Is it Time to Change What I Write

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Oh my gosh! Can you believe it’s the end of June! Where has the time gone? Half of 2022 is behind us! Wow!

I know for me, the month of June went by so quickly. I did get to visit with my critique partner which was so wonderful and I’ve spent the time since then trying to catch up at the day job (I have one of those positions that never stops, never takes a breath, but it’s all good because I love what I do)!

What else have I been doing? Well, writing. Not as much as I want to or as much as I need to, but I’m plodding along. I’m a slow but steady writer with occasional bursts of mania thrown in for excitement (which has yet to show up with my current story).

And I’m submitting two of my finished manuscripts and yes, they are historical westerns, which, if I’m being totally honest, are a hard sell to the traditional (and not so traditional) publishers out there. I admit to wracking up my fair shares of “Thank You But No Thank You”s (and yes, I had forgotten how that feels). I was fortunate enough to have the same publisher for my last five books and I loved them, but as so often happens in this business, they were bought by someone bigger. But I digress…

Considering all the rejections I’ve been receiving, I’ve wondered if I should be writing something else (like Regencies, but seriously, where would I begin?). As yet, I haven’t come up with a single idea, but I really do believe that’s because I love my westerns! I love the cowboys, the lawmen with the shiny stars pinned to their chests who have a definite sense of right and wrong, the sassy saloon girls with their hearts of gold, the ranch owners who have sacrificed to keep what they love and all the rest. It’s a love affair between me and my westerns, but maybe….just maybe….there’s room for something different…

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

Not You, It's Me by Julie Johnson

 It's great when you hear a woman using the line "It's not you, it's me" instead of the man.  Gemma Sommers is well acquainted with saying that.  She doesn't believe love is a real emotion that she can attain after many pathetic dating experiences.

Such as at the beginning of her story, she's dating her apartment neighbor who can barely pay attention to her.

This is evident when Mr. Gorgeous, Chase Croft, saves her on screen with a smothering, in a good way, kiss.  Her boyfriend is standing right next to her and doesn't even notice, by the way.  The rest of Boston sees it.

Gemma has a creative job at an art gallery where she sells exclusive art.  Her apartment is small and full of color just as she wants it.  Her funds are low, but she's pleased with her lifestyle.

Chase has a different type of problem.  His bank account is exploding, woman love him, and his penthouse is spacious.  He thinks he doesn't have room for the right woman, yet he seeks out Gemma as his art consultant.

Sounds easy for them to fall in love, but Gemma is short on the trust theory and Chase has a meddling family and doubts of his own ability to run his business and treat Gemma in the way she deserves.

It's a fun read as the insecurities of each are hashed out, thrown against the wall, and hope to reach the finish line in a compatible manner!

Happy reading,

Dawn

A Wonderful Visit

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

Oh my gosh! I had such a wonderful visit with my critique partner and her DH. I was pampered and allowed to relax (such a difference from my day-to- day life, where relaxing is done at the end of the when I just can’t do anymore).

As I suspected, there wasn’t much writing getting done, but that’s okay. It was a wonderful opportunity to just sit and chat (about books, our current stories, and those that will be written in the near future, and so many other things. There was never a lack of something to talk about). Although we Zoom chat every week, there’s just something so special about seeing someone you absolutely adore across the table from you.

We did have some adventures and that was great. We went to the beach and I swam in the Gulf of Mexico (first time ever). It was a little different than swimming in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. There were no waves (like I kinda expected), but the water was warm and about as perfect as it could be.

We saw a pod of dolphins (there were about twelve of them) playing in the near distance when we went to Cedar Key. To me, a desert dweller, that was a bit other-worldly. Seeing something like that on television is so much different than seeing it in person. I was thrilled!  

We watched a couple movies and preceded to critique them as well as try to figure out the Big Black Moment and the resolution. That was fun and kept us in practice even if we didn’t write very much (I did try, but it was a dismal failure).

I even made friends with her cats (well, one of them at least—the other wasn’t quite sure of me) which is saying something. Yes, I am fond of cats, but I am a devoted dog mom.

I’m home now. Back to the nitty-gritty of the day job and keeping house and all the rest of it, but it was so lovely to take a few days and just…relax and enjoy myself with excellent company! Thanks so much for having me!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

The Duchess and the Highwayman by Beverley Oakley

 The early eighteen hundreds in Norfolk, England is rough on the young ladies.

Phoebe may be known as Lady Drummond, but she isn't treated like a lady.  Her ailing husband, Ulrick, has abused her and left her for his cousin, Wentworth, to create an heir before Ulrick dies.

Ulrick's death is surprisingly fast and gruesome leaving Pheobe to run from an upcoming accusation.  She acts as a maid and runs without money, direction, or any hope of survival.

An alleged highway man, Hugh Redding, saves her from Wentworth who is pounding down on his horse within a stone's throw.

No one can know she's really Lady Drummond.  Not even the man with crystal blues eyes who takes her to his rented cabin.

Hugh and Phoebe are honest about their ambitions in taking Wentworth down, each for strong reasons.  Their true identities are kept deep in their pockets even as their hands begin to roam over each other.

A few details may make it hard for Hugh and Phoebe to keep their idyllic dreams a part of the future.  Let's see if they can make their way past the hidden truths and the law chasing Phoebe and make the rest of their lives a happily-ever-after.

Happy reading,

Dawn 

A New Adventure

 

        Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

So, by the time you read this, I will be winging my way across country to spend a long weekend with fellow writer and extraordinary critique partner, Lexi Post. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her and her DH (whom I’m very fond of as well).

I am so looking forward to this trip! There’s so much to talk about, to catch up on (even though we talk on a regular basis, but there’s something different when it’s face to face as opposed to Zoom).

Of course, we’ll be talking books and writing and our latest projects (and everything else under the sun). We’re like a pair of magpies, hardly taking a moment to breath during conversations (and I so love this!). We’re also going to hit the beach (and I can’t wait….it’s been a long time since I’ve been to the beach!).

I do plan on getting some writing done in the mornings (because that’s my usual writing time), but mostly, we’ll be visiting. I’m so excited!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie