Monday, December 31, 2018

Author Year In Review ~ Life & Writing in 2018

Good-bye 2018!



Personal Life

Lessons Learned


This has been a difficult year, one that I'm relieved to put behind me. Life changed in a big way for me and my children. I'm officially a single mom with four kids between the ages of 12 and 3. I won't go into the gory details of my upcoming divorce because it's just too painful. But, with therapy, I've come to realize that I'm better off now. My stress and anxiety has lowered in significant ways and I have a more positive mindset. This was a year where I learned lessons the hard way. Twenty-three years is a long time and my heart was injured to such a degree that it will probably take an equally long time to heal, but if other women can heal from something like this, then I know I can, too.

Those I Lost


As if that wasn't enough to make a year heart-breaking, my family lost two incredibly wonderful and dear friends.

Chris Angelo passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident a few weeks after my husband left. Chris was my kid's Cubmaster, Baseball coach and the father of my 11 year-old son's best friend. He was such an integral part of our community that his death affected the entire town. In addition to Cub Scouts and baseball, he was also a soccer coach and played an important role for his church and their Youth Group. He was a wonderful husband to his wife, Jean, father to 3 fantastic boys and a great friend who had an infectious laugh and a smile that lit the room whenever he entered. He will always, always be missed.

Another of my dear friends that we lost was Melissa Beadle. She was an ex-co-worker from Waldenbooks. I met her with my first position with Waldenbooks as Seasonal Bookseller. She was Assistant Manager and helped train me. Shortly later, I was hired at a different Waldenbooks location and worked my way up to Assistant Manager there. After Melissa's store closed due to company downsizing, my manager hired her on in our store. It was such a pleasure to work with her again. She was another one who always had a smile and her laugh was loud and heartfelt. She always had a certain glow about her that was almost ethereal. Once we started working again in the same store, we found such common interests together that I felt like we connected in a spiritual way. We both absolutely loved books (of course!) and the supernatural. Labyrinth was our favorite movie because of, well, David Bowie! We shared a lot of favorites with music and we were fascinated by nature. She became a nature photographer, as well as a professional in holistic healing specializing in essences and essential oils. After Waldenbooks closed, we still remained close friends, meeting at Dunkin Donuts and taking bus trips to New York. She was always the first person I messaged when I needed advice on my cats or my spiritual health. Since she's been gone, I still feel like her spirit is with me, but I miss her so much. She was also the mother of two gorgeous children.

Words just cannot express the depth of my grief after losing these two beautiful friends.

Writing Career


Strangely enough, although my personal life was a mess, my writing career blossomed. I wrote more this year than I have in the last few years. Perhaps once the stress of living with such negativity was lifted, it freed my creative soul? For whatever reason, my word count and project list increased this year.

This year I...

  • signed 4 contracts 
  • wrote 2 new stories
  • published 3 stories
  • worked on edits and rewrites for 3 stories which I plan to self-publish in 2019
  • wrote 38 blog posts
  • participated in several contests
  • increased social media followers and fans
  • read 31 books (my goal was 24)
  • reviewed 10 books and posted on either my blog, Goodreads or Amazon  

I lost track of my word count, but considering the amount of work that I did this year, I know it surpassed last year. I did not participate in NaNoWriMo this year because of suffering double pneumonia for nearly the entire month of November. And my kids were sick that month, too, so I didn't push myself.

All in all, I think I did a decent job considering the amount of emotional turmoil I suffered this year. I'm glad I kept track of these things. Looking back, I feel that I accomplished a lot despite the trials I faced. And I have two new angels watching over me.

Books Published


To Kiss a Pirate, an erotic historical romance, is included in Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology

Searching for treasure on a lush Caribbean island, a woman disguising herself as a cabin boy is confronted by her sexy and suspicious pirate captain.

***

Sail on the high seas or into uncharted galaxies! When it comes to love...pirates risk all! Delilah's next delectable anthology is filled with roguish pirates! Readers who crave adventures set on the high seas--or in deep space--will find plenty of sexy bad boys, naughty alpha males unafraid to risk life and limb for treasure--or a lucky lover's heart!

Just a few of the titillating stories inside...

In "The Treasure of Devil's Crag" by Lisa Fox, two rival pirate captains seeking the same treasure, discover the competition isn't the only thing that heats up between them. A modern-day pirate boards a yacht seeking revenge and captures a runaway bride who tempts him in ways he's never experienced in January George's "Captive Desire." In T.D. Rudolph's "Lust in Space", a space criminal teams up with a fearless vamp to steal a cache of titanium--from the dark side of the moon. In "Full Fathom Five" by Rhidian Brenig Jones, a pirate captain, forced to give a disgraced young surgeon a berth, discovers a rich treasure in the other man's arms. And this is just a hint at the sexy stories inside this satisfying volume.

These pirates will pillage and plunder their way into your hearts!

Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play


Cupid's Arrow, a sweet sci-fi romance, is included in A Wink and a Smile: A Read on the Run Anthology 

 A wedding, a bridesmaid, gaudy Cupid decorations, and an out-of-this-world handsome stranger who is simply too good to be true.

***

In this Read on the Run title, we present eighteen romances. Not love stories, although some of them do include aspects of that. But whereas love stories are often sad, each of the selections in A Wink and a Smile has either a "happily-ever-after" ending, or at least a strong suggestion that this is where the characters are heading.

That doesn't mean these tales all sound the same; to the contrary, we've found quite a diverse collection of romances. Yes, there are some traditional romances, and there's a healthy handful of budding romances, but you will also find a story set in the future, and a couple of fantasy tales. You will find stories of pastries, and candies, of young lovers and old. You will meet several matchmakers and you'll see couples reconcile, and there are even a few stories that will make you laugh.

As always, each story in the Read on the Run series of anthologies is short to suit your busy lifestyle.

Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Smoking Pen Press


Eve's Garden, a sweet paranormal romance, is included in A Kiss and a Promise Anthology

A new homeowner rediscovers forgotten love in a haunted house.

***

The six romances included in this anthology have quirky characters, or quirky locations, or quirky situations. You'll find a ghost and a new homeowner, a spaceship captain and her cartographer, a window designer and high school beau, a banker and a baker, two vampire hunters, and some supernatural beings. You'll find yourself in two different restaurants, and on another planet. You'll find deception, intrigue, and old memories. You'll find Happily-Ever-Afters, and you'll find Happy-For-Nows. But, most of all, you'll find true romance. You'll find kisses, and you'll find promises.


Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Smoking Pen Press


After a year like last, I'm hoping next year will be better! 
And I wish your 2019 is better, too!

What did you accomplish in 2018? What lessons did you learn? 

Friday, December 28, 2018

E-Books on Sale Until 1/1



Do you need books to fill that brand new Kindle that you got for Christmas? Look no further! The Wild Rose Press is offering all of their e-books for 40% off including mine!

If you're a fan of Regency Paranormal Romance, then I hope you'll check out the Merriweather Witches. This family of witches is on the search for love and romance in the most unexpected places. And if you're a fan of Historical Pirate Romance, then you might be interested in the sexy Captain Marco Dante in The Pirate's Lady

Regency Paranormal Romance

Historical Pirate Romance



Lord Jeremy North's curse is to become a werewolf during every full moon, turning into a bloodthirsty monster that kills with no remorse. When he finds a woman nearly frozen upon his doorstep, his sense of honor compels him to help her, even at the risk he might kill her himself.

Lillian Merriweather hadn't planned to get caught in a blizzard while traveling the English countryside. Nor had she planned on finding refuge in a house full of secrets. But Lillian has secrets of her own. And what she's running from is not far behind...



Melora Merriweather is searching for a fellow witch to protect her from a scheming uncle with plans of marriage. When her carriage overturns on her journey, she is rescued by a mysterious man whom she learns is the very person she seeks. But, he's not the witch she thought he was...

Sebastian Collins should have left for London days ago. Now a snowstorm has trapped him with a woman who has come seeking protection, a woman who intrigues him like no other. And with each passing hour, his hunger for her grows...hunger for her kiss, her caress, and her blood.


To save her sister's life, Julia Grey seeks a spell hidden somewhere within Merriweather Manor. Her position as a lady's companion affords her the freedom to search the house. But time is running out. The necromancer she's bargained with is growing impatient. And an unexpected appearance of a man from her past makes matters worse in an already complicated situation.

Basil Merriweather returns to England after ten years abroad to discover his childhood sweetheart living in his home. But, he's no longer the carefree man of his youth and she's hiding something--deadly secrets Basil vows to uncover even as he hides a dark secret of his own.

While neither Basil nor Julia will trust in the other, their hearts speak a truer language. In a grand attempt to save Julia's sister and Basil's life, the two must finally confess sinister truths. Will their admissions help or hinder any future they may have together? Or will the necromancer destroy all in a vile attempt at revenge?



Marianne Grey is a ghost. But, she's not dead. Cursed by a necromancer, Marianne searches for the elusive spell needed to merge her spirit with her physical body. She's not alone in her search. Her neighbor and best friend, Sage Merriweather, has vowed to help her break the curse.

Sage suffers from his own demons. Literally. After surviving a horrific attack, a demon has bonded with him, mutating Sage's magic so he can only conjure fire. Until he can break the bond, he is a danger to everyone near him, including those he loves.

From the glittering ballrooms of London to eerily dark graveyards, Marianne and Sage battle forces of evil destine to claim their souls for eternity. Though their newfound love for each other may be the toughest battle of all.



Captain Marco Dante was captured and sentenced to hang two years ago, but he escaped before his punishment was carried out. Now, he's come back to the woman whose memory kept him alive those long months in prison. Arianne had been his grand passion, but he failed to see how much she meant to him until it was too late. Can he recapture her heart? Or has he lost her forever?

Arianne never imagined she'd see her notorious pirate lover again. Though her heart sings with joy at his return, she knows he hasn't come back for her but for the treasure he left behind. She agrees to help him find it, but can her heart withstand one more adventure with him?














#BookReview ~ A Clockwork Christmas #steampunk #holidayromance

A Clockwork Christmas: Wanted: One Scoundrel / This Winter Heart / Far From Broken / Crime Wave in a Corset Edited by Angela James Written by JK Coi, PG Forte, Stacy Gail, Jenny Schwartz



We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.





Anthology includes:

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail
This Winter Heart by PG Forte
Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz
Far From Broken by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase separately.

117,000 words 


My Review: 4 of 5 stars

These were all very entertaining holiday stories filled with steampunk inventions and creations, but I will admit that I enjoyed the first and last stories the very best.

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail was fast-paced and suspenseful with interesting and mysterious characters. The characters clashed at the beginning and then were forced to work together which only brought them closer. It was a well-written story.

Far From Broken by JK Coi left me breathless. Although this story started out more slowly than the first, that by no means detracted from the story unfolding to introduce two tortured characters in need of love and healing. Callie and Jasper's ordeal touched my heartstrings as they both struggled to overcome the ugly hand that was dealt to them. This was an emotionally touching story that I enjoyed so much that I instantly bought the sequel, Broken Promises, which continues their story.


View all my reviews




Saturday, December 1, 2018

Holly Jolly Holiday Hop #Giveaway #Prizes Dec 1 - 4



Check out the Holly Jolly Holiday Hop 
featuring 68 stops & 69 prizes! 

I'm giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card and an ebook copy of The Witch's Kiss. 
Check out my Facebook Page to enter.



Then be sure to check out the other participant's pages for the chance to win some fantastic prizes! And don't forget to enter the $50 Amazon Gift Card Grand Prize!

Enter the Grand prize and find the complete list of participants here: 



Happy Holidays!