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Not much inspirational here, no recipes. Some pictures and a bit of sharing news.

Just recently I came across Ira Glass, and this interesting graphic statement about STORYTELLING. A profound message, at least for me. My high school writings were…well, a beginning of sorts. My first full length book was a hot mess even after I chopped off the first sixty (yes SIXTY) pages. And in spite of Chuck Wendig’s strong advice on PRE-REJECTION in this instance I think I was wiser to listen to my inner voice and wait just a bit before I exposed that collection of words to public scrutiny.

What I did do then, and later, was (again borrowing from Chuck Wendig) FINISH MY STUFF. And eventually I sent it out one last time. And they liked it. My Killer My Love was published May 2011. Teach Me To Forget came out the next year.

Life intervened as it often does.  I still wrote sporadically but those stories stayed (safely) in my computer. Until sometime last year when I pulled one out (rather like reaching into the back of the closet for that outfit I’d been saving for a special occasion) and sent it off to Lauri, the editor who has said consistently: If you wrote it, we want it.

And she did. A Question of Honor (working title) went off to BLACK OPAL BOOKS. They have grown so much since my first submission and I knew I would be waiting. And waiting. Instead of just sitting around waiting, one evening I sent a prologue and a blurb to Lauri and she sent back: Do you want a contract?

Well, ummm, yeah. But it’s not quite finished. That’s fine, she replied. When you’re ready.

In January I started a week long blogging challenge that has stretched to a month. I met many talented people at various stages of their artistic careers. All prompted by Seth Godin (yeah, I’m kind of a squealy fan girl here. During that time I was noodling through my computer and came across “Tyler’s Story,” Tyler being the partner of Devin (A Question of Honor) whose wife left him and took his favorite horse…he really wanted that horse back! I had finished this during my down time, and just for grins popped it over to Lauri with the explanation that it was finished but not smoothed out yet. And Lauri sent back that question I was finally beginning to believe I deserved: Can we send you a contract?

Which means: Two books published, two contracts coming. And a book in final edits that will be out in May 2015. That’s soon. Very soon. Since all three new books are in New Mexico, and all at least somewhat related I’ll be sending Black Opal Books art department some of my pictures of New Mexico mountains and sunsets and sunrises.

And delving into new stories to share. Eventually that first book will come along, or at least the location and characters. Thanks for hanging around to the end!

In case you’re wondering, My Killer My Love right now is a stand alone though I have a follow up novella in the works.

Teach Me to Forget is related to Sometimes When We Touch (just about to go in to Lauri) which is set in Willow Springs, New Mexico. There’s a good chance Paul, the veterinarian from TMTF will be moving to Willow Springs in the future.

A Question of Honor is set on a ranch near Willow Springs, as is Tyler’s story (yet to be named) and that first book is on a ranch nearby. New Mexico is a magical place if you like wind and green chiles.