We have had a busy week.  I got Neil back from the editors and there was plenty of tweaking to do. I freely admit I can't imagine writing novels without my wonderful editor. Hoping y'all enjoy what we did.  The reality tv show is going to continue with the next few books as they slowly rehab the ghost town that won't be so ghostly anymore lol.  

This of course means we're on to the next one. I have to turn in Honeymoon for Five soon so I'll be working away on that one. I think y'all are going to like the new concept we came up with. It hasn't been easy coming up with new scenarios that don't involve a bunch of kids but we've done it again and this time we're going to revisit Angie's neighbor Mina.  As a pantser I'm as excited to see how this turns out as y'all would be reading it. Though I do wish I were better at plotting, this will still be fun. 

My grandpuppy has been visiting quite a bit - I love german shepherd dogs. GSDs are my favorite sensible, strong, sweet, and smart breed that I don't have to lean over to pet lol, but my golden retriever gran has such a pretty face. Too much energy usually, but a sweet face. Though here he looks a tad bored watching me type LOL.  Even with puppies the fun thing about grandkids is we visit for a bit then their parents take them home.  We get to do all the loving on them, and their follks get to deal with their bad habits and training lol. 

Today is take Mom for her annual check up day. We're having a little challenge with her blood pressure but for the most part she's doing well. Dementia aside.  After that it's hit the keyboard and tackle Honeymoon for Five! 

I hope those who have Spring Break this week are having a great time! 

Do you guys have any pets? 

​I’m sure all of us have spent the last few days glued to the television and praying. Since no one comes to me for my personal opinions, I will not say anything more, but if any of my fans have friends and loved ones directly involved in this heartbreaking turn of events, my heart is with you.
 
As for me and my world, Neil is in the hands of the editor and I really do think y’all are going to enjoy this one. It’s all the fun things we love about the Farradays wrapped up in a pretend relationship story mixed with a little bit of TV fixer upper happenings. Let me know if you’ve preordered it or are waiting for release day!
 
Now some of you may have heard Mother Nature is having another winter fit in Texas. We literally had 80 degrees one day, 50 the next and 20 the day after. Today is supposed to be in the 60s again and I am very much looking forward to it. One of my dearest friends since college (she was my maid of honor) came to visit for the long weekend and I am so happy the cold front waited for her to leave before descending on us. At least this week’s cold snap didn’t come with any snow. That was a huge blessing!  Here's a little photo - I look like hell. Hadn't expected to have my photo taken and haven't started my diet, but forty years is forty years and the chocolate martinis are like dessert where we were! 
 
I’ve also been getting more work done and more sleep this last month. Who knew all the hoops we’d have to jump through in our old age to get eight hours- and some nights I only get seven – but I’m thrilled that the blackout curtains, and weighted blanket, and closed doors, and bedtime gummies are all working together to keep me asleep and more productive. Next on the to-do list is Honeymoon for Five.  That sucker took a long time to figure out a premise that didn’t include children. Not that I don’t like children, but I really want to keep each of these stories at least a little unique.
 
So I’ll leave you for now and follow up when something interesting happens. 

Here in Texas, the weather is all over the map from one day to the next.  We had great warm short sleeve weather this week and grab my coat it's cold out weather - back to back. Though I've spent most of it in my house working, I did get out to dinner with a friend Saturday night and then Sunday we went to a friend's house to watch the Superbowl.  

I'm not a football fan. I learned the basics so I could sort of talk to my husband about it from time to time, but we were rooting for the Rams so we were happy.  I didn't particularly care about any of the teams, but the quarterback is from Dallas so we went with that. I also learned that there is a loose connection between the LA team and my NY alma mater - the Fordham Rams.  So hubby watched the game while I chatted an caught up with friends who like me weren't that invested in the game. 

I am however proud that I am on schedule with Neil and was able to take the time off to go hang out with friends. I have to thank my writer friends Susan Warner and Kathy Ivan for helping get through some of the humps on this book, but I think y'all are going to like where Neil and Nora are taking us!

And as another plus, I'm keeping my goals of one box of Mom's files every day. Interesting the things I find hiding in a folder with utility bills LOL.  Here's a picture- I'm not sure I was ever really that young. Though I have no idea how young I was at the time, but I'm going to guess around 12 or 13.  And that painting on the left was one of my Mom's - she loved painting clowns. 

Well that's it for now - have a good week and I'll see you next week! 

 We had quite the winter snow fall this year. Once a year we usually get a winter snap for a few days, and every other year there's usually a little snowfall. Last year we had Snowmaggedon. We were without power for at least seven days. It was definitely for us and the rest of the state anything but normal. 

This year was more typical. Two nights of snow or sleet with frozen white everywhere for a day or two. Very pretty to look at from mostly inside my house! LOL.

Of course the whole area stays home on days like this. North Eastern transplants can't understand why everything shuts down, until they get on the roads and encounter local drivers. Then it becomes clear that the ice is only part of the problem (no salt trucks) folks completely clueless of how to drive in the snow and ice are the bulk of the challenge. So we all learn to just stay home! 

The other typically me thing is the tendency to be barefoot. So naturally while standing outside videoing my yard in twenty degree weather I had no shoes on. 

Are you a cold weather fan? Love playing in the snow? A skier? Or are you like me and hibernate with hot tea on winter days? LOL. 

In my case it's viewing through time. This was the last weekend to empty Mom's old house. I have boxes and boxes of papers to sort through still and in one I found a treasure of old photos from the forties and fifties with my grandparents and friends and family. Including a prom photo of my mother at 16! 

This one is of my Uncle on the left, my grandmother, Mom's date, and My mother in the mid fifites at a supper club in NY called the Chateau Madrid (apparently it was a favorite haunt of #FrankSinatra in the sixties! 

 This next one though is fun - apparently my grandmother's - ready for this - basketball team was in the newspaper in 1930 (she was 19) and someone had saved this clipping! Thankfully someone drew an arrow over my grandmother's head or I would not have recognized her! And yep- it's the same grandmother as the photo above! 

Anyhow - I am diligently working away on Neil. I suspect my editor is going to have her work cut out for her! But I'm starting to get into the rehab part and have high hopes! 

Do you like rummaging through old photos? Sure does help when there are names on the back! 

Yep - I'm back south visiting my daugher's family which means - Oma time! I just love that my grandson is a snuggler! 

And here's the fun news - the reason I came down is for my daughter's doctor appointment - we are having a healthy baby girl in June! YAY ! - I LOVE babies. I could hold a baby all day and night long. They are such treasures. Don't ask much, don't want to borrow the car keys and never break curfew LOL! 

My kids loved time with their Grandma and I loved time with my Grammy, so I'm really looking forward to babyhood and then further down the road when we can shop and travel and play cards!  Yeah - I'm a card player.  Used to love Canasta growing up, then my husband's family turned me on to whist. Anyone else a card player? Have a favorite game? 

I'm plugging along in Neil Farraday's book (releasing in March and available for preorder)- I don't know if any of you remember Nora, Brooks' nurse and the youngest card player in the Ladies Afternoon Social Club, but she's our heroine this time around - and the ghost town is back!  And for anyone who's a remodeling fan - they're installing reclaimed oak floors in this books project :) LOL. 

Okay- naptime is almost over and I need to get back to work. 

Apparently Mondays in the new year are getting the better of me LOL.  This was a very busy week as the audiobooks for Adam, Brooks and Connor went live! Now you can buy audiobooks directly from my website and save money too! Bur I’ve been lost down rabbit holes!
 
I’m trying to decide how to set up my home for when my daughter visits with two kids not one. (Did I mention I’m having a new grandbaby in June?)  My son’s old room has a crib in it for my grandson, room darkening curtains, and a changing station on the dresser. My daughter’s old room has three twin beds (and a trundle) that my nephews stay in when they visit – so I’ve been at a crossroads of what to put where.
 
For the holidays when I had six nieces and nephews and four cousins visiting  we had to move the changing station into the hall bath – I moved my daughter’s longer dresser in there (yes it’s a big bathroom lol) and this way my son’s room was freed up as a guest room (it also has a queen bed) .
 
What am I getting to? After a week of scanning the internet, I’ve decided to leave the dresser and changing station in the neutral bathroom. Then I decided to leave my grandson with the familiar and put a twin mattress on the floor where his crib was – and the crib is now in my daughter’s old bedroom with the three beds.
 
So on my new rabbit hole list for now is – fun bed for that twin mattress for my grandson and room darkening curtains for my daughter’s old / baby’s room.
 
And along with all that – I managed to get more done on the new series and am back to finishing Neil.  Neil is taking us back not only to Farraday country but to the ghost town and the reality TV show! I’m hoping y’all are going to love it.
 
That’s it for the update for this week. Will keep you posted – hopefully on Monday ! – over what else we decide ! 

Yep I forgot to post yesterday – so very sorry, but I have a good reason.
 
We were uploading audio samples – you heard me! Farraday audiobooks 1-3 are ready and the samples are up! If you want to listen you can pop over to this link you can listen before we make it public to the rest of the world – this is sort of our little secret for the next few days!
 
I also have been digging deep into the new series trying to flesh out the story so that I can give them you before the end of the year – wouldn’t that be fun?
 
Here are a few lines – from what I wrote last night:
 
The feeling of eyes boring into her back continued. “I think I need a drink.”
Preston’s brows arched high on his forehead. “Regrets already?”
“No.” At least she didn’t think so. She drew in a slow breath. “It’s just an odd feeling being under a microscope. So to speak.”
“Did you see Mrs. Russell’s expression when we walked in?”
She had. Biting back a smile, she nodded. “Never mind Mrs. Russell. Did you see the look on Mr. Russell’s face when his wife elbowed him in the side.”
Preston chuckled. “Yeah. The way his eyes bulged big and round I wondered if she might have used her fork.”
 
That’s all I have for now- I have to go hide in my work cave again!
 
Thanks for visiting! 

​Happy New Year - Ours is staring out fabulously! Always fun having the people we love with us! 

Now, I know this is silly, but I survived a week with a two year old. As many of you know, there’s a reason we have our kids young. This week I have been constantly reminded of that fact LOL. Beyond any doubt this child has more energy than I will ever have again in my lifetime! Thank heaven he loves slowing down to enjoy a good book! It’s so hard to believe it wasn’t just yesterday that he was born. Whenever there are small children around it reminds us how fast time really goes by. The other thing we figure out fast with grandchildren is that the human heart has no limit to how much love it can hold. Amazing when you think about it. 

​Anyhow, today we give him back to his mom and dad and then hubby and I will probably take a week or ten to recover! LOL. 
 
In the meantime we’ve been busy over the holidays with business. My first two German translations of the Farradays release later this month, paperback books are now available on my website (and pss – here’s a little secret – they’re cheaper too!), the Farradays in audio are probably days away from being available on my website too, and I’m desperately working on names for the new series. Did I tell you I’m working on a new series? Well, just to say thanks for following the blog – here’s a little (and I do mean little) snippet of the first book.
 
Friends allow me to introduce you to the Sweet family:
 
Preston Sweet slammed the door of his SUV and slipped his keys into his pocket. Unlike his apartment in town, the front door of the Sweet ranch was never locked.  From the near empty drive, it looked like only his brother Cooper had beat him home. Every Sunday the driveway would be filled with cars. Tonight would be the first time the house would be bursting with Sweets on a weeknight for no other reason than his mom had called and asked.
The sound of spitting gravel cut off his thoughts. Even with the dust cloud blowing in the thick summer air preventing a clear view of the approaching car, he knew the driver had to be Rachel. His sister was the only person in the family who considered every open road a NASCAR track.
The car came to a screeching halt within a few feet of him, though it felt like inches. She probably should have moved to Hollywood and been a stunt car driver. “Cutting it pretty close don’t you think?”
Rachel yanked her overnight bag from the back seat and shook her head at her brother. “Nah. I had plenty of room.”
Even though he had just seen her a couple of weeks ago, he scooped her into a warm hug as though it had been forever ago.
“Any idea what this is all about?” she mumbled into his shoulder. The same underlying tinge of tension he’d felt since his mom’s cryptic call, cracked in Rachel’s simple question.
He shook his head, and eased back. “I can’t decide if Mom announcing she’s getting married would be best case scenario or worst case scenario.”
Like a shot, Rachel sprang back. “Mom’s getting married? I thought you didn’t know what this is all about.”
“No. That’s not what I meant.” He shook his head. “I was simply wondering what could be so important that she would call all of us and tell us she needed us home. Now. Then it hit me a wedding would be something seriously important. Especially if it were our mother getting married again. Once my mind wandered that far, then I couldn’t decide if that would be a relief or the beginning of some new kind of hell.”
“She’s not even dating.” Rachel smacked him lightly on the arm and growled her frustration with her big brother. “Why would you even go there?”
“Because the other option was she’s dying and I don’t want to go there ever.”
On a heavy sigh, Rachel nodded. “That would certainly make getting hitched more appealing.”
He reached for her bag. “Did you ever think about it?”
“Mom getting married again?”
Moving forward, he bobbed his head.
“Nope.” She fell into step beside him. “I just can’t picture anyone with Mom except Dad.”
“Know what you mean, but still, it has to be pretty lonely some days in this big old house.”
“Yeah.” She stopped at the porch steps and looked up at the expanse of the old two story home. “But for now, I don’t think this is it.”
“I hope so. I’m not ready to go there yet. Some day, but not yet.” The way his dad had drummed into all their heads since they were old enough to walk, he held the door open for his sister. “And the more I think about this call, the more I’m sure whatever it is, I’m not going to like it either.”
 
I hope you liked my little intro – now we have to work on title and a series name. I’ve kicked around Second Chance K9 Ranch series?  Did I mention there will be dogs ?? LOL. It’s not rolling off my tongue though. I also thought of Sweet Family Ranch series but that doesn’t mention the dogs. Then I thought I could use a subtitle. Do you like books with subtitles? Perhaps A Home for Grayson: a Sweet Family Ranch novel -  in the Second Chance K9 series.  Thoughts? Suggestions?