My favorite time of year is on its way, and I am excited. I can feel it in the air, and even smell it when I step outside in the morning. When we were on the road last week you could barely see the trees starting to turn. What am I so excited about. you ask? FALL! Otherwise known as AUTUMN. I love the chillier months because that means I can get my snuggly blankets out. I can wear my hats and scarves and drink my hot chocolate and sit by the fire. And it also means I don't have to keep the bug spray out. YAY!!!! What season do you like the most???

UPDATES

I'm still working on my two projects. I had planned on releasing my romance sometime this fall, but I might need to wait until after the first of the year. I'm seeing a ton of seasonal books, Halloween and Christmas stories already coming out and I don't want to get into mix with them since mine isn't seasonally based. 

But I am SO excited to reveal the cover(ONLY HERE) I haven't finished the blurb for the back so I'm only revealing the front cover. But I just love it. It conveys so much of the feel of the story just in the scene and I LOVE the colors. 

For the last book of the Dalton Skies series, I haven't gotten the final cover back from the publisher. We kind of had a hiccup with that, so I'm a bit anxious about the cover. We haven't gotten a release date for that story but I do know it will be after the first of the year. But just to give you a tiny hint of what might be in store...planes and men in suits are definitely a part of the story! 

So to recap...the plan is LOST TREASURE then the final story for Dalton Skies then sometime in the summer I am hoping to release the fist book in the Elena Shores series. 

NEW RELEASES, SALES, and REVEALS

FREEBIE ALERT TODAY ONLY

This book is SO good!

AND COMING SOON

If you enjoy reading seasonal books you might want to check this one out from Taylor Delong.

 WHOA! September snuck up on me. I've been deep in my editing cave working on my next two projects and if all goes well, I will have one ready to go before the end of the year. 

                                             AUGUST HAPPENINGS

I have to say, even though August was BUSY, it was so much fun. I had two book signings. BookMeRomance in Ft. Smith Arkansas was the first. It was absolutely fabulous, and I finally got to meet Vic Leigh! We both are from Oklahoma and we've been anxious to meet each other. Unfortunately, I was so awestruck, I didn't get a photo. But, here is her latest release. 

I also attended The Lubbock Literacy Festival at the end of the month and let me tell you, they went above and beyond to make the authors feel special. We were fed breakfast lunch and dinner and there were volunteers and waitstaff that were always there if we needed a drink or a bathroom break. 

I got to finally meet Shannon Myers 

and picked up this bad boy!

And Jen Simmons and I finally got to hang out too. Both these ladies are absolutely the sweetest people. As you can see from my expression, Jen is absolutely hilarious and so are her books. 

I HIGHLY recommend this one.

                            UPDATES

As I was saying earlier, I have been working on a couple of projects. This fall I hope to finally release the first book I wrote, a stand alone romance.

That's right, Dalton Skies, 24 to Life, was actually not my first novel. I've been sitting on this story for just the right time to release it. NOW IS THE TIME! Or sometime this fall at least.

Question: Do you have a childhood friend that you still think about? Wonder whatever happened to them?

Owen Cramer was reeling from the loss of his hero and wondering how he was going to navigate life without the person he was closest to, his dad. But just as he started to lose all hope that everything would work out, a blast from his past appeared in the form of a woman with honey colored curls and light green eyes. 

Bahn Jackson returned to her childhood home to reunite with her best friend who she hadn't seen in over a decade. But she wasn't prepared for the man she found. As they reminisced about the adventures  they'd shared as kids, they began to realize the connection they had was  more than just a childhood friendship. 

But assumptions were made that opened painful wounds and threatened to tear not only their budding relationship apart but the friendship they'd rekindled. Add in the thousands of miles that separated them and they were left wondering if they should have let the past stay in the past. But Love knows better! 

The last novel of Dalton Skies is currently at the publishers. Hopefully, it will be moving forward to the next step toward being published. I am hoping it will be released sometime in early 2025 and with it, the Dalton Skies series will be done. 

But never fear.....I have a new series in the works. I'm hoping to have the first book in the series ready to go by summer. How's that. And guess what? There are easter eggs tying all the books to each other...just for fun. 

                FUNNY STORIES FROM THE SMALL TOWN 

                                DALTON POLICE FORCE

"You're late," Cody chided as Mitch strolled up to the counter at 24 to Life. 

"Had to work a B and E this morning."

"Damn. I thought we had all our crime issues behind us. Who got broken into?"

Mitch chuckled. "Well, technically it was just the entering. There was no breaking because the window was open. Grandpa Dale called first thing this morning. Said he had an intruder that broke into his car. When I got there he was standing a few feet away from his prized Chevelle, pointing at the open door.  It kind of struck me as odd but I approached the car, gun ready. As I got closer I saw some movement and that's when I realized our intruder wasn't of the human kind. A young buck with a few points had somehow jumped through the open window and got his antlers caught in the steering wheel. Took Dale and I almost thirty minutes to free him. Every time I nearly had him free, he twisted and wedged himself back in the wheel. After I finally got his antlers out of the steering wheel he just sat there staring at me like he didn't want to leave. I swear if we would have given him the keys he would have stolen the car." 

            New Releases and Pre-Orders

Being stranded with your enemy on a deserted island could be tricky. Might need to carry a big stick, or at least be able throw it well. 

Claire Kingsley is releasing the third book in the Haven series September 12th. I already have it on pre-order.

And finally this beauty will be releasing September 24th. I had the opportunity to read this also and it is absolutely FABULOUS!!!!

 

RECAP

WOW!!! July just whizzed right by. We were busy busy busy. I had the opportunity to travel to Tucson in mid July. It was.....HOT! But I love it out there. The scenery is just so cool! The first time I went to Arizona I had this idea that it was going to be flat with a lot of sand. I was surprised by the beautiful city, mountainous terrain and of course the Saguaro cactus. I spent most of the day hanging out at our hotel and...writing!

When we got home we had just enough time to wash our clothes before we hopped in the truck and headed south to Austin! Our son, Drew, owns his own production company called The Direct Line LLC and a movie short he wrote and directed was nominated for Best Short Film in Texas and was also showcased at the historic Paramount Theater in Austin. It was so cool to see his movie up on the big screen and hear the entire theater laughing and clapping. I was a proud momma. 

Once we got home we were visited by our grandson. So far we've been to the zoo, the aquarium, the pool and the discovery lab.  It's hot this week so we are trying to find some more fun indoor activities. 

WHAT'S UP FOR AUGUST?

Life hasn't slowed down yet. Next stop is Andover Massachusetts. I'll be dropping the grandson off at his new home. My daughter was offered an amazing job, so they are off on a new adventure. I've never been to Massachusetts so I am excited to see the area, but it is a bit of a bittersweet trip. My daughter and her family have been living about ninety miles away for the last couple of years. Now, they will be fifteen hundred miles away! But since it's an area I've never been in, I can't wait to explore all the states in the northeast. I'm sure I will find tons of places to write about.

AND SPEAKING OF WRITING

    We are getting closer to the release of the final story in Dalton Skies. I've signed the contract, submitted the manuscript, and filled out all the required forms to get the design process started for the cover. YAY! I should get my first edits back any day.

But...In the mean time...I've been working on another project that I'm hoping to release sometime in the fall. This story is a straight up romance about two best friends who get torn apart as kids and are reunited years later.  This is actually the first book that I completed and I've held onto it trying to decide whether to publish it or not. Guess what???? I'm doing it! Lost Treasure is at the editor as we speak. The cover is being designed. And there are a couple of easter eggs within the story just for fun.

And speaking of NEW stories, I've just completed the first book of my new series. Elena Shores will be coming, hopefully beginning in the summer of 2025. Don't hold me to that. The series is based in the beach town of Elena, Florida and revolves around the McCall family.  This series will be another romantic suspense/mystery series and I am so excited to bring it to you. I've already written a couple of stories and I've got several that are in the works. 

BOOK SIGNINGS

August 17th at the Ft. Smith Arkansas Bakery District

August 24th at the Overton Hotel in Lubbock, Tx

NEW RELEASES, COVER REVEALS and SALES

Fill your summer with a great series 

The Pink Club series by Emma Bruce

Debut from Juliet McKinley on sale for .99

Small Town

Brothers Best friend

Slowburn

Rockstar

Contemporary

What's up for July?

Y'all, it's the dog days of summer in Oklahoma. I don't like the heat beating down, and forecasters are saying the heat index is like 115, which translates to being on the surface of the sun I think. I'm all about the great outdoors. I enjoy hiking and exploring, but not when the heat burns your nose when you inhale. 

Writing Updates

I had a slight hiccup along the way to publishing the last book of Dalton Skies but I can now say, IT IS ON THE WAY! I've got a signed contract and I am currently working on getting the cover put together. The next step is edits. I can't wait to bring you this story. It may or may not take you to far away places...just sayin.

and...

I may or may not be working on another project that I am hoping to have done this fall. It is actually the first book I wrote. So if you have an idea of what the story might be about, send me a message through the newsletter sign up, and you will be in the running for an AMAZON gift card! 

Come See Me

Book Me Romance

August 17th

Ft. Smith Arkansas

Bakery District

Lubbock Book Festival

August 24th

Overton Hotel Conference Center

New Releases

Hard Hat Hottie by LM Fox

➡️ Universal Amazon order link: https://geni.us/HardHatHottiePL

👷🏻‍♂️Curvy strong-willed single mother

👷🏻‍♂️ Lovable blue collar cinnamon roll

👷🏻‍♂️ He falls first

👷🏻‍♂️ Small town beach romance

👷🏻‍♂️ Found family

👷🏻‍♂️ Crossover characters from Hot Chicken

👷🏻‍♂️ An angsty, emotional, sweet and spicy  with a guaranteed HEA💝

Cover Reveal

The Wrong Sister, An arranged marriage romance - Strangers to Enemies to Lovers - Grumpy x Sunshine - Billionaire MMC - Arranged marriage - Romcom with LOL moments - Alpha hero - Forced proximity - One bed - Soft only for her Pre-order here https://geni.us/TheWrongSister

Trying Something New

                                                                     Introducing 

                                      

Several years ago I started a blog called Unexpected Passions simply to share my thoughts on  life experience.

As I ventured into the life of an author, my blog took a back burner as I let my imagination take hold, and Dalton Skies came to life. 

Now, with the last book in the series in the process of being published, I'm stepping out and trying some new. I'm taking my old blog and turning it into a monthly newsletter. If it does well, I might make it more often, but for now, until I can find someone to help with my social media stuff, I'll start with monthly.

                                                                        UPDATES

Things are moving forward for book 6 of Dalton Skies. Contracts have been signed so I'm just waiting to start the publishing process. 

I'm also working on an Indie project that I'm very excited about. It will still be available just like all the rest of my books but this one might even have a couple of other options. I'll be releasing more information soon!

                                                          RECOMMENDATIONS 

                                                                

                                                                        New Release

Meghan Quinn just released the fifth installment of the Vancouver Agitators. I've read the first four books and they have kept me fanning myself part of the time and giggling the other part. 

                                                        

Kelly Seibold's HEALING series

 The series is now complete and I absolutely love every single story.

Heal Me was released in April and just like the cover, It was HOT!!!!

You know what they say about ASSUMING

 It's been a hot minute since I wrote something in my blog. I've been off in my fictional la la land where I can escape the worries of the world...or at least correct them. 

But I was reading a story recently that just had me hit pause for a moment and take to my blog, because honestly, my heart hurts from what I see happening. It's nothing new really. We make assumptions every single day. But are we right every single time? No. And do we come to the assumption in the mindset of love...or hate? 

It seems in this day and time, more and more it leans the latter being true. We are way too quick to assume someone is doing something to hurt us or offend us or sway us.

Here's a little story- This happened to a family member of mine recently. After buying a few groceries at the store, they were leaving, and saw someone coming into the store, so they pulled their items out of their cart and left it for the person coming in as a courtesy. But the man that came through the door started yelling at them. "Are you too lazy to put the cart away?"

Where did their assumption come from? Love or Hate

Here's another story that happened to me. I went to work out at the gym. I'm always pretty observation while I'm working out, to make sure I'm not moving in on someone's equipment while they are doing their circuit. 

I noticed a specific piece of equipment, I wanted to use, was empty except it had weights on the bar and a bench beneath it. There was no one around that looked like they were using the equipment so I moved the weights and bench and adjusted the bar. As I'm doing my exercise, I hear an irate voice behind me say, "I wasn't done with that."

I finished my set and apologized. I said, "I'm sorry,. I didn't see anyone around the equipment so I figured the stuff just got left." 

He told me he'd gone to the bathroom. I apologized again and offered to help him reset his stuff but he declined. We both basically made assumptions. I tried to respond in kindness while he was less than kind. Later, I went back and apologized again and his attitude had changed. He apologized for barking at me, I guess realizing there was no way for me to know he wasn't done with his sets.

In the story I read, someone made several assumptions about someone else based off how they were raised. Every single assumption they made was wrong. 

We always think our assumptions are right. But what if they aren't? We will not be right every time so when we go into an argument or confrontation with someone, how should we approach? If we approach in a kind, loving manner, does it not stand to reason that we might have a better resolution. If we went into a confrontation or discussion trying to see things from the other person's perspective, would it not be easier to understand where they are coming from? 

There is so much information out there in the world these days, it seems every subject has opposing sides and it is hard to determine what is factual and what isn't. So whatever we've heard or read, we need to realize that we may have our 'facts' wrong.

Everybody has their beliefs and I think we all have a right to believe what we want to. Heck on the news recently, they said they have concrete proof that there are aliens out in our galaxy and some have come to earth......

And when people spout off their beliefs most of the time they aren't doing it to be mean or confrontational, they are doing it to have confirmation that they are on the right track. So the best thing to assume at the end of the day is ......Positive Intent........it won't happen every time, but if we approach with understanding and kindness, instead of returning the attack, maybe just maybe we can change the outcome.

It's Your Choice

 Decisions Decisions Decisions! Life is full of them. Some are easy, like, what to make for lunch. Oh wait, that one is kind of hard. How about, whether to brave the 110 degree heat and go for a walk or stay inside in the air conditioning. No brainer. I will pick the A/C over sweat. 

Your life IS the decisions you make. Chances are you have made a few good ones and a few bad ones. There are some curveballs thrown in there, that might be unexpected but how you deal with those curveballs, again, is a decision you have to make and it will affect the course of your life. 

I can think of tons of choices that I've made both good and bad. Here are just a few that have brought about huge changes in my life.

I've always heard that in life you can choose to be the Villain, the Victim or the Hero.

I never wanted to be the Villain. Most people don't choose that path. I always wanted to be the hero. I like helping people. But there were times I played the part of the victim. Everyone has those moment of "why me." Unfortunately, some have more of those moments than others. But in those moments, after a brief intermission of losing my mind totally, I chose to search for a way out. I never liked the feeling of being helpless so I chose to have the mindset of "things will get better." But in those moments, I knew I couldn't just sit there and wait for the better time to happen. I had to pick myself up and put one foot in front of the other. 

It was the same when tragedy struck. After losing my father, my step-father and my best friend, I could say I've had some tragedy in my life and I might even have the right to be a bit bitter. I could have easily let it consume me.

But, I choose to remember the good memories, not the bad. Yes, in some of the hard times I've faced, bad memories sneak in from time to time but again, the choice is there whether to let it take hold or take flight.

We've all had times in our lives that are bad memories. Times when we've felt less than perfect. I could rattle off tons of accidents I had,(I was a bit accident prone), embarrassing moments, things I said and wish I could take back, and days where I've just felt like I should have stayed in bed. They all creep into my thoughts and I shudder. But instead of crawling into bed and pulling the covers over my head thinking I'm a lost cause, I chose to live with it.

Yep, I'm awkward. And guess what, someone fell in love with that fly by the seat of my pants, awkward redhead.

Which leads me to my next choice. I chose my hubby. Well it wasn't all my choice, he had to choose me too, but this one was a big decision. It was a definite LIFE CHANGING choice and I knew it going into it. The decision to love someone for the rest of your life is not easy and sometimes I think we forget we chose to love that person. Life gets in the way, with jobs and kids and before you know it you are just basically living with them and trying to survive. The love you had when you married, that you promised in your vows, suddenly is a distant thought. You didn't vow to survive with the person, you vowed to love them. It's a choice.

Love them like the day you married them. Crush on them. Adore them. You'd be amazed at what comes back to you.

And while you are choosing to love, choose to love everyone. Most people will say, well I already do that but for me, in the era I was raised in, I am finding, I didn't. Just being honest. I can make excuses like I didn't learn the truth in school or it was how everyone was raised around that time but the good thing is, I realized I was being judgmental against people and I chose to stop. The truth is, we all need love. We all have stuff going on in our lives that no one knows about and just a side-eye can tear someone apart but a simple smile and hello can make their day. So why not choose to put a smile on someone's face.

There's a boomerang effect when you choose the positive, when you choose to smile, when you choose to love. Others feel it and it bounces right back to you.

OLD

      What exactly is old? How exactly do you measure it? If you are fifty are you old? Does the moniker come when you start getting Medicare or collecting Social Security? 

      I thought about it, and quite honestly, I don't want to be old. I'm over fifty and closer to sixty and I really don't want to ever get to the point where I say, "I'm old." 

      I think old is just a mindset and I would much rather be called childish than old. People say maturity and wisdom comes with age. But to me, when people start having the mindset of being old, too often than not, they give up. They start believing they can't do things because they're "OLD."

     I think that's a load of horse poop. It's all about what you think you can and cannot do and if you believe you can do it chances are you can. 

     None of us know how long we have on this big blue marble and no one has a clue what "OLD" is, so how come some people just pick a date and say, "I'm done. I'm old. Time to stop having fun." I just don't get it. Why not choose to LIVE until the very moment you take your last breath. 

 

Run circles around someone half your age.

Grab an ice cream and drive the drag in your convertible.

                                                                                        

 Play a prank on your best buddy.

                  Take a long bike ride.

Oh and one of the worst ones is, "I'm too old to love." What's with that? That, my friends, is just an excuse. No one is too old to love. We need to get over the whole 'OLD MARRIED COUPLE' thing. We all can have a love like a hot romance novel if we set our mind to it.

                           

      In fact, we CAN do anything with the right mindset. We are never too old. 

And if you are worried about the fact that you don't have the body of a twenty year old or that your looks have long gone because you are OLD, think again. These people didn't let age stop them. 

You don't have to either!

T

The more I think about it, the more it bothers me when people say, "you can't fight getting old." 

My comeback is, "Watch me."