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Even though I don’t set resolutions, I love starting the new year with hope and optimism. I live by the seat of my pants since life has taught me to not plan too far ahead, but there are a few writing things I’ve got going in the new year.

First, I need to get Wolves’ Gambit, the third book in the Free Wolves series, edited and released by April. I haven’t set an exact day, but April is the goal. I’m really happy with the story. Here’s the working blurb:

Wolf-shifter Lori Grenville was rescued from near-slavery and an overbearing pack leader by a member of the Free Wolves. To pay back the favor, she’s dedicated her life to helping others in the same situation, leading shifters to safety and a new start, risking her life in the process. She’s faced down alphas and has no qualms in undermining pack structure.

Now she’s challenged with the task of restoring an alpha to his rightful place. If she gets it right, she can stop a war from ripping apart two packs and spreading across an entire state. If she fails in her mission, she’ll be among the first to die.

There’s still the option of walking away and letting the the Jaeger and Destin packs destroy each other. That means she’ll fail in her original mission of rescuing the daughter of the Jaeger alpha before the girl is forced into marriage for political gain.

Lori hasn’t failed in a mission yet. This one may be the exception.

No cover yet—I’ve got to get with my cover artist and start planning.

Then in June, I’ll be participating in Wild Deadwood Reads.

It’s a combination of an authors’ and a readers’ event, and I’m looking forward to the experience. First time experience for me.

Lastly, I’ve got the next book in the Oak Grove Mysteries floating around the back of my head. I’m going to try real hard to write Jake out of this one, but the man doesn’t know when to leave. He always worms his way back into the stories. You know he’s going to turn bad again one of these days, and it’ll break Harmony’s heart when it happens.

So that’s my big writing plans for 2018. Maybe I’ll throw in some local events, but that remains to be seen. And whatever you plan for the New Year, may you find joy and peace in what you do.

January 1, 2018 – What are you most looking forward to this coming year?

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No matter what holiday you celebrate, may you know peace and love, this day and all days.

Merry Christmas! 

December 25, 2017 – Just say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to your readers. Make it heartfelt and personal.

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I grew up around guns. My father and brothers were hunters, and the deer they managed to shoot every couple of years helped to feed the family.

My dearly beloved also grew up in a family of hunters and served in the military. He’s owned a variety of guns in the many years we’ve been together. I’ve even shot them on a couple of occasions. That certainly doesn’t make me an expert on the topic.

But a couple of my characters need to be experts. Their lives depend on it. So how do I write those scenes?

That’s where research comes in. The internet is full of information, not all of it right. Thankfully, I’ve got access to experts who can verify the facts for me.

I’ve learned a few things along the way, starting with the basic stuff. Like a pistol and a revolver are two different things, and I’d better not get them mixed up. (But both are handguns.) When cops are on duty, their gun has a bullet in the chamber and the safety is off. (So they can respond quickly.) That the reason that James Bond switched from a Beretta to a Walther PPK was because the Beretta was underpowered and the external hammer could get caught on the holster.

I had to figure out the difference between an AK-17 and an AR-15 for Wolves’ Knight. (When I wrote the story, the AK-17 was still in development, so there’s no way Tasha would be able to carry one.)

Then there’s Harmony, my reluctant heroine in the Oak Grove Mysteries series. She bought Betsy, her Beretta, for personal defense. (She names everything!) She knows she’s supposed to shoot at center mass (something I didn’t know) but still insists on aiming for arms and legs.

Lori, in the next Free Wolves book, Wolves’ Gambit, is teaching me a bunch of new things. I won’t spoil the surprise now. In the meantime, let’s find out what everyone else is researching.

December 18, 2017 – Research. Post an interesting fact or facts you’ve come across researching a book.

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When I wrote Wolves’ Pawn, I didn’t set out to create a manifesto on women’s place in today’s society. All I wanted to do was write a story about wolf shifters with a strong female lead that defied the conventions of the genre.

Well, that’s only partly true. I did want to write a strong female lead. The rest just sorta happened because that’s the way Dot, my heroine, wanted it.The fact that she refused to go along with patriarchal pack expectations was true to her history.

I could see Dot taking part in the Woman’s March (if she wasn’t too busy running her company!) She hasn’t met a glass ceiling yet that she couldn’t break. And I bet she and Gavin would have more than one heated discussion as he tried—and failed—to get her to moderate her views in favor of keeping peace among the traditionalists of the pack. Dot, of course, would stay true to her personal beliefs.

Although I haven’t figured out birth control for shifters yet, (Human methods are only 50% effective), I’m pretty darn sure Dot is using it. And the insurance plan she provides for her employees covers it too. Come to think of it, much of their medical care is free because they make use of the doctor who is contracted with the Fairwood pack. Not true socialized medicine, but close.

Then there’s the school that Dot’s company supports. None of the kids who attend pay a dime and they even get fed and clothed and help finding jobs when they graduate. And this book was written several years before the most recent US presidential election!

Although I’d guess her politics were more conservative, Tasha of Wolves’ Knight also plays havoc with the traditional female role in paranormal romances. And wait until you meet Lori in Wolves’ Gambit, the third book in the Free Wolves series. (the one I’m working on now.) There’s no doubt in my mind where she’d be on the political spectrum.

So yes, I’m rather proud of my characters.They stand up for themselves in a male-dominated society under all sorts of circumstances. And succeed.

Now that I’m done bragging about my “friends,” let’s go see what everyone else is talking about. (Oh, and if you’re interested in buying my books, head here for the links to get them.

December 11, 2017 – Writing parallels – parallels between events and your writing, topic or genre.
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I’ve long been a fan of Craig’s Johnson’s series of Longmire books. I discovered them several years before they became the inspiration for the TV series and own most of them. (In print.) I’ve had about half of them signed by the author as he makes regular appearances in my part of the world.

So I was looking forward to his new release, The Western Star. In fact, it was on my wishlist for my birthday. It took me a few days to start reading it because I wanted to wait for the weekend when I could devour it without too many interruptions.

Most of the book did not disappoint. Johnson did his usual fine job of weaving an intricate tale including both present-day and historical references. Most of our favorite characters are back,  although they take a back seat in the story line. (Spoiler alert: for those of you hoping for more action between Longmire and Vic, don’t hold your breath.) The major mystery is wrapped up nicely by our favorite sheriff.

But here’s where I think Johnson went wrong. He left us with a cliffhanger. I hate cliffhangers and refuse to write them. For those of you who have read the books, you probably remember the underlying story arc.Without giving too much away, that’s the story line that leaves us hanging. In a big way. And since Johnson only seems to release one book a year, that’s a long time to wait.

As a result, I’m giving this book 4 stars. But sure, I’ll read the next one when it comes out.

If you’ve read the book, let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree with my rating. In the meantime, I’m off to see what our other authors are reading.

December 4, 2017 – Review a book you’ve recently read.
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This week I’m presenting a snippet from The Baron’s Cufflinks, the third book in the Oak Grove Mysteries. Harmony Duprie, my main character is up to her usual shenanigans—finding trouble.

Blurb:

What starts as Girl’s Night Out ends in murder, and Harmony Duprie is a suspect.

Can Harmony rescue Jake and find the real culprit before she becomes the next victim?

The Baron’s Cufflinks is available at here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1232223538

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072P6CD3D

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-baron-s-cufflinks

Books2read Universal https://www.books2read.com/u/b5OVGp

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-barons-cufflinks-pj-maclayne/1126317718?ean=2940157511692

Here’s my Top Ten list of  things I like to do.

10. Going to work. Most days, anyway. I actually like my job and my coworkers. They joke around with me about my writing (in a kind way) and help keep my ego in check.

9. Exploring back roads in my Jeep. It’s a kick to be able to go places I wouldn’t dare try in a car.

8. Play on the computer. I didn’t touch my first computer until I was over 30, and I haven’t been without one since.

7. Talk to people. Or at least observe them from a distance. People’s individual stories are amazing. We are a weird collection, we humans.

6. Needlepoint. I love how it combines both artistic and mathematical components.

5. Be outside. Whether it’s doing yard work, going for a walk, shoveling snow or going for a hike, I like being outside.

4. Writing my stories. Now sharing them with my readers means they have to be edited first, (which I don’t enjoy!) and that’s what knocks this down from on the list.

3. Reading. I love to read. I don’t read as much as I used to because life happens.

2. Play with my grandkids. Okay, play with the oldest and hold the little one. Especially as he’s starting to smile.

1. You knew this was coming. Spending time in the mountains with my hubby. Whether its a couple of days or a couple of hours, I’ll take it.

What’s your Top Ten?

November 27, 2017 – Top 10 – Share your top 10 favorite movies, books or things to do.
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The challenge this week was to make a crossword puzzle with clues and answers from our books. I suggest you don’t try this on your cell phone. 🙂 If there’s something you get stuck on, let me know in the comments and I’ll give you an additional hint. Have fun!

November 20, 2017 – Create a game or puzzle for one or more of your books. You can do this on crosswords.com, puzzle creator and more sites and embed them in your blog so you have an online puzzle or game for readers to complete.
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Love on the Dunes is my contribution to the collection Stories of Sun, Sand & Sea- Mistletoe & Palm Trees.  In this scene, Carena Galloway, my heroine, is confronted by a stalker.

I’m not the kind of person who decorates for every holiday. Not New Years, not the 4th of July, not Halloween, not Thanksgiving. Christmas is my one exception,

So getting ready for the holidays is fairly laid back. Thanksgiving is just a big meal, timing dependent upon work schedules. At least, that’s the way it’s been for the past ten years. This year will be different because my daughter and her family will be joining us. And I don’t have any idea what my son-in-law’s favorite food is! So I’ll probably cook extra dishes to improve the odds.  Maybe both turkey and ham instead of only one type of meat.

Now Christmas is a different story. I actually decorate for Christmas. I have boxes and boxes of Christmas “stuff.” Now, I don’t go overboard and decorate every inch of every surface. In fact, this year, with a little one around, I’ll need to cut back on the knickknacks.

But decorating means cleaning first. Not spring cleaning level of cleanliness, but not the typical quick dust and vacuuming either. Since I usually have a long weekend after Thanksgiving, I have the time and energy to tackle the job.

The decorations come out in bits and pieces. Putting them out requires finding storage spots for all the “daily” knickknacks.  Never once have I managed to get all the decorations up in one day. I can’t remember the last time I even tried!

Usually my collections of wreaths goes up first. One on the front door of course, then others throughout the interior of the house. ( I’ve got six or seven. And I might break down and buy a fresh pine wreath too.) Then my angels get moved from my writing corner to the upstairs. I usually add one a year to the collection.

Of course, the central focus is the tree itself. That alone will take me several days to get up and decorated. I have more ornaments than tree, so it’s always a debate as to which ones to use. I suspect my older, plastic ornaments will make a reappearance this year, strategically placed on the bottom branches.

Somewhere along the way, I’ll find a home for all the other holiday frills I’ve accumulated over the years. (I still have the little drummer boy candle holder my mother gave to us our first married Christmas!)  A few might even creep into my bedroom. I’ve discovered a forgotten decoration in some odd place as late as February, long after everything else has been long put away.

Putting things away is a much faster process. I can usually get that done in less than a week. The house always feels bare for a while, until all the normal things come back out of storage.

So that sums up my standard preparation for the holidays. And now, before I start thinking about what will go where this year, I’m going to hop over and see what everyone else does to get ready.

November 13, 2017 – As the holidays begin rolling in, what do you do to prepare your house, yourself and your family for the hectic days ahead?
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