Happy Anniversary Cold Creek

It’s hard to believe it has been a year since Cold Creek Mountain came out. I truly enjoyed the journey of writing about the heroine and hero’s trip up the mountain. Nothing worked out the way the characters expected. Disappointments are sure to come along but like Hayden and Lilly learned “And we know all things work together for good for them that love God…”

I hope you’re all enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Although fall is my favorite season, I love seeing new life sprout in the spring. The daffodils have made their appearance and the dogwood trees are in full bloom. Here in the Ozarks the landscape shows a bit more green each day.

I’m working on a new story. It’s my first attempt at a contemporary romance. It’s set in the Ozarks. I tried to include all the elements that make this part of the country unique. I believe it’s fun read and hope it will be available within the year.

Happy Spring!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I hope you were able to celebrate with family over the holidays (even if it was online). We had a small Christmas here in the Ozarks, spending time with immediate family and keeping it simple. No snow this year. Did you have a white Christmas?

I have a New Year surprise for all my readers. To celebrate and give back to my wonderful readers, I have teamed up with Celebrate Lit to do a special giveaway! We want you to have a chance to win 40+ books or a $500 Amazon card to buy a ton of books yourself in Celebrate Lit’s Have a Fab New Year Multi-Author Giveaway!

Be sure to come back on Monday, January 11, 2021 to get your name into the drawing.

It’s the most wonderful time…

I know, it isn’t Christmas yet, but in my opinion, Thanksgiving is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s like Christmas without the stress. Okay, I must confess – in my house I have nothing to do with cooking the meal. When it comes to preparing food, my husband has a gift, and he loves to cook for people. I have no problem with that since my best meals have two ingredients: a box and water. (although I do love to bake)

Anyhow, back to why Thanksgiving is stress free for me. I sleep in, sample my favorite dishes throughout the day as they are being made and relax, which means head out to my she shed and write. My favorite part of the meal is the dressing or as some would say the stuffing. I grew up on cornbread stuffing. My mom made the best. My husband adds extra herbs and sausage which only makes it better.

This Thanksgiving I will be adding words and scenes to my newest project set in the wild west. I’m excited about the strong, independent, and somewhat eccentric heroine in this story. The hero is a pretty good guy too.

Just to make it clear I do help on Thanksgiving Day. I get to wash the dishes, and as you know there are a lot of dishes to wash during each stage of the process. Here is another confession: I love to wash dishes by hand. Putting the clean ones away is not so much fun but that is where my twin daughters come in handy.

How about you? What is your favorite holiday and why? And tell me, is it dressing or stuffing?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Historical Fiction vs Historical Romance

I have always loved reading books. Even before I could read. My mother would read stories to me and then I would take the picture books and make up my own stories. In the sixth grade I read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and knew that was for me. A writer. My father was a true Texan and very much a cowboy at heart. I grew up watching western with him and grew to love stories of the old west. It’s in my blood.

When I sought publication for my stories I naturally wrote what I knew and loved to read. Western Romances. This of course falls under the heading of Historical Romance, or so I thought. As a writer of over ten books I’ve dealt with many different agents, editors and publishing houses. It’s truly is a joy to work with Christian’s in the publishing industry. I’ve only encountered encouragement and kindness. Only it was hard to sell my stories to publishers seeking Historical Romance. They loved my voice, characters and plot only I kept hearing the same reason for them passing on the story: ‘the pacing is wrong’

After ten years of writing I learned something. I don’t write Historical Romance. What I write is Historical Fiction with a romantic thread. Who knew there was a difference. Recently I was told ‘If you can take the romance out of the story and still have a satisfying plot and conclusion than you are not writing a true romance.’ So in other words I am a Historical Fiction author. Once I realized who I really am, I felt free to write the stories spinning in my head without trying to fit a box. I believe this new realization will open doors and allow me to grow in the direction I was meant to go.