• Sunday Snippet: The Happy Easter Edition

    Remember Easter when you were a kid? Man, I do. It was an event at our house every spring. The night before Easter, we colored hardboiled eggs with the Paas Easter egg dye kits. Remember those? After we kids went to bed, Mom, who was probably already exhausted from working at the grocery store all day and studying whatever courses she was taking for her nursing degree, hid them around the house. Then,  she’d iron everyone’s Easter clothes–usually made by our Aunt Alice, who was a stellar seamstress–so we’d look spiffy the next morning. I loved my dress and hat and little umbrella purse the Easter I was seven. I…

  • Sunday Snippet: The March Memos Edition

    March has been an incredibly busy month so far–finishing a book, starting a new one, editing gigs to do, promotion to get lined up, plus housework and laundry and keeping fit. Thus, I do have a few things I need to get off my chest–the first one is a yay, though! Dear Gal’s Guide Library, Congratulations on your 2024 anthology–Nourish. It releases April 13 and I can’t wait to get my copy! And huge congratulations to bestie, Liz Flaherty, whose essay “The Rickrack Chronicles” won a second place medal in the anthology! Nobody does it better, my friend, and I’m so proud of you! Beaming, Nan Dear Spring, Are you…

  • Sunday Snippet: The I’m Ready for Spring Edition

    Spring seems to be springing already and you know, we really haven’t had much of a winter here.  Oh, we’ve had few days of snow, but no real accumulation, and a few days of serious cold, but no long stretches of temperatures below freezing. That’s unusual but certainly not unheard of here in the middle of the United States. I remember lots of mild winters. These are crocuses discovered on one of my walks in the hood, aren’t they sweet? My tulips that neighbor Mary gifted me last fall are starting to peek up–they’re going to be yellow, she says, and I can’t wait to see them bloom! But I…

  • Sunday Snippet: The I’m Pushing Edition

    Yup, I am. Working on first draft of book 3 in the Walkers of River’s Edge series, Made for Mistletoe, (deadline is in three weeks), and I’m nearly at The End. I’m hoping Cam and Harper’s story will touch hearts and bring special holiday joy for lovers of all things River’s Edge. I’m also working on promo for book 1 in the Walkers of River’s Edge series, Make You Mine, which releases April 16. All this in addition to my day job, copy editing. I’m really falling in love with Cam Walker–he’s just a big cinnamon roll (as are so many of my heroes). But Cam’s heart is so big…

  • Sunday Snippet: The Under the Covers Edition

    We have winners! Margie and Gretchen, you are the winners of an ARC of Make You Mine. I’ll get those right out to you! And remember the caveat–a review would be so appreciated! Thanks for stopping by, everyone!!  Got your attention, didn’t I? (Sorry–nothing but sweet romance reads here.) But, you’re in luck this Sunday because rather than whine about my body, which has had a rough, rough week, I decided to reveal all three (3!) covers from my newest River’s Edge series from the amazing Tule Publishing, The Walkers of River’s Edge! I’m so jacked about this new series! The books all release in 2024, so what can I…

  • Sunday Snippet: The Start of a New Year Memos Edition

    Every so often, I do a memos edition–just random stuff that’s on my mind and needs to be dumped. This is one… feel free to add your own memos in the comments. I love it when you share! Dear Winter, Make up your mind already…snow and desperately freezing temperatures or mild and teasing us with spring? My daffodils are confused and so am I. Shiveringly, Nan ~*~*~*~ Dear Creative Brain, One book at a time, okay? Stay focused, finish Cam and Harper’s story, then you can move on. Distractedly, Nan ~*~*~*~ Dear Chocolate, Yes, I know you are delicious and wonderful and taste like magic, but you have to stop…

  • Sunday Snippet: The Writing from Other People’s Experiences Edition

    I’m writing book 3 in the Walkers of River’s Edge series–it’s Cam Walker’s story. He’s fallen in love with the new girl in town–a lovely young artist who also happens to be a widow. As a fiction writer, sometimes, my own life directs my storytelling, but honestly, most all of what I write comes from other people’s experiences, from absorbing narrative through films, books, music, and TV, and from listening. Okay, maybe eavesdropping in restaurants and airports and in groups of people, and from conversations I’ve been a part of and some that I’ve only been an observer in.  That’s all part of the discovery process–what happens before you start…

  • Sunday Snippet: The Eeek, I Need a Break Edition and a Question

    I’ve been working and writing pretty much nonstop for… well, for the last five years for sure and probably longer and I need a break. That’s not a whine…well, okay, maybe a little bit of a whine, but the fact is, I need to get away. Thankfully, I am getting away in about about a week! YAY! Liz and I are going on retreat for four days and I can’t wait. Retreat doesn’t mean I’ll stop writing. As a matter of fact our retreats are all about writing, but it does mean I’ll set my editing gigs aside for four days and focus entirely on the current WIP. Plus I…

  • Sunday Snippet: The I Shall Thole Edition

    It’s here. The New Year. It snowed yesterday and I opened the front door to take a picture and to inhale the crisp, cold scent of it. Snow brings a hush to the world and peace to my heart. So many people my age leave the state for warmer climes and I totally don’t get it. I like the change of seasons here in the Midwest, I don’t mind the snow–I don’t even mind being stuck inside if the snow makes travel hazardous. I’m writing the third book in The Walkers of River’s Edge series. It’s Cameron and Harper’s story and it’s coming hard, I confess. I’m not sure why…

  • Sunday Snippet: The December Memos Edition

    A long time ago, I did a monthly thing called Memos–it was fun and I’m not sure why I stopped, but this week, I figured I’d revive it, so here goes… Dear Readers Who Stopped by My Book Signings This Month, Sure loved seeing you and I do so appreciate you coming out to buy books and visit with me! Thanks for buying my books as holiday gifts–what fun I had packaging them up for you! Happy to be Signing Books, Nan ****** Dear Weather, It’s about two weeks ’til Christmas–time for some snow. Not a lot, mind you, just enough that it feels more like the holidays. Wouldn’t Mind…