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Romance Reads & Giveaway

Hello friends! Since my last newsletter, I went out on sub with my agent! Please keep your fingers crossed for me. I am so excited, and I would love to see this book out in the world. But more news and tips are below!
Every newsletter includes a (hidden) giveaway.
The winner of my last newsletter was Miriam Y., who won any eBook that released in 2020. This time I'm giving away any romance eBook and a query critique to help you celebrate Valentine's Day and meet your publishing goals! If you end up only wanting one or the other, please let me know. I'm happy to pick two winners in that case!
Will you be the winner this time?
Good luck!

Calling all book clubs and teachers!

In celebration of Valentine's Day, I have added a new page to my website that helps book clubs and teachers discuss the Timely Death trilogy. This paranormal romance is set in Kansas and *gasp* has no werewolves or vampires. It follows two sects of people who shift faces at night and fight each other with magic (without knowing who each other are during the day). Definitely complicates friendships and who you can fall in love with. *wink* 

The book club page includes fun book discussion questions and a fabulous lemon bar recipe in honor of Mindy Welborn, who bakes them throughout the trilogy. 

Check out The Timely Death trilogy by clicking here.

For my newsletter subscribers, I will visit your book club or classroom for free! Offer available through the spring. Just let me know you came from here.
Click here for Book Clubs & Teachers Info

Pitch Wars Mentor Update


This year I am co-mentoring with long-time CP Sandra Proudman. (Go say hi to her on Twitter!) We are mentoring Miranda Sun, a young adult writer, and we are so excited for the showcase on February 12! I hope you all will check out her book and follow her journey. We recently did an interview with Pitch Wars, and it includes a real-life ghost story from me. (I may have lived in a haunted house when I was a teen!) Read our interview here. The agent showcase is February 10-15. Check out PitchWars.org for more information!

SAT Update & Writing Tips


Right now, this newsletter is quarterly. Last time we spoke, it was November. This year, I decided to send out this newsletter in February, May, August, and December. So far, 2021 is going pretty well! I'm still working for home, but if I have to leave the house, I'm definitely wearing masks. Novl recently sent me a "Stop the Spread. Read Instead" mask, which has to be one of my favorites, but my current fav is my Sailor Moon mask. Do you have a fav?
To enter the giveaway, reply to this newsletter and tell me about your favorite mask. Winner will receive any romance eBook & a query critique. But if you're looking for publishing tips in general, I definitely recommend registering for WriteOnCon. It's virtual and starts February 19. It's really affordable. I'm definitely attending. I'm also working on Publishing Month for The Story Center in April. We'll be offering a handful of virtual events, including a query workshop, a course on publishing scams, and more. (These are free, virtual, and open to anyone in the world.) If virtual events aren't for you, I recommend reading Before & After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum. It is so insightful, no matter where you're at in your writing career. I learned so much. In fact, I learn a lot from reading craft and business books, so if that's something you haven't tried yet, I highly recommend trying it out. 

Back to college!


Just this week, I went back to college! Mid-Continent Public Library is behind this amazing opportunity. They choose to send me to the Doniphan Leadership Institute at William Jewell College. The six-month program is designed to help leaders and visionaries create a more dynamic and vibrant Greater Kansas City. I'm really honored that I was chosen, and I'm so excited to learn more skills to help Kansas City grow! 
What I've Been Reading and Loving
I decided to spend January reading older books that have been on my TBR for a long time, which was really fun! I think I'll make this a tradition. But here are my top four latest reads, which includes some new ones I finished recently.

Exclusive Sneak Peek

 
Now that I'm on sub with my adult science fiction novel, I am revising another adult science fiction book. I'm currently working on my monsters in spaceeeee book. This is my fifth revision, which is more revisions than I'm used to needing (not to mention the cups of coffee), but it's starting to come together in a way that I feel proud of it. Below is your exclusive sneak peek. Forewarned: There might be dancing.

She spun and spun and spun, the faces of the ballroom blurring into darkness, and then she stood in darkness’s arms. The monster prince. He formed before her, his hands folding around hers, ice-cold but firm. He took her in, then dipped her low. 

“You look like you’re having fun,” he spoke. 

“The most,” she agreed.

He lifted her up, and they waltzed through the parting crowd, his fingers traveling her arm, hers brushing the fine black silk of his hair. He did not complain that she was too tall, too fast, too lean, too capable. He simply kept up with her, letting her lead when she pleased, taking over when she gave in, and she folded often.

Tonight, she wasn’t the tough monster hunter solely responsible for her city’s protection. She was the reckless monster girl, who didn’t have to think twice about her appearance. She could let go and enjoy. She could just be, and she felt alive—and like she could take the lives of everyone around her. Except, all she saw was monsters, and she felt no need to kill them. She admired them. Their crooked knees and stiffened calves; reptile skin and blood-thirsty lips; arching backs, sinewy muscles, the smell of dog.

Had a wolf entered to dance amongst them?

She hoped so. She missed the feel of fur between her fingers. 

The thought made her stomach slam into the bottom of her ribs. She stopped spinning. What am I doing? The room whirled as fast as Mireille’s mind, until her focus landed on a singular memory. 

The monster prince watching herDancing with her.

Horrified, Mireille scanned the crowd for his metal beak. But he had disappeared—or had she imagined him? An illusion created by mistlight madness. She hoped so. Her gut told her otherwise. 

I hope you enjoyed dancing with the monster prince in space! I certainly did, and I'm looking forward to wrapping up these revisions sooner rather than later. To be honest, this is probably the strangest book I've ever written. The world building is certainly bizarre. But hey, I love a good challenge. I hope it makes it out in the world one day! No matter what happens, it's always a delight to share my stories with you. Even these little sneak peeks. 
 
 
Thank you for your continuous support.
 
 
<3
 

*Grabby Hands*

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