June 2015

Dear Readers,

I know the official start of summer is June 21st (or June 20th depending on how you reckon it), but Happy Summer now! And Happy Birthday to all the June-born Gemini Twins and to my fellow Moon Children! Be sure to use your sunscreen, stay hydrated, and enjoy those summer reads!
Small Towns, Big Love!

I spent most of my childhood in the small town of Sapulpa, Oklahoma-and in a close-knit neighborhood to boot. The neighbor parents were second parents to all of us kiddos, which meant we didn't get away with much. On the plus side, we had people watching out for us. In fact, my paternal grandparents lived a half block from us. My brother used to ask what my grandmother was fixing for dinner before he decided whether to eat at home or not.

In writing Basket Case, I had the fun of revisiting my memories of small town living. Sapulpa didn't have a town square like I've created in Lilyvale, but we had a main drag. My granddad and dad owned a business on the drag, and so did the parents and grandparents of several friends.

 

I'm blessed to still be in touch with many of those neighbors and their children-the friends I grew up with. What about you? 

Giveaway
Do you hale from a small town? An enclave in a larger town? Was a large family your "small town?" Did you enjoy a place where neighbors came together in a park or town square? If you weren't raised in a small town, do you live in one now?

E-mail me at [email protected] to tell me about your small-town experiences, OR tell me what you think you'd like most about small town living. Please put "June Drawing" in the subject line!

 

I'm giving away a $10 gift card to either Barnes & Noble or Amazon. (Suitable for spending on a pre-order of Basket Case! <grins>)

 

The winner will be chosen at random from among those responding. Deadline to hear from you: June 30, 20115.

Sneak Peek at Basket Case!
Here's an excerpt from the front sales copy:

 

Art Fair and Foul Play

As I climbed the front stairs, I spotted my five-foot-nothing Aunt Sherry standing behind two folding tables that blocked the front door. A coatrack held small baskets of woven hemp and willow, and larger baskets made of those and other materials were scattered on the porch floor. A long swath of blue gingham fabric lay in and around the fallen baskets, the edges fluttering as if agitated by the swirling emotions instead of the mild breeze . . .

Opposite my aunt stood the snarling star of the showdown in progress. She leaned over the folding table, her blood red fingernails scary long and lethal-looking as she pointed at Sherry.

"You'll come to an agreement with me, Mrs. Cutler, and you'll do it soon or you'll be very sorry."

"But, Ms. Elsman," my aunt began.

"No buts," the Elsman woman interrupted. "I want that option on your land, and I will by God have it."

She tucked her asymmetrically cut black hair behind an ear, lifted a stiletto-shod foot, and deliberately speared one of the medium-sized hemp baskets lying on the porch.

Blame it on being tired and stressed, but the woman stomped on my last nerve, and my temper flared in a sonic boom of fury. "Back up and back off, lady," I snarled.

The woman casually turned and arched a brow. "My name is Elsman. Ms. Jill Elsman, and I suggest you stay out of this. It does not concern you."

"Actually, it does." The black-haired, black-eyed demon woman towered over me, but I stood straight and let her have it. "It so happens that Mrs. Cutler, the woman you just threatened, is my dearest aunt."

Y'all Come Back!
Thanks so much for being with me, and stay tuned in July for photos of Basket Case swag!

 

This eNews is lovingly prepared by Coffee Time Romance & More

Coming September 2015

Upcoming Events:

 

Saturday, October 3, 2015, 2 pm
B&N Firewheel
190 Cedar Sage Drive
Garland, TX 75040

* Portion of the sales to benefit Richardson Adult Literacy Center

 

Sunday, October 4, 2015 from 3-6 pm
10th annual Buns & Roses Romance Tea for Literacy
Renaissance Hotel, Richardson, TX

Keynote: Tessa Dare

 

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 from 4-7 pm
Columbia County Library, Magnolia, AR
220 E Main St
Magnolia, AR

(870) 234-1991