Signed #Books for Small Business Saturday! #ShopSmall

The holiday shopping season is upon us, and today is Small Business Saturday.  So I wanted to do a quick post to remind people that I will gladly send out signed and personalized books to give to readers as gifts!  It’s a thoughtful and unique gift that supports small business, and my books have something for everyone—steamy romance, spooky suspense, haunting mysteries, second chances, and the page-turning unraveling of secrets from the past.  Both SILVER LAKE and GULL HARBOR have been #1 Amazon Bestsellers on several occasions, and my Young Adult novel, DIVINE FALL (appropriate for teens), is an award-winning RomCon Reader-Rated pick.  My latest novel, HAUNTED SOULS, combines a military romance with a ghost story in a Cape Cod setting.

I ship for FREE, so if you are interested in purchasing a book, or books, as a gift, please contact me via the form on the tab above.  Payments are arranged via PayPal or Square.  Thanks for visiting!

Ghosts + Romance for #ThanksgivingWeek - #Free #Kindle Book w/ Prime!

A good book, a glass of wine, and a cozy blanket -
my idea of bliss!

Getting ready for the holidays can be exhausting, whether you’re hosting or traveling.  For a lot of people, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of a very hectic time of year.  Getting lost in a good book, even if just for a little while, is always my go-to prescription for relaxation.  Reading is a proven stress-reducer…it forces you to slow down and takes your mind off problems and pressures.  A book that really captures you will transport you for a little while, allowing you to experience emotions along with the characters.

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, there’s a new program you may not know about called Prime Reading.  It allows all Prime members to download selected books for FREE to your Kindle or Kindle App.  And I’m thrilled to say Amazon chose my debut novel, SILVER LAKE, as one of the offerings.  It’s been a #1 Kindle Bestseller on several occasions, and it’s got something for everyone…a mysterious disappearance, a spooky haunting, a reunion among former friends, and a second chance at first love.  Click on the link below to read the blurb and download your copy!  And if you enjoy the story, try some of my other romance/ghost mysteries…GULL HARBOR and HAUNTED SOULS. 

Silver Lake on Amazon

Happy Reading and Happy Thanksgiving!

Treat Yourself! Cape Cod Events to Help De-Stress #CapeCod #fitness #skincare

I’m participating in two events this weekend designed to help women relax, de-stress, and pamper themselves a bit as we head into the often hectic holiday season.  If you’re on Cape Cod, come by and join the fun!

Cape Cod Skin Care is holding an Open House both Friday and Saturday afternoons this weekend, from 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.  I’ll be signing books there today, Friday, from noon until two, and I’ll leave a few signed books there for purchase as well.  Reading is a proven to reduce stress, so come by and grab some page-turning stories filled with steamy romance and spooky suspense!  And pick up a copy or two for gift-giving—readers love a book signed just for them.  And a signed book makes a good gift to bring for any Yankee Swap or White Elephant events. 

You can also enter the raffle for a special Environ Skin Care kit and take advantage of the sales and specials offered on skincare, make up, and services.  Refreshments will be offered as well.  Cape Cod Skin Care is located on Route 28 in Cotuit, near the intersection with Rt. 130. Address is 4650 Falmouth Road, Cotuit.

This evening, the gym where I work is also holding a Ladies Night Out, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.  We’re offering a free Barre Class from 6 – 7, so come try out this new craze in group fitness.  This is a class that is suitable for all levels!  We’ll also have food and wine, a number of raffles, and a chance to socialize.  Our salon has recently re-opened, and to celebrate, we’re offering free polish changes, make overs, and mini-facials.  Several membership promotions will be available for anyone looking to join or renew—exercise is a major stress reliever!  I’ll have books for sale as well, and we’ll have some networking opportunities for members and guests who would like to promote their businesses.  And for the kids, free pizza and movie night in our child care room!  The Fitness Company is located on Rt. 130, near Heritage Park.  Address is 502 Main Street in Mashpee. 

Both events are open to the public – hope to see you there!

"The hero is swoon-worthy" #YA #Angels #Paranormal #Romance #Review

DIVINE FALL, my Young Adult Paranormal Romance, was featured recently on the site YA Insiders, with a fabulous review entitled "Love it!" ~ things that make an author's week!  The entirety of the review is linked here, but a few of my favorite phrases are "perfect blend of fiction and romance", "the hero is swoon-worthy", and "will keep you on the edge of your seat, longing for more".  It was chosen as one of Book Bub's 14 Books to Get You in the Mood for Fall as well, so why not grab your copy today and curl up with a warm drink and cozy blanket for some forbidden love and supernatural secrets?  The best part is still to come...it's only 99 cents on Kindle and Nook...less than a buck!  Happy Reading!

  

#Author Panel on Cape Cod ~ #CapeCod #amwriting #Barnstable

After a whirlwind of events in October, things have quieted down…a little.  I’m doing NaNoWriMo, also known as “National Novel Writing Month”, which requires devoting a lot of time to writing!  But I’m excited to be speaking this Monday, November 14^th, as part of an author panel in Dennis.  I’ll be with two authors who also write for my publisher—Katie O’Sullivan and Kevin Symmons.  The three of us will discuss our “Writer’s Journey” and answer questions about our road to publication.

Katie (center), Kevin (right), and I (left) with a few
readers at another event we did together.

If you’re in the Cape Cod area, please join us on Monday night for this special format of the monthly “A Book in the Hand”, a celebration of the written word held at Jacob Sears Memorial Library, located at 23 Center St., East Dennis.  We’ll all have books to sign, in genres including paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and young adult.  I’ll have plenty of copies of my latest release, a steamy military romance + ghost mystery entitled HAUNTED SOULS.  Hope to see you there!  

Like #Romance? Newsletter Sign-Up + Win a #Giftcard! #giveaway #amreading

Wine and a good book?  Bliss!

I absolutely love to read—it’s my favorite pastime, and a proven stress reducer.  Who doesn’t relish getting lost in an amazing story?  And romance always adds an emotional, heart-tugging component…a chance to experience all those butterflies…the first touches, or the second chances.  But there are so many books out there—how do you find your next read?

A group of authors who write for my publisher—an award-winning press focusing on all genres of romance—are putting together a newsletter to offer readers a look at new releases, sales, and highlights from top picks.  As a bonus to signing up for our quarterly newsletter, Wild Roses & Romance, we’re offering several gift certificate prizes to be raffled off to readers who sign up to receive our email publication!

To enter the raffle and receive updates on new releases and specials in all genres of romance, fill out the form below.  Happy Reading!

Wild Roses & Romance...
Stay in the know!

#NaNoWriMo2016 Inspiration ~ #amwriting #Nanowrimo

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones
~ Confucius

Writing a novel is a dream for many, but the entire process can become overwhelming quickly.  Even if you KNOW you can finish a novel, because you've proved it before, sometimes the idea of starting over--moving that mountain--can dissuade even the most prolific authors. It's a big job.

After having three books published within three years, I found myself yearning for a break in 2014.  I figured it would be a good opportunity to spend more time in the real world, but then a story idea hit me, and the idea for my latest release, Haunted Souls, was born.  The initial inspiration came from a ghost tour I went on with my sister in Cape Cod's Barnstable Village, which started and ended at the Old Jail.

I'd never even heard of the Old Jail, and it's truly a historic gem.  It's the oldest wooden jail in the country, actually, and is thought to have been built in 1690, on orders from the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colony Courts.  It's considered actively haunted, and you can read more about it--and the plotline it inspired--in my Old Jail post.

The story grew in my mind, and I managed a few chapters, but I couldn't seem to find much time to dedicate to writing that summer.  Plus, my imagination needed recharging, so in the meantime, I researched what I would need to know about Cape Cod history and my military hero's background to get the details right.

Then it was suddenly October, which is always a busy month for me, as I write about hauntings and other paranormal elements.  So I told myself I would give NaNoWriMo a try, and on Nov. 1st, I opened up that dusty Word document.

It worked!  I don't know if I "won", since I had a few chapters done beforehand, and I didn't finish the manuscript by Nov. 30th, but I did surpass 50,000 words in a month, well on my way to a completed first draft.  The finished product, Haunted Souls, released from my publisher this June.

I fit in as much promotion as I could during another busy Cape Cod summer, and then in was Back-to-School obligations and another Halloween season keeping me away from my keyboard. But I promised I'd get going again on Nov. 1, and here I am, back in NaNoWriMo mode.  So, fellow NaNoWriMo participants, I'm wishing us all good luck...keep moving that mountain, 1,667 words at a time!