Uncategorized

And to celebrate the September 19th release, this awesome trailer just premiered! Hope you enjoy it. #creepyPaul 

Librarians are the best! I had the chance to attend the ALA 2017 conference this weekend, and wow, what a special time. First, my publisher, Graydon House | Harlequin surprised me with a huge poster in the lobby, and a special dinner for librarians Friday night at a hip Chicago restaurant. Saturday was a book signing and a chance to meet even more librarians, and some authors who I've been friends with online - but got to meet in real life. Like, Jamie Raintree, (Perfectly Undone) one of my fellow Graydon House launch authors, and Margaret Dilloway who was signing her children's book in the Disney booth! On Sunday, J.T. Ellison (Lie to Me), A.F. Brady (The Blind) and I were on a panel hosted by Publisher's Weekly where we spoke about unreliable narrators and discovered the three of us have a blast together! I really enjoyed [...]

Those of you in the know in the book world already know about Book Expo, aka BEA, the world's largest gathering of book people that takes place annually, usually in New York City at the Javit's Center. And of course, I've heard all about it every year since I began this fiction writing journey in 2011. I never dreamed I'd be invited to go by my publisher, Harlequin/Graydon House! When the invite came, I was thrilled. Imagine my complete surprise when I walked into the huge convention center and saw my book cover on a six-story high banner at the entrance lobby of the expo. It was one of the most exciting moments of my career. And then, once inside the Book Expo, the Harlequin booth showcased BEST DAY EVER in the most spectacular way. It was surreal, the entire weekend. It still is.The best [...]

Exciting times over here, especially when I had the chance to hold the ARE of BEST DAY EVER in my hands! My biggest, and perhaps best, book baby ever. Even though the title doesn't publish until September 19th, my awesome publisher Graydon House, a new imprint coming this fall from Harper Collins/Harlequin, printed these gorgeous reader editions. I'm telling you, they're gorgeous, complete with French flaps, deckled edges, a textured cover and more. I'll be hosting a couple giveaways through my eNewsletter and Facebook page, so perhaps you will have the chance to hold one!BEST DAY EVER is available for request on NetGalley and will be a Goodreads Giveaway during #mysteryweek, May 1-8! It's of course available for Pre-Order from all your favorite online retailers, and you'll be able to hold it, in hardcover, September 19th! Pinch me. This is all a dream come true!  

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 [...]

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 [...]