Why I'm a Selfish Author :-)

So it's occurred to me recently that I'm a rather selfish author. Now, now, it's TRUE. I write my books the way I want to and don't spend much time obsessing or worrying if there's something about them people don't like, or if a reader doesn't like the entire book. That's okay. That's their prerogative. I've decided it's far, far, FAR more important that I please myself than it is that I please anyone else. See how selfish I am? :-)

Let me give you an example. When it comes to my McCarthys of Gansett Island Series, there is a small camp of readers who do not like the fact that I include rather extensive stories for characters other than the hero and heroine. I absolutely get why they don't like it. The thing is, though, I like it. I love going back and revisiting couples who starred in past books and seeing what's up with them. Sometimes it's big stuff. In Season for Love, for example, Grant and Stephanie from Falling for Love hit a rather big speed bump in their love story. Doesn't that happen in real life? Don't people who are madly in love one minute start to wonder in the next minute if this thing that's sprouted between them will go the distance? See, I thought so! That's right when it starts to get interesting to me. How about you?

In Longing for Love, book 7, Evan and Grace from Hoping for Love will hit a bump when her parents come to the island for a surprise visit and discover that not only does their daughter have a boyfriend she never told them about, but he's living with her, too. Something tells me Evan is going to be rather hurt by the fact that she never bothered to tell her folks about him. Will that be the main story in Longing for Love? Nope. Tiffany and Blaine will be the main attraction in that book, but life hasn't stopped for the rest of the Gansett Island community, and I like to write about that. I suppose that makes me a selfish author, and shockingly, I'm quite okay with that.

The first person I have to please with my books is ME. If I don't love them, how can I expect any of you to love them? I will be the first to admit there is a LOT going on in Season for Love. I can totally see how some people might think it's too much, and I've already acknowledged that we can't have story for every past couple in every future book. Season was  definitely Laura and Owen's book, but I also used it as a wrap-up of the first six books and a launch pad for the next few. Did I succeed? I'll let you tell me!

The vast majority of readers, especially those in my McCarthy Reader Group, enjoy the subplots and want more of them in future books. Those of you who agree with them are in luck, because I do, too. And since I'm a selfish, selfish author, I plan to please myself first and foremost. :-)

Of course I'm teasing about being selfish. I always hope readers will enjoy my books, but if I'm not enjoying the writing of the books, there won't be any more. I've made a career out of breaking the mold a bit, such as the Fatal Series that features the same couple in every book (supposedly a no-no in romance) and now the McCarthy Series that keeps past couples front and center in future books. You may not always get what you expect from me (hello, Seamus and Carolina?), but just as I hope to keep things interesting for you, I've got to keep things interesting for me, too. Thus the road less traveled. I hope you'll continue to come along for the ride, even if I take you places you didn't expect to go. After all, my journey would be absolutely no fun without my lovely readers riding shotgun.

So tell me, are you in the "Want more of the past characters" camp or the "Want less of the past characters" camp?

The Fun Continues on Gansett Island

Season for Love, Book 6 in the McCarthys of Gansett Island Series

His idea of permanence is the old van that takes him from one gig to the next. . .

Owen Lawry has made a living as a traveling musician and enjoys his footloose and fancy free lifestyle. But after meeting Laura McCarthy and helping her to land the job as manager of his grandparents' hotel on Gansett Island, Owen decides there's something to be said about a roof over his head and a warm, sexy woman in his bed.

Laura, a newlywed who discovered that her husband never quit dating, came to Gansett for her cousin's Janey's wedding, but ended up staying after she met Owen and took on the renovations to the dilapidated Sand & Surf Hotel.

As Owen and Laura's attraction simmers during months of close proximity, they form a tight bond that will be tested when her estranged husband refuses to grant her a divorce. As summer turns to autumn and Laura and Owen take baby steps toward love, favorite characters from past Gansett Island stories continue to live their happily ever afters.

Read an excerpt from Season for Love.

Get it at:

Kindle/Amazon

Nook/B&N

Kobo

iPad/Apple

All Romance E-books

Smashwords

I had the BEST time writing this new book! It features a couple we first met in book 4, FALLING FOR LOVE, and they've been on "slow burn" status ever since. In Season for Love, Owen and Laura go from slow burn to BOIL as their romance takes off. While you'll have a front row to Owen and Laura's romance, you'll also hear from past favorite couples, including Mac & Maddie, Joe & Janey, Luke & Syd, Grace & Evan, Grant & Stephanie, among others. In this book, I'll introduce you to some new friends on the island who will be featured in future books.

Readers often ask me how long I plan to write the Gansett Island Series, and this is my answer: As long as you all are enjoying it, I'll keep writing it. :-)

Hope you enjoy Season for Love!

End of the Fifth Month

Five months of self-employment in the bank and what have I learned? Well, first I truly LOVE working for myself. As if that's any sort of news flash, right? I was talking to a friend who recently left my former company, and I was telling her it takes a while to de-program from the pace we used to keep. Our jobs were BUSY. We were on a constant merry-go-round of deadlines, publication schedules, editing, writing, designing. It was nonstop. We loved it, but it was a lot to manage. For me, it was doubly complicated by the thriving writing career that cropped up from something that started as a hobby and turned into something more than I ever could've imagined. As the fifth month ends, I think I've succeeded in deprogramming. I don't think about what I SHOULD be doing for the day job at this time of year anymore. I've stepped off the merry-go-round. I'm still a little dizzy because merry-go-rounds make me sick, but I'm better than I was.

I've learned that I'm not quite as disciplined as I thought I was. After working at home for 13 years, I figured, hey, I've got this covered! Turns out that when you don't have 27 co-workers and their needs framing your day, it's easy to forget that you are supposed to be WORKING right now. It's me vs. the computer and sometimes me loses. I've learned that's okay. You can't force the creative process. If it ain't happening, walk away and do something else for a while. The words will come back. I've learned that I need to compartmentalize. I'm fortunate to receive quite a lot of reader mail every day. I've learned that each email does not have to be answered the minute it is received. Now I save reader mail--the nicest part of my day--for the end of my day and that seems to be working out well. I can take an hour or two at night and veg in front of the TV and answer emails.

I've learned to not let my accounting and bookkeeping slide. I update my business accounts every day rather than twice a month. Of course I hate that part of self-employment, but it is a necessary evil. Luckily, I have an accountant who does the true heavy lifting, so all I have to do is provide the info. That sounds easier than it is, especially if I let it slide. I'm trying to be more disciplined about that. What's funny is my mother was a bookkeeper by trade. She would've taken care of the accounting books before the other books, you know, the ones that MAKE the money? :-)

I've learned that it's okay to take a day off every now and then, and I've learned it's fun to take a day off just because I can. I recently worked 12 straight hours getting Season for Love ready to go to the copy editor. That night I was making dinner and it occurred to me that I could take the next day off if I wanted to. The day after that, too. So I did. And I loved every minute of my two days off, even though I worked for a portion of both days. "Work" these days doesn't feel like at all like work.

Finally, I've learned that it's okay to exhale. Eighteen months after I self-published my first book, my business is booming, I'm writing a lot, I've got plans for books that will take me well into next year and things are good. Breathe... For the first time in YEARS, I feel like I can breathe...

I'm thankful every day to the readers who continue to make my lovely new life possible. You are among the true blessings in my life, and I am grateful for every one of you.

Now for some book news:
Reminder that Fool for Love, book 2 in the McCarthys of Gansett Island Series is on sale for 99 cents for a brief time. Get it while it's cheap! You will enjoy it more if you read book 1, Maid for Love, first.


Joe Cantrell, owner of the Gansett Island Ferry Company, has been in love with Janey McCarthy for as long as he can remember. At the same time, Janey has been dating or engaged to doctor-in-training David Lawrence. When things go horribly wrong between David and Janey, she calls her “fifth brother” Joe, one of the few people in her close circle who lives on the mainland. Janey decides a few days with Joe is just what she needs before she goes home to the island to face her parents and family with the news of her broken engagement. It was bad enough for Joe loving Janey from afar, but having her in his house is pure torture. Will he take advantage of this opportunity to show her what they could have together? And what will Joe’s best friend and Janey’s protective older brother Mac have to say about it?Get Fool for Love here:
Kindle: amzn.to/KYoYWO
Nook: http://bit.ly/KaIXGA


Apple: http://bit.ly/MWm0qH 


Kobo: http://bit.ly/KcnHQW

Catching Up

So I had this big idea about blogging every day, and then I wake up to realize a month has gone by with no posts. I continue to be committed to blogging more often, but the best laid plans...

It's been a busy month around here! In April, I ventured with the family to Spain, where our daughter was born nearly 17 years ago when my husband was stationed there in the Navy. We had a great time showing off our old stomping grounds to the kids. At 16 and 13, they were at the perfect ages to appreciate the adventure of visiting a foreign country. One side benefit I hadn't expect is that Jake, who will be in 8th grade next year, will be more interested in starting Spanish classes than he might've been before the trip. We'll do whatever we can to interest him in school, so that was a plus. Emily loved seeing where she was born as well as the first home and the beach boardwalk that was the site of her very first outing.

For our part, we were surprised by how environmentally conscious Spain has become since we were there. Hundreds and hundreds of wind turbines and solar farms dot the landscape. The car we rented, a jazzy Mercedes (mama loved that car!), had a fuel-efficient feature that shut it down when idling. Hotel room keys are required to get lights in the rooms. We were surprised to realize Europe is so far ahead of the U.S. on these things. Because the European Union came into existence after we lived there, we had to figure out the ins and outs of the Euro, which was an adventure. Dan and I were both surprised that our rusty Spanish came back as if it had been yesterday when we last used it. The funniest episode I had occurred when ordering room service in Spanish and getting all the way to the end and not comprehending a question. So I said, En ingles? And he says, "Anything else?" LOL! Then he said, Room number? I said, "839." He growls, En español! He wouldn't let me cop out at the end, which I thought was hilarious! Then there was the trip to the farmacia to get cold medicine for Jake. Since I didn't know how to say sneeze or cough in Spanish, I worked around that with fake sneezes and coughs. The pharmacist says, "AH!" Jake and I got a good laugh out of that. When in doubt, improvise!

The other lasting impression is how very, very nice the Spanish people are. There's an old-world courtliness that you don't see very often anymore, and even the kids commented on how nice everyone was. We felt very welcome and totally safe everywhere we went. Well, I didn't feel very safe sitting in the midst of a rowdy group of bachelor party revelers on the flight from London to Madrid, but I was thoroughly entertained!

In other news, I've had an exciting month on the book front! We sold the French rights to the McCarthy Series at auction, Fatal Consequences won a Bean Pot Award (left), Fatal Destiny won a Holt Medallion while Fatal Justice and Everyone Loves a Hero received Awards of Merit from the Virginia Romance Writers, and I had the honor of delivering one of the keynotes at the Romance Writers of America New England Chapter conference in late April, which was a real thrill.

I'm hard at work on Season for Love, book 6 in the McCarthys of Gansett Island Series, and I'm still hoping to get that out in June. After that, I'll be finishing Fatal Attack and then turning to McCarthy book 7, Longing for Love, featuring Tiffany and Blaine. I also plan to write the much-requested fourth book in the Treading Water Trilogy (which will ruin the whole "trilogy" concept--haha), called Coming Home. It will feature Kate Harrington and Reid Matthews, closing the circle left open in Marking Time. I know a lot of you have wanted to see closure for Kate and Reid, and I'm all about giving my readers what they want. :-)

Back to work I go! Tell me what you've been up to lately!
xoxo
Marie

My New (Ad)Venture

Happy Monday! It's a gorgeous day in Rhode Island, a little blustery, but the sun is out. I had a fun and productive weekend and spent some time launching my new formatting service for authors looking for someone to help them prepare their books for electronic publication. Don't worry—I haven't totally lost my mind. I'm hiring some people to help me out with this so I can continue to do what I do best: WRITE!

I've posted all the information about the Formatting Fairies here. I'm looking forward to working with my fellow authors to help them to maximize the myriad opportunities available to us today. I'll also be posting regular tips and pointers, gained from publishing 12 books on my own.

I moved some mountains this weekend on Season for Love, the next McCarthys of Gansett Island book. I'm really enjoying Laura and Owen's story as well as the subplots unfolding for some of our earlier couples. We'll meet some new characters and lay the groundwork for sizzling future romances. Fun, fun, fun as the island hunkers down for a long, cold, cozy winter.

We had dinner this weekend with one of my college friends, and afterward we went to play the slot machines at this ginormous gambling hall that is the first thing visitors to Newport see when they come off the bridge (cringe). I hadn't been in there since I was 17 and got caught (two months shy of 18) by one of my mother's friends, who promptly ratted me out to my mother. At that time, the building was devoted to Jai-Alai, a fast-paced game that's popular in Latin America. Now it's all slots, all the time. I hadn't played in so long, we had to ask how to do it. Sort of embarrassing! Being there reminded me of my late mother who LOVED to play the slots. She was never addicted or anything like that, but she never missed a chance to pull the handle. She'd hate the fact there are no more handles to pull. It's all buttons now, and no quarters to hear clinking into the tray when you win. She loved that part, too. We spent (lost) a grand total of $15 between us, but had lots of laughs in the process.

What did you do this weekend? Anything fun?

HOPING FOR LOVE, McCarthys of Gansett Island Book 5, Out TUESDAY!

I'm really excited to announce that Evan McCarthy's story, HOPING FOR LOVE, book 5 in the McCarthy Series, will be out this coming Tuesday! I think this might be my favorite of all the McCarthy books. I really enjoyed writing Evan and his love interest, Grace Ryan. Until he meets Grace, Evan is one of those toxic guys we all know to stay away from. He's out for a good time and a commitment-free life. Grace has recently undergone lap-band surgery and lost a lot of weight. She's venturing in the world of dating and men for the first time at 28. She's looking for a man, not an overgrown boy. Evan, who is immediately taken with her, realizes pretty quickly that he's going to have to make some big changes if he's to stand a chance with lovely Grace. Can he do it?

Read an excerpt from HOPING FOR LOVE.

Grace's character was fun to write because, among other things, she's an inappropriate laugher, like yours truly. Many of the stories Grace shares about her inappropriate laughter (wakes, funerals, weddings, etc.) are actually my stories, including an incident that occurs in a restaurant when she's out to dinner with Evan. Been there, done that, laughed about it. Like me, Grace has trigger words and trigger people who she can't make eye contact with in a tight spot. This was far more fun to write about than it is to live through!

Another thing you can expect in HOPING FOR LOVE is more of Owen Lawry and Laura McCarthy. I hadn't intended to give Owen and Laura their own book, but their story presented an opportunity in HOPING so SEASON FOR LOVE will follow HOPING. It will take us through winter on Gansett Island (even though it will be out this summer) and will include a wedding and an engagement in addition to Owen and Laura's story. After that, the series will skip forward to the following summer with Tiffany's book, LONGING FOR LOVE, followed by Adam McCarthy's story, LOOKING FOR LOVE. While I was writing HOPING, I had an idea for a follow-on series that would keep the action on Gansett for some time to come.

REMINDER: As a self-published author, I'm not able to offer this or any of my books for pre-order. The retailers don't provide that option yet. I hope someday they will. For now, I will do my best to have the book available by March 6, but please know that much of it is out of my hands once I upload the book.

I hope you enjoy Evan and Grace's story as much as I loved writing it!

Dear Diary: Back to Work, NYC, WIPs and The Oscars

Ahhhh, what's that I hear? The sound of silence? Well, not entirely... The kids are back to school after 10 days off, but Brandy and Louie are having their first morning wrestle and the guy is here to take the doors off the rooms in my house. The doors are the final frontier in the recent home renovation project. For nearly 10 years, we've lived in a house that has all different doors on all different rooms. I scratch my head wondering when that was ever in style. Umm, never? We've been saying we were going to do this job for ages and now, it's ON. So one final week (I hope) of disruption in the house before things really get back to normal.

Over the vacation, I took my kids to NYC for a few days. (Photo to the left was taken at the top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The building under construction to the right of the Empire State Building is the new World Trade Center tower.) We got very lucky with balmy weather that made walking around the city much more pleasant than it would normally be this time of year. The kids ice skated at Rockefeller Plaza, we went to the top of 30 Rock and my daughter got to see Jimmy Fallon practice his monologue. Funny story about the monologue... They were giving away tickets in the NBC Experience store, so we grabbed three and of course never looked at them. When Emily heard she was going to meet Jimmy Fallon (one of her favorite comedians), she had to go back to the hotel to shower and change. I thought that was really cute. She was like a giddy little kid, and I haven't seen her like that in a long time. We get back to NBC and we're told by a self-important security guard that Jake can't go in because he isn't 17. "Well," he mutters under his breath, "she isn't either." Okay, shut up now, please! Emily has always looked much older than she is, even though she won't be 17 until July. No one would argue if you said she was 20 or older. Jake, on the other hand, won't look 17 when he IS 17.

What was funny about the whole incident was that he was far more indignant about the crack to his age than he was about not getting to see Jimmy Fallon. So here I am in NYC with a major dilemma: do I let my kid go off by herself to see one of her favorite comedians or do we scuttle the whole thing? She was very good about it and said if Jake can't go in, I won't go either. Another mom standing in line with her two girls spoke up and offered to take Emily with them. She needed two more tickets to get her group in, so we gave her our tickets and she took custody of Emily, which was very comforting. I did tell her, "If you steal her, you deserve her, and she's VERY expensive to have around." The other mom, who was there with two teenage girls of her own, thought that was funny. I think she can relate! Of course it all worked out fine, and Emily actually exchanged words with Jimmy Fallon, which is the highlight of her life thus far. The other mom waited with her until we were reunited which was really great of her. While Emily was in the show, Jake said he would've been really bummed if she'd had to miss it because of him. There's hope for him yet, but he did tell me he "needed" a Coke to get him past the disappointment. Such an operator! One of my friends pointed out that letting Emily go off by herself in NYC was a good "dry run" for 18 months from now when I might be leaving her there for college. Sniff... I don't like to think about that!

Speaking of college, while we were in NYC, we toured NYU for Emily. I can sooooo see her there. Sigh... It's four hours by car from here, but a quick one-hour flight. She would have some amazing opportunities as an NYU student. Now we'll have to see about getting her in. I think it's great that she is seeing these schools now and realizing what she needs to do grade-wise for the rest of her junior year to make it happen. We also went to see the 911 Memorial. After living through that searing day, I wasn't all that keen on going to the memorial, but both kids really wanted to see it. In the end, I was glad I went. I think the memorial is beautiful and fitting and so incredibly sad. Have you seen the memorial? If so, what did you think? If not, would you want to?

Not much work got done while we were in NY, but over the weekend I wrote the first two chapters of McCarthy book 6, Season for Love. I needed to get the first chapter done so I can include it in the back of Hoping for Love. Season will feature Owen and Laura with snippets of stories for all the earlier couples as winter sets in on Gansett. It will show our island friends over the holidays with a wedding thrown in and possibly an engagement. Book 5, Hoping for Love, is off to the proofreader for a last look before it goes live in March. This week, I'll also be showing off the cover of Hoping for Love at the McCarthys of Gansett Island Reader Group on Facebook, so make sure you join the group for the first look at Evan and Grace's cover and to be the first to hear the release date.

This week, I'm back to work on Fatal Attack. Time to kick that book into high gear! I've also been chipping away at Duchess by Deception in my "spare" time. If you're keeping score at home, yes, that's three books currently in various stages in three different genres: contemporary, romantic suspense and historical. And you wonder why I worry about my head exploding?!

Finally, what did you think of the Oscars? I thought the show itself was a major SNORE. I hate all the stupid "bits" and the acrobats and other junk that sucks up time I'd rather see given to the winners so they aren't played off five seconds after they get on stage. Billy Crystal was just okay, in my opinion. Robert Downey Jr. was hilarious and should be next year's host. I was disappointed that my fellow Rhode Island native Viola Davis didn't win, but I love Meryl Streep, and as always, she was classy and perfect. (LOVED Collin Firth's Mama Mia comments. I don't know about you, but I could listen to him read the phone book. He's adorable!) I loved Meryl's dress, too. Normally, she's somewhat of a fashion disaster, but last night, she was spot on. Angelina, please keep your leg in your dress. We really don't care. I swear. Brad, love that you're sporting "The Rachel" these days. Nice tip of the hat to Jenn. The only nominated movie I saw was "The Descendants." I had soooo many issues with that movie and the plot (they're going to hunt down the mother's lover while she is DYING in the hospital? Really?), but I had no issue with two hours of George Clooney on the screen. Dreamy. I was thrilled to see Christopher Plummer win as well as Octavia Spencer. I'm looking forward to seeing "The Help." What did you think of the Oscars? Have you seen any of the movies? Which one is must-see?

Happy Monday!

Dear Diary: The Beautiful Thing About Ebooks

There are so many beautiful things about e-books. They are easily accessible, user friendly and never go out of print. They are available on a moment's notice and fit neatly on groovy devices we take with us everywhere we go. From the author's point of view, they are also easily updated, which is what I spent this morning doing. I updated the entire McCarthy series and created new files for the various retailers. I redid the Author's Note in each book to account for the fact that there will soon be five books in the series, and I updated the About the Author pages, as well as the reviews and list of available books to include new ones. It was a good "housekeeping" job that needed to be done. I'll also be refreshing the book descriptions on the various retail sites to include reviews, testimonials and a listing of the other books in the series. While all of this takes time and effort, I'm thrilled to be able to do it myself.

Speaking of housekeeping, I've just done a slight overhaul to my website. I've added a "Connect" button that lists all the ways readers can connect with me, from this blog to the reader groups on Facebook to Twitter and beyond. I've added a "Reviews" link to keep all my reviews in one central place, and we added a tab for the Treading Water Trilogy. The website is always a work in progress, so if there's anything you'd like to see there that I've missed, just let me know. On the back end, my lovely web guy Dan helped me to set up a sidebar feature that will allow me to make a single update to the sidebar that will then show up on every page. That might seem like a small thing, but as the site grows, it's a huge time saver to be able to hit every page with one update. It's the little things that make my life easier!

On the writing front, I hit 12,000 words on Fatal Attack yesterday. It was one of those perfect days when everything is firing on all cylinders. That book is off to a great start and the hardest part—the set up—is done now. I got to write a really fun Sam and Nick at home scene last night that I loved. I so enjoying hanging out with them. At this point they feel like old friends, and I know them so well that writing them gets easier all the time. The hardest part of the Fatal books is always the police investigation portion. I like where that part of Fatal Attack is heading. While at the gym yesterday (let there be no wasted time), I figured out the nuts and bolts of what will be the book after Attack, Fatal Mistake. That one is going to have a sports theme to it, and I'm looking forward to writing that. I'm also plugging away on my historical, Duchess by Deception, and thinking about the opening chapter of Season for Love, book 6 in the McCarthys of Gansett Island Series. I'll need to do that opening chapter soon so I can include it in the back of book 5, Hoping for Love, when that's released in March. So, there's a lot going on inside my poor tired brain, but it's all good and I'm having so much fun!

The new dog Louie seems to be settling in well. It's amazing how fast he and Brandy have worked out things like whose bowl is whose, who is allowed on what portion of the sofa, who I belong to (BRANDY, if you ask her, and LOUIE, if you ask him) and various other pack details. I posted a video of them playing tug of war with one of their toys last night. They sound like cute little one-horsepower motors! Since we're still training Louie on the invisible fence, we're not letting him run free in the yard yet, so we have to walk him out to his rope on the tree (hopefully, for just another day or two). One thing I have noticed about him is for a skinny little 39-pound dude, he is FREAKISHLY strong. Yesterday, I was bringing him in, lost my balance and ended up face down on the cement porch with skinned knees and a bruised elbow. I imagine it was quite a sight for any passing motorists! I managed to hang on to him as I recovered my senses, but it was a lesson to make sure I'm being careful where he's concerned. He's small but scrappy! I also discovered today, much to Dan's dismay, that Louie is a digger. Brandy went through a fierce digging phase that has only recently ended. Poor Dan...he fights a losing battle with the grass and the digging dogs are not good for growing grass. I see a lecture from Dad in poor Louie's future... I wonder if he will listen?

Song I can't get out of my head: still Set Fire to the Rain by Adele. Day five.... My family is going to shoot me any minute.

Who I love on American Idol: Phillip Phillips. My daughter predicts he will win. What do you say?

Looking forward to: More Idol as well as Grey's and Private Practice tonight

Hope you're having a great day!
xoxo
Marie

Dear Diary: Launch Day and Other News!

Happy Launch Day for FATAL FLAW, book 4 in the Fatal Series! Sam and Nick are back with a whole new adventure.

Back from their honeymoon, Senator Nick Cappuano and D.C. Police Lieutenant Sam Holland are ready for some normalcy after the whirlwind of their wedding, but someone has other plans for them. When Sam discovers wedding cards containing thinly veiled death threats, she's not sure if she or Nick is the target.

Already on edge, Sam and her team start investigating a series of baffling murders. The victims are well-liked with no known enemies, and the murders are carried out in a clean and efficient manner. Unable to find a clear motive for the deaths, she feels like she's chasing her tail.

With no obvious connection between the victims, Sam soon suspects that she may be the ultimate prize in the killer's clever game. When the danger starts to hit a little too close to home, she has two goals: find the elusive murderer and manage to live long enough to enjoy her happily ever after.

Read an excerpt!

Get it at:
Kindle/Amazon
Nook/Barnes & Noble
iPad/Apple
Kobo
Carina Press
All Romance E-books


Audio Book
Audible
iTunes

I'm really excited to get this one out to readers. I finished it back in July, and it's been hard to keep quiet about everything that happens in this new book. When you're done reading, join the reader chat at Fatal Flaw Readers Group on Facebook. But don't join the group until you're done reading since we'll be spilling spoilers over there.

My lovely beta readers, Ronlyn and Kara, who love to tease me about everything they can think of, reminded me last night about some of the off-color names I had for Fatal Flaw during the writing. I can't repeat any of them here, but suffice to say this book put me through the paces. For the first time in 20 books, I rewrote the entire first chapter when I was three-quarters of the way through. Something just wasn't working, so Ronlyn, Kara and I put our heads together and discovered the story had a... wait for it.... FATAL FLAW! LOL! Once we figured that out and I redid the first chapter, it was smooth sailing to THE END. I learned a lot writing this particular book, and I think it'll be easier to write future Fatal books knowing what I do now. Let's hope so anyway!

In other news from this weekend, HOPING FOR LOVE, book 5 in the McCarthys of Gansett Island Series, is now finished! I love the way Evan and Grace's story came together. It was so fun to write Evan as he resisted the overwhelming feelings he had for Grace until he could no longer deny that his life as a single guy is O-V-E-R. It couldn't have happened to a better man, and Grace is a lucky girl to have one of the McCarthy brothers madly in love with her! I had planned to write Tiffany's book next, but over the weekend I decided I might do a "winter on Gansett" book before I get to Tiff. I'm toying with the name SEASON FOR LOVE for this one. Let me ask you this: How do you feel about reading a Christmas-related story when it's not Christmas on the calendar? I'd love to hear your thoughts on that!

For my fellow New England Patriots fans out there, I have one word for us all: OUCH. That one hurt. They didn't look like our usual Patriots last night with the receivers missing more than they caught. While there is always next year, I plan to lick my wounds for a few more days anyway! How about you?

News on my latest addiction: Downton Abbey. If you aren't watching this show, you're missing out on some great TV. I realized this weekend that Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) is the same guy who didn't recognize Julia Roberts' character Anna as a huge movie star in Notting Hill. Loved that scene! Today I found season 2 of Downton online and started watching the two-hour season premier. After an hour, I had to LITERALLY drag myself away and get to work. It's that good. Do you watch it?

Well, back to work promoting FATAL FLAW and proofing HOPING FOR LOVE. I'm also planning to do some work this week on my historical romance in the making: DUCHESS BY DECEPTION. Did I tell you my agent LOVED the first half? Now I just need to finish it up, and I can't wait to get to that as well as the next Fatal book, FATAL ATTACK. Busy, busy!  Hope you have a wonderful Monday!