Saturday, October 29, 2011

Once Upon a Consignment Shop...

...I came across a beautiful poncho that I just had to take home!

We were actually on our way to a festival when I spotted a store called My Big Sister's Closet and asked my husband to pull over. Like a typical woman, I can go into a shop and browse without any intention of buying.

But then I saw this little baby.

A combination of rayon (which is one of my favorite fabrics--I love the way it touches you) and polyester, this is perfect paired with a black skirt or black dress pants. I already wore it with boots, but as my great friend & fellow author Phyllis Bourne suggested, it would be perfect with a slinky pair of heels, too! Plus, you gotta love something with sequins. I love the poncho's flair for drama, its daring blend of colors, and the fact that it looks like something an actress would wear onto the Broadway stage or a fairytale character would wear while traipsing through a magical forest. Besides, who says 50+ women can't be blingy?

And it was a steal for under $20.

If you've got a My Big Sister's Closet by you, drop in and have a look around. You might just find something that will make a statement about you, too.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Excerpt from GLIMMERS OF HEAVEN

Her heart began to pound hard again when he closed in the space between them. He removed his own helmet and held it under his arm at his side.

"I think you should know," he began. "I think of you as a friend..."

Hayley blinked twice. Her hopes were about to be dashed. "I do, too. I think of you as a friend, too--"

"But I think of you as...more, too. And I want to know if you feel that way about me, too. Because if you don't, then I understand. But I want to know--"

"I think of you this way."

Reaching up slightly to compensate for the difference in their height, she let her lips find his. It was a soft kiss, lingering only enough for her mouth to be pressed up against his, and still for a small, sweet kiss, it felt like it was packed with all her emotion. She was the one to draw away slowly, and it almost hurt physically to do so.

Zach moved toward her slightly, as if he were about to steal another kiss from her, but he stopped himself.

"That's what I wanted to know." He grinned and pulled the helmet back on. "I gotta get back to the church. See what's up. Can I call you later?"

"Please. I hope everything's okay."

Then, as he backed the Harley away from the curb, he winked at her again and blew her a kiss, prompting her to blow a kiss back at him.

She was still dancing on air when she entered her apartment. After tossing her purse in its usual spot, in the corner by the bookshelf in the living room, she saw the red light blinking on her telephone. That was when she realized what she'd done...

Get GLIMMERS OF HEAVEN for your Kindle or Nook!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Got Nook?



Good! Because now GLIMMERS OF HEAVEN, my new Christian inspirational romance novella, is available for the Barnes & Noble Nook as well as the Kindle!

And since I didn't make this clear in my last post, please note that this is my first self-published book. In the past I've always worked with traditional (print) publishers in addition to ebook publishers, and I'll be doing that again.

But there are stories that I've wanted to write that I wasn't able to find just the right home for, and that includes my inspirational work, which mostly found publication only in magazines. The interesting thing is that I began my career with a Christian novel, Crystal Waves, a book that was never published. Over the years I wanted to write for that market, but I then found another couple of markets that I enjoyed writing for, the romance and YA genres, and I never did write another inspirational novel. It's almost like I've come full circle now.

Because, with the advent of the ebook readers and the success of many an indie author, I decided to give it a go. Needless to say, self-publishing is a lot of work. I have the advantage of having worked as a magazine editor, so I also served as the editor for Glimmers of Heaven. The cover employs my own photography and design. In the future I may contract a professional for that area, but with this being my first venture in self-publishing, I'm content with the results.

My next book, which I have already begun to work on, will also be a genre that I have wanted to work in for some time. I don't anticipate completing that book for a few months, so it may not be available until early next year. I'm very excited about that, but I want to assure my readers that I will continue to write for the romance market, as I always have.

For now, enjoy Glimmers of Heaven and I'll be putting up an excerpt sometime this week!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

New Book: GLIMMERS OF HEAVEN



Available now on Kindle--GLIMMERS OF HEAVEN! This is my first short Christian romance and it also happens to be my first self-published book, so I'm particularly excited about this new baby. This week, I'll also be making it available on Barnes & Noble for all you Nook fans out there. So if you've got a Kindle or a Nook and you're looking for a sweet inspirational romance with a lot of heart (and some city flavor!), put GLIMMERS OF HEAVEN on there!


And coming soon, a little snippet of this story, my newest book!