or reaction. I'd hoped to be further along than this. In fact, I'd told my agent to expect book two, Rain is a Love Song, by the end of October. Folks, it ain't happenin'.

I have a cyst on the side of my face in front of my left ear. The cyst, the size of a large grape, according to the CT scan is attached to one of my saliva glands. Heck, no wonder I ain't worth spit, as the saying goes. The cyst is growing, causing pain in my ear and jaw, to say nothing of the constant headaches.


So, in a few weeks I'll have surgery to remove it. Because of all the facial nerves involved, it is an intricate operation. The surgeon says it'll take about four hours. Please keep your fingers crossed that he won't knick a nerve and my face will resemble Jack Nicholson's Joker in the old Bat Man movie.

The incision will start on my cheek at the base of my ear and go up the side of my face, over my ear and down the back of my ear and half way down my neck. My head will be shaved in that area, too. I shudder to think how I'll look afterward, but there's no getting away from it. I need the surgery.

Granted at my age, appearances aren't high on my list of priorities. If they were I'd spend more time in the gym and less time writing. But writing is my life right now...and I'm trying not to freak as life throws me this curve ball. My edits will get done on time. My current WIP will get done--eventually--without the pain I'm struggling with now. Things will be fine. I'll be fine. My book will be fine. Right?

WHEN BLESSINGS COME...one likes to share

Yesterday was Monday, another routine kind of day. Get up, make coffee, read emails, throw sheets in the washer. Feed kitty his beloved treats. You get the picture. So, when I opened the email from LASR, a popular review site, that announced Storm's Interlude was voted best book of the week, I was thrilled.

Later I received an email from a senior editor about my short story. Had I decided on a name yet? She wants to move ahead with the project. Yes, I had--Those Violet Eyes. So, looks like I'll have a story in the Honky Tonk Hearts Series at the Wild Rose Press. Yee-ha!!

Then, as if I wasn't excited enough, I recieved THE call from my agent. The Wild Rose Press offered a contract on my romantic suspense, Mona Lisa's Room. It seems like we've been waiting so long for a decision. Not so, by publishing standards. We'd submitted the middle of June, so the approval process took about two and a half months.

Short by industry standards; long by my nerves.

I am blessed in my writing career. Although I started late in life, things have been on a wild roller-coaster ride since my first book was contracted the middle of November. It's humbling. Truly.

So, to celebrate I'm giving away a copy of Storm's Interlude to one lucky commenter. Tell me about a dream you have right now. For me, it's losing some weight--groans. For some, it might be a better job, a new baby, new living room furniture, a cruise and the list of possibilites goes on. Tell me, what's yours? Leave your email address in your comment, so I can contact you if you win. Good Luck--and of course, no purchase necessary. Grins!!