Hot Chocolate Disaster

We had our first snowfall of the season last night and today it is cold outside. It's left me craving hot chocolate as I work through the first round of edits on Firebird 2.

In the afternoon, I decided to take a brief break to make hot chocolate on the stove. Midway through I get an idea to fix a broken piece I've been struggling with. 

I leave the chocolate to type up the words. Shortly after, I smell burning milk. Run back to the kitchen to find the hot chocolate boiling over and the source of the smell. 

The chocolate was burned and ruined. I had to start again. Second time, the hot chocolate made it through successfully, but the stove is a giant mess.

You would think I'd learn, having done this a time or two. Every time I promise myself it's just one sentence, but then I get caught up and forget that you shouldn't leave things on an active stove. 

Learn from my mistakes. Don't write and cook.

Home Again

I love traveling, but there's something about coming home. My cats, my bed, not living out of a suitcase. It is all glorious.

We got home late Thursday evening, and I am finally getting over jet lag. Of course, that's mostly because I've been sleeping ten hours every night since I got home. Turns out missing a lot of sleep and a time change comes due eventually. I feel the older I get, the longer it takes to recover. At least it wasn't a week this time.

We battled some serious bad weather, which meant we didn't get to do many of the things we wanted, including hiking and an island hopping tour. Still, we have some awesome stories about my mom nearly getting blown off a mountain in Isle of Skye and the hail and sleet that made visibility difficult. It seemed every time we got out of the car for a hike or to see the sights, it started raining and the wind picked up.

Despite that, we had a blast. I discovered I actually do like gin and tonics, especially with the tonic water they use in Scotland. I think I had one every night we were there. While we didn't get to hike as much as we'd like, what we did do was gorgeous. Photos are below for those interested.

I'm finally starting to get back into the swing of things with the writing. I actually did 4000 words in Firebird 2 yesterday, and I have a relatively clear picture of the ending I want. (It's shifted several times now, so I'm only cautiously excited in case it changes again.) Now, it's just a matter of implementing that vision. Easier said than done.

This book has been difficult to write. One of the drawbacks of knowing a story line that arches over several books is you don't always know what goes in what book. In my head, scenes are a jumble and not always in the order they need to be. That means a good part of this book was finding out how everything fit together. I'm on the right track now, but it took way longer than I wanted it to.

Bonus, a small chunk of the third or fourth book is written, but that means I have to create new content for this one. As a result, it's looking like Firebird 2 won't be released until beginning of next year. That's not set in stone. There is still a chance I might bring this in under deadline, but I have no plans to rush through the writing and editing process. This book needs to be right, and I think I'm finally on that path. It helps when you trust yourself and stop worrying about all the minutia.

Wayfarer's Keep Audio

I'm excited to announce the audio book for Wayfarer's Keep will be available on Oct. 15. For now, you can preorder on Audible.

Audible

The Wind's Call Is Live

The Wind's Call is out! 

Find it at your favorite retailer.

Amazon

Kobo

Barnes and Noble

Itunes

Scarred by her past; defined by her future.

Eva is a herd mistress without a herd. A tagalong by her own definition. Not thrown away by her people, but rather someone who created a new life for herself when the old one died.

When she rescues one of the mysterious winged horses, a creature straight out of myth, from those who would enslave him, Eva opens the door to something her chosen people want more than anything else. An alliance.

Now, sent deep into the Highlands and guarded by one of the Warlord's most trusted warriors, Eva will have to brave the terrors that wait there. Someone is sowing the seeds of dissent upon which war turns. Failure will lead to death, but success may bring revelations she's not ready to face.

The balance of power is shifting in the Broken Lands. Those who survive will need to adapt quickly to the ever-changing landscape. Choosing her friends wisely has never been so important.

Rules of Redemption Audio Book

Time has slipped right by me. I can't believe it's already Sept. 18, which means the audio book for Rules of Redemption is out! Head over to your favorite retailer to check it out.

Audible

Google Play

Kobo

The war everyone thought was over is just beginning.

Kira Forrest is a survivor. She's risen above the pain of her beginnings to become a war hero only to leave it all behind in the pursuit of a simple life. Now a salvager, she makes a living sifting through the wreckage of dead alien ships from a war that nearly brought humanity to its knees.

After her ship takes damage, she's forced to re-route to a space station where her past and present collide with dangerous consequences.

Kira's existence holds the key to a faltering peace treaty with the Tuann - a technologically advanced alien race who dislikes and distrusts all humans. Winning her freedom should be easy, but a powerful and relentless Tuann warrior stands in her way. Deceiving him seems impossible, especially when he strays dangerously close to secrets she struggles to hide.

Can Kira reconcile the pain of her past with the possibilities of her future? The fate of two races depends on her success.

ARC

The ARCs for The Wind's Call are ready. We're doing it a little bit different this time. Head over to the link below for a chance to sign up for a copy. The book will be out Sept. 25.

ARC Signup

The Wind's Call

I'm excited to announce The Wind's Call - book 4 of the Broken Lands - is now up for preorder on Amazon. The other stores will follow closer to the release. It will be available on Sept. 25.

This book turned out a little differently than I'd planned. I had a lot of fun revisiting this world and exploring it from a different angle. Seeing some of the characters from Eva's viewpoint was fascinating and I'm excited to introduce you to a few new faces.

I hope you guys enjoy this new adventure as much as I did. Happy Reading!

The Wind's Call

Scarred by her past; defined by her future.

Eva is a herd mistress without a herd. A tagalong by her own definition. Not thrown away by her people, but rather someone who created a new life for herself when the old one died.

When she rescues one of the mysterious winged horses, a creature straight out of myth, from those who would enslave him, Eva opens the door to something her chosen people want more than anything else. An alliance.

Now, sent deep into the Highlands and guarded by one of the Warlord’s most trusted warriors, Eva will have to brave the terrors that wait there. Someone is sowing the seeds of dissent upon which war turns. Failure will lead to death, but success may bring revelations she’s not ready to face.

The balance of power is shifting in the Broken Lands. Those who survive will need to adapt quickly to the ever-changing landscape. Choosing her friends wisely has never been so important.

Prologue