Novelista

There's a book on my desk! Disturbance , the thriller anthology from Laurel Highlands Publishing, arrived today via UPS.  And inside: My story, All That Lies , is on page 73. When shots riddle her house and her husband, Lacy discovers her life of lies and needs all the strength she can muster to hold on to the truth. Disturbance is available on Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Google Play , Apple , etc.

The first three books of the World In-between series, The World In-between , Bow of the Moon , and Secrets of the Sages have been boxed together in preparation for this year’s release of book four, Whispers . The World In-between Series follows the life of a modern man who enters a portal, discovering the realm of magic where myths, lore, and fairy tales reside. Book 1: The World In-between Berty Chase gets caught in the battle for magic, invoking ancient magic that changes his life and the lives of those around him forever. Book 2: Bow of the Moon Trying to restore order in the Empire causes Berty to join the race for the legendary Bow of the Moon and its bearer. Book 3: Secrets of the Sages Revealing ancient magical secrets begins to unravel the world as Berty knows it, possibly losing everything and everyone he loves. The World In-between Series Books 1, 2, and 3 box set is only available as an e-book at Amazon . 

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration.  But, for me, crafting three short stories in one year, while I write a subplot heavy novel, is a triumph of pen prowess. My latest takes place in the real, modern world.  All That Lies focuses on a woman who has been tossed into the crosshairs of two competing global organizations.  When shots riddle her house and her husband, she discovers her life of lies and needs all the strength she can muster to hold on to the truth. This story is for Laurel Highlands Publishing ’s thriller anthology , Disturbance .  When thinking about what to write for the anthology, I consulted my Story Ideas Folder. That folder holds pieces of paper on which I have written general ideas, outlines, first lines, skeletal scenes, and other story related stuff (technical term).  After leafing through, I pulled a sheet from the file.  The first story I began writing didn’t want to work within a 3,000 to 5,000 word limit....

You can’t write an epic fantasy series without having a sense of history.  The histories and other backgrounds are not always explored in the main books.  Thank goodness for companion stories. The Dragonlands is a World In-between Series companion story that tells the story of how the Dragonlands came to be filled with Dragons. The short story provides a background for events in Book 1 ( The World In-between ) of the series and converges with Book 4 ( Whispers ), which will be released later this year. The Dragonlands includes a bonus sneak peek of Whispers (The World In-between Book 4) and an overview of the series as a whole with glimpses of Books 5 and 6 of the series. Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple , GooglePlay , Oyster , Scribd , Smashwords

My short story, Sector Three-Three , is going to be in Laurel Highlands Publishing's next anthology, Across the Kármán Line . Vace has a dream—to get to space.  At the moment, she is a kreel well worker with a past she’d rather forget.  An incident at the kreel lines forces her to face her past and tempt her fate. Across the Kármán Line In space, fate rests in the hands who created the craft.  Wits and creative risk separate life from death while navigating the three-dimensional sea or marooned on an alien planet.  The trust between captain and crew unifies a mission.  And sometimes, the final take-off is the hardest. Across the Kármán Line will be released 19 May 2015.  Ebook pre-orders are available at Amazon ,  Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple iTunes , and Google Play .

To be cliché, I’ve been writing up a storm—even during a storm.  Pages of edge to edge ink have been stacking quickly atop my manuscript pile.  My pen only paused to do some research and take a few notes.   Whispers  (The World In-between, book 4) is coming along well.  These last few scenes I’ve been writing are so much fun. I typically write Whispers , as well as others, far from the distraction of my computer.  When I’m sitting in front of the keyboard, I type.  Supposedly, typing the piles of pages that form my manuscripts.  However, I recently opened a new file.  And, I began to type something different. I couldn’t help myself.  The idea just came to me.  It’s going to be a science fiction short story for the anthology Across the Kármán Line .  I wasn’t going to write a story for it.  I told myself I didn’t have the time.  I have other books to finish. But, here I am.  Writing a story I was...

Recently, I was asked which one of my books is my favorite.  With the upcoming release of Where Pirates Go to Die , I have seven titles—plenty from which to choose.  My easy answer:  how can I? The World In-between series is my baby.  With three novels and a short published, I am waist high into this epic portal fantasy.  Each book adds layers of complexity and a few new characters.  When I was talking about the series, someone asked why I wrote a male protagonist as a female author.  I told him it suited the story.  He looked at me strange.  The male main character tells the story from his point of view.  But is it his story or another’s?  Perhaps by book six, all will be revealed. After writing Tricentennial , the avenue to science fiction opened before me.  I enjoyed the straightforward story line and the faster pace.  Laurel Highlands Publishing is releasing the second edition by the end of the...

From the Mount Pleasant Journal  October 9, 2014  I'm on the far right.  :)  Last Wednesday's book signing at the Mount Pleasant Farmers' Market was a sunny success.  I had a great time meeting everyone who came. Moon Shadows is available at your favorite retailer.   Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Apple , Kobo , Google Play , and Smashwords .