It's a big day - and lucky for me - I didn't know it was even being read. Ha! After writing a dozen books, this is the first time I've had a PW review. So when I started reading the review, and realized it was positive, well, it was close to the BEST DAY EVER!My favorite line: "A tensely written, shocking book that will hold readers on the edge of their seats to the very last page."Woo hoo!
I just returned from an amazing trip to Paris with my daughter. To say we had a magnificent time does not sum it up, but suffice it to say we both felt like we were living inside a dream the entire time we were there. We soaked up the beauty - the food, the art, the culture - and never ceased to glow along with the city of lights. Spectacular. I also had the chance to meet my French literary agent who is based in Paris. Her office overlooks the Garden du Luxembourg, one of the most beautiful parks - and former palaces - in the city. Created beginning in 1612 by Marie de 'Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France, this was her personal palace and gardens. And now, it just brings wonder to the world. My other favorite place to spend [...]
Graydon House Books!! I'm beyond thrilled to be a part of Harlequin's newest, coolest imprint and to share my fellow "launch" authors' covers with you, too! I can’t believe I finally get to share my new, amazing cover for BEST DAY EVER bursting into a bookstore near you on September 19th!Here’s THE story of THE story:Paul Strom, the book’s first person, male narrator appeared and told his story last winter. (I know, that sounds weird, but it’s true) By spring, my agent had read it – after some gentle prodding due to the male narrator – and by the summer, she’d sold it to Harlequin/HarperCollins’ new imprint, Graydon House Books. In July, I had the chance to meet my editor at Graydon House and some of the team supporting the book. Sometime about two months ago, I discovered BEST DAY EVER would be released as a [...]
Today’s a bittersweet book launch day for me! It’s sweet, because my latest contemporary romance novel, LAGUNA DREAMS, arrives in the world today. Bitter-ish, because, due to my new publisher and my pivot to writing domestic suspense, this will be my last romance novel for the year! But that’s the thrill of the publishing world, really. I feel truly blessed to be working in the field of my dreams these past six years since my debut novel, HERE, HOME, HOPE came into the world. I’ve had the chance to meet amazing readers, fantastic writers and build a “second-act” career of my dreams. I was well on my path of releasing a women’s fiction novel once a year when I met Jane Porter, a fabulous author who publishes in both the women’s fiction and romance world. She convinced a somewhat reluctant me to give romance a [...]
Travel broadens your perspective and opens your heart. It's almost like reading a novel - you step into a new world and by the end, you've learned about yourself, about others and hopefully, you're grown. Our recent trip to Cuba was no different. My family and I arrived on Christmas Day, not sure exactly what to expect. We'd visited the Carribean before, but never a place like this one with a grand past and a very hopeful future. Cuba is so much more than the fabulous 1950s American cars you ride in as you visit Havana. Start with Havana: it is historic, with an immense Spanish and European influence, like a street in any European city, just crumbling a bit. Music follows you everywhere in Havana and beyond and so does a bourgeoning sense of possibility. New restaurants - called paladars - are the most [...]
The interesting thing about having a background in branding is that it's fairly easy for me to see other people's brands, and help them bring them to life. In fact, I wrote a whole book - REAL YOU INCORPORATED - about the process. But, just like the cobbler's children, when it came time for me to take a look at my brand, I froze. I mean, my stories have been "Sparkling with humor and heart" since 2011. I loved that tagline, and my happy Gerbera daisy, too. But, change can be good, too! I'm beyond excited for next September when my second domestic suspense novel, BEST DAY EVER, arrives in the world. I say second because it is. ALL THE DIFFERENCE was my first domestic suspense novel, but I've been forcing it under the "sparkling" branding all this time. (Sorry, ALL THE DIFFERENCE characters.)But now, it's [...]
When Andrea Katz asked me if I’d write a gratitude post for Great Thoughts, Great Readers I was honored. Especially in these tumultuous times, it’s important to focus on what is right in the world, what blessings we can count with glee. So in that spirit, here’s a round up of sorts of what I am thankful for this year. Hopefully, some of these are things blessing your life, too. My family comes first. I’m blessed to have four amazing, creative, world-changing kids and a supportive, golf-obsessed husband who gave us a scare this summer with a health crisis. All’s good now, but it was a great reminder of the love that flows through our family, that we are a great team, and that good health is a blessing we too often take for granted.I’m thankful for the ability to realize success is a continuum of [...]
I'm so excited to welcome another group of authors who are writing books set in beautiful Laguna Beach! Each of these stories share one thing in common: setting. They also will relate to the original Laguna Beach series so you'll find your favorite characters making new friends! If you're looking for a great beach read, well, look no further than below! Enjoy! The Lovely Laguna Beach Kindle World!
It's all entertainment!
I just returned from a week in Yosemite National Park and if you haven't been, please put it on your bucket list. There really are few places on earth where reality exceeds your imagination - and this is one of those spots. Truly, it's hard to even express it in words. "At its best, the national park idea connects us to something larger than ourselves. To a gigantic living organism or the sweep of eons written in the sculptured granite of a beautiful valley." ` Dayton Duncan