Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I started writing the next book in the Echo Company series. This will be Caine's book. I've got the first 30 pages written. While I'm not officially participating in NaNoWriMo this year, I do have a personal goal to have 120 pages of this book written by December 2nd.

Motivational Quote: "Find your dream. It's the pursuit of the dream that heals you." ~ Billie Mills (Tamakoce Te'Hila)

What I'm Reading:  I'm reading Fatal Fudge Swirl by Meri Allen. It's the third book in the Ice Cream Shop mystery series. I think I should finish it either tonight or tomorrow night.

Random Thoughts:  It's only November so I'm trying not to talk about (complain) about the weather especially since we've been lucky enough not to have any snow yet. We've been having quite a bit of rain. I don't mind the rain though, it doesn't pile up like snow does and I don't have to brush off my car when it rains. It has been colder than usual for this time of the year. I guess as much I do like the crisp, cool air of fall, I'm just not ready for temperatures in the low 30's and high 20's during the day.

No "Random Photo" this week.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: As I posted in the prior week, Finding Hope (Mississippi's story) is finally available for purchase and thru Kindle Unlimited. I worked on plotting out the next book in the series. I actually already have a title which is very rare for me. It came to me out of the blue. I don't usually come up with the title until after the first draft is written.

Motivational Quote: "If you're lying awake imagining the art you want to make, get out of bed and make it." ~ Hallie Bateman

What I'm Reading:  I'm reading Death Overdue by Allison Brook. It's the first book in the Haunted Library mystery series. I've been looking for a new cozy mystery series to read and stumbled across this one at the library so I thought I'd give it a try. .

Random Thoughts:  I thought the motivational quote above was appropriate since we turned the clocks Saturday night/Sunday morning (depending on what time you went to bed). Despite looking forward to the extra hour of sleep, I still found myself awake at 5:30am. I tried to go back to sleep but then my brain started running story scenarios in my head. As much as I wanted to stay in my nice comfy bed, I decided it was better to get up and get all those ideas down on paper before they vanished into the ether.

Random Photo:

In all the excitement of getting Finding Hope out into the world, I don't think I posted the new cover for Broken Trust, the 3rd book in the series. 

The cover artist did an amazing job. She was even able to include the scar on his neck which is a significant factor in the book.
               

Finally!

Finding Hope, Mississippi's story, is finally available for purchase in eBook and paperback. It's also in Kindle Unlimited. The cover and buy link are below.

Here's the blurb (story summary):

Sometimes you meet the person you need the most when you least expect it.

Cassandra Scott is a career driven woman with a five-year plan that doesn’t include anyone who isn’t as committed to success as she is. But when she meets a former special ops soldier with unusual abilities and a carefree attitude toward life, her unexpected attraction to him throws her plans into disarray.

John “Mississippi” Tupelo has seen too much and done too much to take life seriously. He thoroughly enjoys aggravating the woman who acts as though life is nothing but a competition. Besides, keeping her off balance is the best way to prevent her from discovering he’s not like everyone else, even though it’s damn hard to ignore the sparks that fly between them every time they meet.

 When their plane crashes in a remote forest, they must work together to survive. As they struggle to find their way back to civilization, Cass and Mississippi discover the other is not who they seem. Will their differences bond them together or destroy any chance at happiness?

 Available on Amazon now - Finding Hope

I want to thank everyone who waited so patiently for Mississippi's story. It took much longer to write than I anticipated. I hope you think it was worth the wait. 

Please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodread, and/or Bookbub. Thank you.

 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: Mississippi's story, titled Finding Hope, will be released next week. I can't believe it's finally done and will be published in a few days. It took much longer than it should have to write his story. 

Motivational Quote: "Never, ever quit on yourself if it's something you believe in." ~ Uzo Aduba

What I'm Reading: I'm reading Talulah's Back In Town by Brenda Novak. This is the first book in the Coyote Canyon contemporary romance series. 

Random Things: Honor Bound, the first book in my Echo Company series, has a new cover. I've put a picture of the new cover below. I'm having the covers for Promises to Keep and Broken Trust,  books two and three in the series, redone as well. I'll post them here when I get them. 

Random Photo: 

                                            The new cover for Honor Bound.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I received the feedback from my editor and two beta readers regarding my second round of edits/revisions. Just a few minor corrections this time. Mainly just some missing words that my brain thought I typed but I didn't and some awkward phrasing that needs to be reworked.

Motivational Quote: "They always say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." ~ Andy Warhol

What I'm Reading: I'm reading Catch Me If You Candy by Ellie Alexander. This is the 17th book in this mystery series. This is a fun series. If you haven't started the series yet, I recommend it.

Random Things: I made orange walnut cake for the first time this past weekend. I also made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies because when is baking cookies not a good thing. 

Random Photo: 

Here's a picture of the orange walnut cake. You're supposed to serve it with Confectioner's sugar. I'm not a fan of that kind of sugar so I had my piece without it. 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: Since I'm in a holding pattern while I wait to hear back from my editor and two beta readers, I used last week to set goals for the last quarter of this year. I should say for October and November because I rarely get much writing related stuff done in December. 

Motivational Quote: "Habit is more dependable than inspiration." ~ Octavia E. Butler

What I'm Reading: I'm currently reading Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown. It's one of her older books. It was published in 2008.

Random Things: My mom is going to have to have a second hand surgery. We're waiting to find out when it'll be scheduled, but I'm pretty sure it'll be sometime later this month. I don't know what the recovery time will be yet. Her first surgery had about a 6 week recovery time total with her unable to use her hand for the first 4 weeks. Thanksgiving is going to be a bit different this year. Usually she and I do the cooking, but she won't be able to do much this time. The problem is I don't cook (or eat) meat so dinner might have to be without a turkey.

Random Photo: 

                    It's that time of year. Pumpkin carving to happen in a couple of weeks.