I wrote my very first novel during National Novel Writing Month, all the way back in 2008. I didn't have ANY kids yet. I worked an office job, which included a lot of downtime for me to brainstorm, jot down ideas, and dream up dialog for my characters. That was the life. It was still a huge accomplishment... but compared to the way my life is now, it was a breeze.

Things are different now and it's been (ahem) a little while since I've successfully completed a NaNoWriMo. I'm gonna be honest here - I'm pretty down in the dumps about how many times I've failed. It feels so urgent this time, like a make or break situation. I don't want to be a has-been. I need a win, you guys.

So here we go! Hold me accountable! Make me prove that I'm working!

You can follow my progress here. As of today (November 11), I'm behind. I will close the gap. I will write this novel. Let's do this.

It's finally here! The first sneak peek of HAPPILY EVERY AFTERWARDS now appears at the end of A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT, which has just been re-released in a new edition with a brand new cover. You can now download the new version and read the first pages of the sequel for yourself :) You can also pick up a paperback copy with the brand spankin' new cover.

I'm SO excited for you all to read it and I hope you'll tell me what you think!

Check it out on Amazon to get your copy today.

I'm about to do something totally bonkers. Like, TOTALLY bonkers.

In the next few days, I'm going to be announcing a nutso publishing schedule for the rest of 2015 that will keep you flipping pages like MAD. And I am going out of my mind with excitement about all of the writing and pubbing and new book covers.

NUTS.

Yes, it's all true. A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT and LOVE REGIFTED are getting makeovers. They're also getting a sequel, HAPPILY EVERY AFTERWARDS, where all your favorite characters are going to play together (for my amusement and hopefully, your entertainment.) It's all very exciting. And it's just the kind of excuse I need to GIVE BOOKS AWAY!

So here's what we're going to do...

COMMENT right here on this blog post (NOT on FB. That won't count!). Please comment only once. Duplicate posts will not earn you extra entries.

Every month, I will draw one name to win a free signed paperback copy of HAPPILY EVER AFTERWARDS. I will draw a winner on June 30, July 31, August 31, September 30, October 31, November 30, and December 31. (Each entrant is only able to win once.)

Tell me which character you're most excited to read about in my new book - Ava, Jay, Tess, Christian, Kendra, Kimmy, Ben, Grant, Mack, Lucy, Grace, Colin.... WHO? Tell me who and WHY and you'll be entered into my contest. 

If it were up to me, I'd write books for you to read all day, every day. Since the birth of my son in 2012, however, I've been trapped in an endless cycle of freelance writing deadlines just to pay the bills. While new opportunities have helped to free up some of my time for fiction writing (yippee!), I'm just not going to get these books done without a little bit of help.

Patreon is a fantastic resource for artists, writers, and musicians to crowdfund the expenses of their creations. To put together a book, it costs me my own time (cutting into my income potential), as well as any editing fees, cover art fees, and other expenses associated with putting a book into print. Believe it or not, royalty checks just aren't that big!

As much as I *hate* asking for help, I'm open to this new avenue for one reason only -- if you help me NOW, then I'll give you lots of gifts!! You can support my projects to earn free digital copies, free signed paperbacks, your own character in a book, your own short story, and other cool things. Check out my profile here.

If you are a supporter of the arts and a believer in independent writers like myself, check out Patreon just for kicks. There are plenty of other authors out there who need support to bring their work into reality.

A Previous Engagement will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my first (published) novel, a BIG success among all of you super awesome folks, and it marked my entry into this exciting world of writing. Beyond that, I have always felt that Tessa is the closest look you'll ever get inside my crazy brain. She's a special one for sure!

In honor of the upcoming anniversary of my first book release, I'm giving my books something of a facelift... one title at a time. What better place to start than with my very, very first cover ever? I've been working with Anna Pearlman, a fantastic graphic designer I met completely by chance. We're going to have some fun this summer!

So, without further ado... I give you the brand new cover, coming VERY soon to paperback and digital formats.

As many of you already know, I've published a few romance novels in the past five years. Some of these stories have resonated with a large group of my readers and, as a result, I've been getting quite a number of requests to write a sequel... or two... or ten. 

I've always dismissed the idea quickly, because I thought I'd reached the ends of these stories. I don't believe in writing just to put words on a page or to make money with a sequel. I could never write these sequels because I couldn't find the story. It just wasn't there, or at least, I wasn't ready to see it. While there are those that don't need any further telling, some of these stories can *indeed* continue.


And so, I've been revisiting some of these stories, spending some time in the pages of these books, and exploring these characters more deeply. 

It has been WAY too long since I've had a functional website and I am proud to say I have finally invested the time to get it done! Check her for news and updates. There will be a lot of exciting news coming your way in 2015, so just hang tight. I promise I'll give you LOTS of new things to read.