Friday, April 22, 2011

Just a little taste...

The Shaman's Beacon is due for release sometime this summer. I'll post the hard date once I find out what it is. It will be available in electronic format only through Red Sage Publishing, a wonderful resource for some of the best romantic and/or erotic fiction on the market. They publish a number of New York best selling authors and have a wide range of stories from the paranormal to contemporary romance. I suggest you give them a try, if you already haven't.

For those of you new to my hen house, The Shaman's Beacon is a story about a high-heeled workaholic who meets a cowboy while on vacation in Wyoming and learns that not only is her new boyfriend hairy behind the ears, he's also hunted by werewolf trappers bent on turning him into a designer handbag and her into an accessory.

The story is set in Lander, Wyoming, a lovely town located at the foot of the majestic Wind River Mountains. Its a wonderful place for camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and mountaineering. Its also the quintessential small town with its quaint shops and cafes along Main Street, while still boasting fine restaurants to satisfy any palate. And the people are as good natured as I portrayed in the book. Lander and the regions surrounding it are rich with history, from South Pass City to Fort Washakie, you'll find yourself transported back in time as you visit landmarks describing life in the old Wild West. Yeah, I really like it there. :p

Linda is the primary voice of this story, told in third person. She's witty, strong, independent, but she doesn't like change. That's why she's been working for the same employer since she graduated college and puts up with a boss who thinks lap dances should be part of her job description. She's also practical and isn't inclined to believe in metaphysical explanations for anything. To her, everything has a real, logical explanation. That's why she isn't ready to jump on the furry bandwagon when she learns the guy she's been dating is a werewolf. It takes a lot of patience and understanding on Clayton's part to help her see that believing in werewolves is only a start to believing in something far more precious. If she wants real happiness, she must learn to believe in herself and in turn learn to believe in the power of love.

Here's a little teaser of the front cover, designed by a brilliant artist named Bree. I was floored when I saw the end product and can't be more proud of putting my name on that artwork. It conveys the spirit and essence of the story.


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Home on the range...




Can't say the skies aren't cloudy all day. Since arriving, limping mind you, to The Woodlands there's been considerable rain. We've settled down in our humble abode and have been plugging along with our jobs and WoWing...until last Friday.

My editor contacted me with the edits to my manuscript and so I feverishly worked throughout the weekend into Monday and finally completing my edits on Tuesday evening. My boss was sweet enough to give me a few days off to get it done (yes, she is the best!) and I sent the edits back to the editor.

I received the cover art for my book that same day and let me tell ya, I went giddy squealing like a little girl. I remember when I was writing the story that I could almost feel the book in my hands. To see the artist work, to read my name on the cover, and hear the publisher's happy reactions to my story...its so validating and amazing.

I'm proud of myself, because this wasn't an easy task. Writing is not easy, but it is so rewarding. This is my passion and for it to be appreciated by friends and readers is humbling.

So on to the next project. I am working on a proposal for another book in another series. My goal is to get that completed in the next day or so and submit by Friday. Whew. So much to do. So little time. lol