Characters, Characters Everywhere

My hands simply aren't fast enough to keep up with the voices in my head. And that makes me sounds just a little crazy...or a lot...but then we already know this about me: odd comes naturally. After years of denial, I've chosen to embrace it.

So, what do you do when your characters are vying for control of your brain and each one is from an entirely different story set in vastly different atmospheres? Right now, I'm mentally traveling from Christmas to vampires to angels (Mr. Sorta-Angel, to be precise) to a cozy mystery to a summertime romance.

I'm convinced these characters have grossly overestimated how quickly I'm able to write.

(And this would be two months in a row of posting! Definite progress!)

Fresh Start

This is it. The time is here. It’s never…or now.  

After what has felt like nearly two years of having a demonic automatic baseball launcher aimed right on my family and loved ones, I’m—God willing—finally seeing some signs of a light at the end of a very dark, but substantially shiny tunnel. I don’t know why I think the tunnel looks shiny. You’d have to ask Polls…I feel like that’s her influence.

Anyway… 

Sure, that light might be dim…and, you know, flickering…but it’s there, clear as can be, and I’m trusting it wholeheartedly.

True, the whole family has been sucker-punched with amazing accuracy: Mom, Dad, me, my bestie…and, most recently, my sweet, precious, fur baby. I won’t get into the gruesome details (unknown allergy created a complete horror show; then an unexpected flu shot reaction sent him to be tested and sent my sanity nearly over the edge), but I will say the emotional experience shoved my slowly changing outlook and long-overdue reevaluation of things right up the step I’d been struggling to take.

And if the emotional upheaval wasn’t enough of a shove, the universe seemed to concur, sending some absolutely unbelievable, inexplicable, unmistakable signs.  My characters would unleash all fury on me if I failed to pay attention.

So what does this all mean? Though I have no clue how it will unfold, I am certain it’s time for me to take some chances I’ve been debating for a long while now with my writing and other ventures. Not to worry—Jex and crew will be returning with their own tales, and I will continue to work on them until all the novels are darn near complete before starting to release them (Psst: I’m nearly there with the spin-off series).  My goal is to reduce the wait time between books, yet afford the time to gamble on a few other projects. Oh, I know I’ve said that before--about reducing the waiting period between releases--but this time it’s different. This stretch of obstacles and delays has impacted me in ways I could never fully explain, and if I dared to try, I’d just end up sounding like a babbling idiot...more than usual, I mean…

And guess what? I’m actually making a resolution this year.  Not normally my thing, but this one will stick: KEEPING MY SITES UPDATED! Even if it’s just a lame check-in, I’m going to crawl out of my stupid social media shyness shell. If I can do it during LSU games, by LSU Jesus (LSU fans might recognize this name), I can do it every other time.

There we have it—a mini-rundown, revelation, and resolution post to end the year and start a new one. It’s not much, but it is a start…and isn’t that what the New Year is all about? A fresh start? 

For anyone else out there looking to start fresh in this New Year, please know you're not alone. We can do this--conquer fear, kick doubt to the curb, and face obstacles like a superhero. 

Starting line drawn. 

Let’s geaux racing & make this New Year something special no matter what!

Lots of Love to You All, 

Watercolor Hearts Is Here!

Now Available on Amazon!

Watercolor Hearts Now Available on Amazon!

Money, supremacy, exclusivity, and owning the finest of everything define the upper echelon of New York City’s elite. Yet within the lavish lifestyle of New York’s wealthy and ruthless lives a mysterious group with a twisted past and dangerous future—a group one woman is determined to join for a single, all-consuming purpose: finding and exacting revenge on her parents’ killers. 

Since witnessing her father’s murder, Maggie Harred has traveled a rough road in her quest to right the past, her anger and pain fueling every step, every decision. With a little guidance, she sets her sights on the one person who would be the means to her ends. Thus, upon receiving an invitation to compete for a position with the enigmatic Manx, world-renowned cat burglar and procurer of the rarest forms of art for the world’s obscenely rich, Maggie will stop at nothing to win.

Maggie has learned to work and fight for what she wants and to expect danger and intense moral ambiguity in the process. Very little surprises her anymore. There is, however, one thing she never expected to find: love. Witty, handsome, and intensely sexy, this man slowly begins to shatter her armor, an outcome that terrifies her more than anything, particularly when her past and present collide in an utterly shocking way, threatening the one person who brought her fading heart back to life.

New Novel...finally!

WATERCOLOR HEARTS, book one 

of the upcoming

Watercolor Love series

Coming July 25th 

Well...it's finally time again--a new novel from my crazy brain. After the events of this last year, I can't tell you how much this moment means--just to be able to release a book again. 

So...here we have a new Romance-Suspense trilogy. Granted, it's definitely a little different from The Merworld Water Wars, but there are a few quirky characters, crazy twists, and maybe even an unexpected turn or two. 

WATERCOLOR HEARTS

Money, supremacy, exclusivity, and owning the finest of everything define the upper echelon of New York City’s elite. Yet within the lavish lifestyle of New York’s wealthy and ruthless lives a mysterious group with a twisted past and dangerous future—a group one woman is determined to join for a single, all-consuming purpose: finding and exacting revenge on her parents’ killers.

Since witnessing her father’s murder, Maggie Harred has traveled a rough road in her quest to right the past, her anger and pain fueling every step, every decision. With a little guidance, she sets her sights on the one person who would be the means to her ends. Thus, upon receiving an invitation to compete for a position with the enigmatic Manx, world-renowned cat burglar and procurer of the rarest forms of art for the world’s obscenely rich, Maggie will stop at nothing to win.

Maggie has learned to work and fight for what she wants and to expect danger and intense moral ambiguity in the process. Very little surprises her anymore. There is, however, one thing she never expected to find: love. Witty, handsome, and intensely sexy, this man slowly begins to shatter her armor, an outcome that terrifies her more than anything, particularly when her past and present collide in an utterly shocking way, threatening the one person who brought her fading heart back to life.

Turning a Corner

Hellllllloooooooo out there! I’ve missed you so much! The big update: The snot monsters have been slayed! I finally surpassed that ‘restricted activity’ recovery mark and am feeling much more like myself…yet not, but in a good way. I can actually breathe better and my sense of smell is as keen as a werewolf’s now. Crazy how the little things can make such a remarkable difference to your quality of life.

Ironically, since my sinuses have cleared, so too has my head. And, Dear Lord, have the characters been impatiently waiting for me to finish their stories…particularly one very naughty, sarcastic, Aussie sorta-angel. I’m working hard to get books ready to go. I have no idea which one will be first—I’m relying on the characters to guide me there. I’m literally at their mercy…and gladly so.

So…time to wave off the stress of this past year and a half, dust off the cobwebs, and get geauxing! (LSU/Louisiana reference there. Totally proper spelling.)

Houston, We Have a Newsletter Sign Up Form!

Cross all fingers and toes because I have what might be the last procedure to tackle all the snot & infection monsters this Friday. This has been an ongoing thing for over a year now. Just a giant pain in the buttocks. This one is a pretty gnarly procedure. I'm a little nervous, but more than ready to get this crap done. 

Now, let's get to some fun stuff...

Some small corner of hell must have frozen over. Why? Because I have a sign up form for a newsletter. 

<I sense the blank expressions and confused blinks coming from you>

But this is a huge, epic level achievement for me. 

<Hmm...I'm now sensing the expressions are no longer blank and the blinks may have turned to arched, are-you-kidding-me brows >

Okay, yeah, I admit, this is technically easy stuff...unless you're me. Apparently, my brain accepts stuff like calculus, but rejects nearly all things technology. The last time my noggin attempted to add a newsletter sign up form, I ended up with a botched blog sidebar, a non-working form, and a whole lotta foul words. 

So, now that I've unveiled some of my stupid... 

If you'd like to receive a newsletter featuring information on upcoming book releases, sign on up! There is a form located at the top of the right sidebar and one at the bottom of the blog. 

Don't worry about me inundating your inbox with pointless e-mails or crazy LSU fan outbursts. Y'all know I tend to hibernate a lot (as evidenced by my pathetically minimal Facebook and blog posting).  Whenever I send a newsletter, there'll be a darn good book-related reason.

And for the absolute sweethearts who have been asking for a newsletter: thank you so much for your infinite patience. At least I figured it out eventually! :/

Happy Holidays!!!

I just wanted to wish anyone who pops by my quiet little piece of the blogging universe a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Magical New Year! 

Lots to come in the New Year, starting with a little surprise some readers have been asking for... 

Lots of Love, Tons of Joy, and Mounds of Merry to you and yours,