Well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I figured it was time for some catching up here on my blog. It’s lovely to be blogging about something more than a quick announcement!

Blogging became a luxury when I found myself filling in as my child’s teacher and playmate, in addition to his parent, during this pandemic. But I can’t complain. I’ve enjoyed this extra time with my son. These days are precious as his teenage years loom and impending hormones threaten to change so much! 

But my writing has taken a hit. I’ve managed to write the books on my Harlequin contract, but haven’t proposed any new ones. I haven’t had the bandwidth in my brain to manage both of those things at once! 

I’m turning in my last contracted book, Falling for the Lawman, next week. After that I can start working on my next proposal for the Harlequin Heartwarming line. I feel like the proposal is already written in my head. I can hear the stories calling—it’s almost like they’re waving little story-arms, saying “Write me! Write me!”

These will be more Shelter Creek stories! I thought I might be finished with the series, but there are characters who still need to figure out their lives. There are Wyatt and Sara Sears, who you’ll meet in my September book, Falling for the Lawman. Their brother, Deputy Adam Sears (who appeared in the very first Shelter Creek book, Reunited with the Cowboy,) is the hero of that story.

And I can’t forget about firefighter Jade Carson from Rescuing the Rancher. She’s found happiness with Aidan, but she has three brothers whose lives need a little help. One of her brothers is Sheriff Dean Carson, who you’ll get to know in Falling for the Lawman. And then there’s Travis, Jade’s closest brother and fellow firefighter, and her oldest brother Ash, whose mysterious assignment with the Department of Wildlife has kept him out in the remote Sierra wilderness for a long time now. 

And I also can’t forget Fred Corrigan’s daughter, Greta, who’s taken over his dairy farm for him, but is struggling to look after all of her goats as well.  You haven’t met her yet, but you will in my March book, Second Chance Cowboy!

There you have it. A quick peek into my recent life and future books . Hopefully Harlequin Heartwarming will be interested in more Shelter Creek stories, because these characters just won’t settle down in my mind! And hopefully life will return to something closer to normal soon, and I’ll have the time to write them.

I hope you all have been weathering this pandemic as well as possible. If you have lost a loved one or been ill, you have my deepest sympathies. These are such difficult times. I hope a brighter world is on the horizon and in the meantime, I am grateful that I get to escape to Shelter Creek. I hope you’ll pick up one of my books and join me there!